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Driving Experience

It is typically old school, this car takes you back to the raw feel of a 90's hot hatch, but with 1.0L Turbo engine which was unheard of in Vauxhalls range. This 2017 Corsa shows no compromise, you get economy and performance, and plenty of both. The great thing about this cars engine is the acceleration from a mere 999cc, it's easily capable to keep up with 2.0L diesels and holding its own at 70mph and able to go well beyond that. This punchy hatchback exhibited a complete absence of lag whilst the turbo spooled, making acceleration effortless even when driven hard.

During city driving the 1 litre Turbo Corsa is able to launch quickly and nip in and out of traffic with ease, the ride is firm, however not uncomfortable and able to handle British roads providing a more sportier ride than its main rival the Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost. This firmer suspension setup provides great benefits in the corners, and is able to stay firmly planted on the back roads even when taking the car to its limits. When it came to tackling parking and performing manoeuvrers the city steering mode really did lend a hand, effortlessly being able  to engage full lock. Something which we did notice when reversing was the rear pillar did create a blind spot, far more noticeably than the five door model, however this can be forgiven as the optional blind spot detection system in the door mirrors makes light work of this, however this is a pricey optional extra. 

Practicality

Space in the front is more than ample with plenty of leg room, and head room for individuals over 6ft is no problem, however rear leg room is slightly compromised when carrying taller front seat passengers, however this is to be expected with this class of car. This is less apparent on the 5 door model. Boot space is ample for a small hatch, on a par with the Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta, it was suprising to see the lack of a false floor and as we mentioned previously, no fabric covering the rear seat back. The glove box is rather compact and unable to store much more than its own user manual, however the central storage area and door pockets make up for this. 

Tech 

Vauxhalls premium hatch comes with an array of technology - a world away from the 1993 Vauxhall Corsa when the model was first launched, replacing the Vauxhall Nova. The Corsa now has an arsenal of equipment including; cruise control, touch screen infotainment system, onstart calling, blind spot detection and parking sensors front and back. This gives the car a premium feel and an overwhelming sense of useaiblity, almost everything is a touch of a button away - Feeling cold? turn on the heated seats or the steering wheel. These options provide a notion of quality found on more expensive rivals such as the Audi A1 or Mini Cooper. The only downfall with all these toys is the price, the car we tested totalled at a touch under £20,000, not bad when considering the array of optional extras you get. 

Careful consideration needs to be taken when choosing your options on this car. Our recommendations would be the cruise control, heated seats and steering wheel and the infotainment system with Wi-Fi. The On-Start calling is something we did not get to use and is a rather expensive option, however well worth the money if you are inclined. The parking sensors, although useful at times were more of a hinderance than a help, when tackling the narrow B roads, or trying to carry out manoeuvres we found the sensors beeping at grass verges or even high kerbs.

Specfications & Cost

The Verdict 

Style and looks 9/10