Vauxhall Corsa Review 2023

The Corsa has a lot in common with the Peugeot 208, sharing the French car's underpinnings and some very fine engines. However, there is also plenty that is unique to the Corsa in the way it has been styled and set up. It’s an entertaining car to drive down twisty roads, though the low-speed ride is on the lumpy side, while Vauxhall has addressed the standard equipment with a much more generous specification for all models. Read on for our full review of the Vauxhall Corsa.

While Vauxhall's latest small car instalment is easily the best Corsa yet and markedly better than its predecessor, it still can’t match the fun of the Ford Fiesta or the everyday practicality of the SEAT Ibiza.

The Vauxhall Corsa has plenty to offer buyers who are in need of an affordable small car that provides decent value and a rewarding drive. Indeed, compared to its predecessor, the latest Corsa is a revelation from behind the wheel, and will impress those after a solid and sensible first car. 

The Corsa borrows a lot of its oily bits from the Peugeot 208, with the platform and running gear all being carried over from the Peugeot. However, while the two are mechanically similar, the Vauxhall is the keener car to drive thanks to being set up specifically for UK roads. This has involved fine-tuning the suspension and steering to suit bumpier roads that also have lots of twists, turns and cambers to throw at the car.

That stiffer set-up does impact comfort, with the Corsa feeling quite unsettled at low speeds. Rough roads and pot holes produce a lot of body movement, which is made worse if you choose one of the higher specification models with larger wheels. In our view, both the Fiesta and Ibiza are more comfortable cars and also more entertaining on country lanes.

The Corsa is offered with petrol, diesel or electric power, but most will choose the zesty three-cylinder 1.2-litre 100PS petrol, which is identical to the 1.2 PureTech engine found in the Peugeot 208.

It’s one of the best petrol engines on sale today and is packed with lots of low and medium range urge for relaxed cruising, nippy acceleration and generally easy manners. It works wonderfully well in the Corsa, with  advertised economy peaking in the mid-50s per gallon.

All versions of the Vauxhall Corsa are generously equipped as standard. Even entry-level models get LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels and touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility as standard. 

However, while the Corsa's spec makes a lot of sense on paper, in reality the cabin is more cheap than cheerful with cramped rear seats and lots of scratchy grey plastics. The infotainment is also a long way behind the quality of the systems used by Ford or the Volkswagen Polo and its cousins from SEAT and Skoda.

Compared to the old model, the latest Vauxhall Corsa does represent a monumental leap forward in terms of handling and refinement. Much of this is down to its PSA partnership.

However, while an undeniable improvement, the Corsa's progress is hindered by its cramped and disappointing cabin. This limits its versatility and appeal in the supermini class, where the best contenders are now nipping at the heels of models from the small hatch sector in terms of cabin space, comfort and driving ability.

Looking for a second opinon? Why not read heycar's Vauxhall Corsa review.

You can adjust the driver’s seat for height and the steering wheel also alters for depth and angle, so finding a comfortable position is not an issue.

Vauxhall has taken a step back with this generation of Corsa when it comes to fitting in rear seat occupants. The previous Corsa was one of the roomier cars in its class, but this one drops down the ranks to become one of the less accommodating

The boot has a high load sill with a big drop to the boot floor, though the cargo bay itself is well shaped. It’s a pity there are not any storage cubbies on either side of the boot, but at least it offers 309-litres of space to be one of the biggest in the small hatch class.

The Vauxhall Corsa’s cabin is a big step up in terms of quality from its predecessor, with improvements such as the deeply padded soft-touch materials used for the upper dash surfaces.

However, the Corsa is quickly let down when your eyes and hands explore more of the plastics and other materials inside the cabin. A lot of the plastics are cheap, low-grade and hard, so they are prone to scratching that quickly makes them look old and scruffy.

Alleviating all of this are some glossy dash inserts and splashes of chrome embellishment to lift the cabin ambience to the same sort of level as the Ford Fiesta’s.

Lower end Vauxhall Corsas come with a 7-inch infotainment screen, while the Ultimate trim has a 10-inch display. In both cases, they are simple to pair with your smartphone using the USB port and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Using these connections also means you can access apps from your phone through the car’s display. It means every Corsa driver has sat-nav to hand through their phone, while those models with the larger 10-inch screen gain integrated sat-nav with the car.

We find the smaller screen can be tricky to read while driving due to its narrow shape. The bigger 10-inch version solves this and is easy to use.

You can check out the Corsa-e pricing in the separate review for this EV version of the Vauxhall supermini. Here, the now-petrol-only range of Corsa models starts from £19,085 for the 75PS 1.2 litre Design version. However, we reckon you’re far better off with the 100PS 1.2 Turbo engine, which costs another £900 if you stick with the manual gearbox. Upgrade to the automatic transmission and it adds a very substantial £1730 onto the final bill.

The GS trim costs from £21,235 for the 1.2, while the 1.0 Turbo comes in at £900 more, as with the Design. However, to have the auto ’box increases the price by a whopping £2700, but in mitigation this does get you the more powerful 130PS version of the 1.2 Turbo motor.

Ultimate trim only comes with the 100- or 130PS engines, the former with manual gearbox and the latter with the auto. Their prices are £25,120 and £27,820, respectively, which is edging them solidly into contention with several very good cars from classes above.

Vauxhall usually has some sort of finance deal available with the Corsa with low monthly payments and 0% interest rates, though this often requires a quite large upfront deposit.

A three-year old used Corsa with average miles to its name will cost you from around £10,750.

Sticking with the petrol range of engines in the Vauxhall Corsa, as the Corsa-e is reviewed separately, the most frugal award goes to the 1.2 Turbo 100PS engine with manual gearbox. It turns in a combined WLTP economy of 57.6mpg, which you’ll get very close to in real-world driving conditions.

The other engines options in the line-up are not far behind, with the 75Ps and 100Ps automatic models offering 55.4mpg. The 130PS Turbo auto pays for its added performance with a fractionally lower economy of 54.3mpg.

When it comes to stumping up for the first year of road tax for a Corsa, you’ll be looking at a bill of between £185 and £255 depending on which engine you pick. This is based on carbon dioxide emissions for the Corsa ranging from 109- to 133g/km.

Insurance premiums shouldn’t be too taxing, either, with the Corsa sitting in Groups varying from 12 to 23 dependent on which trim, engine, and gearbox you tick on the order form.

The Corsa isn’t as agile as a Ford Fiesta or as comfortable as a Volkswagen Polo. It’s a missed opportunity from Vauxhall, especially as the Corsa is very stable and easy to drive on the motorway.

In town, the ride is decent, though choose a model with bigger alloy wheels and the comfort suffers. The steering is light for parking, but it doesn’t interact in the way a Fiesta’s does. On curvier roads this discourages the Corsa driver from making the most of the car’s considerable grip.

At this sort of higher pace, the suspension takes on a harder edge that has the driver scanning the road ahead to avoid dimples and ripples. Given the Corsa has been developed from the same platform as the Peugeot 208, it’s frustrating to know the French car is more agile and dexterous.

You can now only choose a new Vauxhall Corsa with petrol power. The sole 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol is available with 75PS, 100PS, or 130PS. In 100PS form it’s a peach with generous thump delivered from barely over tick-over. This means the Corsa has a rewarding punch, which provides plenty of zip for passing slow moving vehicles or joining a fast-flowing A road.

The 75PS 1.2 engine is the only powertrain to get a five-speed manual gearbox, while the higher powered petrol and diesel get a six-speed manual as standard. Vauxhall offers an eight-speed automatic transmission called the EAT8 as an option for the 100- and 130PS motors.

A four-star rating from Euro NCAP is not that impressive. Even so, the Corsa comes with twin front, side and curtain airbags in all models. It also has Isofix child seat mounts on the outer rear seats.

All Corsas have ESP traction control, Hill Hold Assist, and traffic speed sign recognition. On top of that, every Corsa has autonomous emergency braking to warn of impending hazards and apply the brakes if the driver doesn’t. You also get lane departure warning and assistance to guide the car back into lane if it strays too close to a white line. A driver fatigue system is another standard feature to let the driver know when to take a break.

The Ultimate trims benefits from standard adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and Vauxhall's IntelliLux LED adaptive headlights that work to give the best spread of illumination at all times.

The Corsa with the 75PS 1.2 engine can only tow an unbraked trailer up to 500kg. The rest of the range is able to deal with an unbraked trailer of up to 580kg and a braked trailer weighing as much as 1200kg.

A removeable tow bar for the Corsa is a £655 option from Vauxhall.

Your starter for 10 with the Vauxhall Corsa range is answered by the Design trim. It comes with LED headlights that have high beam assist included. It rides on 16-inch alloy wheels and has cruise control as standard. Also part of this trim’s make-up is air conditioning, electric windows front and back, heated door mirrors, and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen that connects via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It also comes with a USB connector and six speakers for the stereo.

Next in line is the GS that gains 17-inch wheels, rear privacy glass, sports body styling, flat-bottomed steering wheel, and alloy driver’s foot pedals. Climate control takes care of the cabin temperature, and you also have rain-sensing wipers.

Top of the Corsa line is the Ultimate trim. Its main upgrade is a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with sat-nav included as well as Vauxhall Connect for internet services. It also enjoys a keyless entry and ignition, Alcantara upholstery, driver’s lumbar support and massage function, heated steering wheel and front seats, and automatic headlights that work with the IntelliLux Matrix system from Vauxhall to give a great spread of light in all conditions.