Opel Corsa

Opel Corsa at a glance

The name comes from the Italian word for "race" or "run". In the UK the car was sold as the Vauxhall Nova at first and as the Vauxhall Corsa from 1993. More Opel models are listed in our Opel catalogue.

History

The Corsa story began in 1982 with the Corsa A, offered as a three- or five-door hatchback and a two- or four-door saloon. The second generation, Corsa B, arrived in 1993, followed by the Corsa C in 2000, which was updated in 2004 with a better look, cabin and technology and was built in Europe until 2006 (longer in South America). The fourth generation, Corsa D, was unveiled in 2006 and updated in 2010, and it was replaced in 2014 by the fifth-generation Corsa E. The sixth generation, Corsa F, debuted in an online presentation in June 2019. This article focuses on the Corsa F.

Exterior

The new Corsa came as little surprise: as soon as the new Peugeot 208 appeared, it was clear that the same platform would underpin the next Opel. The two cars do not look alike overall, but some details reveal their relationship — French proportions combined with German minimalism.

Compared with the previous generation, the new Corsa looks more assertive. The front has a compact black plastic grille with Opel's typical mesh, two horizontal chrome bars and the lightning-bolt badge in the centre. The headlights have a sporty, slightly aggressive look. Base versions have halogen headlights, others LED units, and the top option is IntelliLux matrix LED lighting. The headlights are clean and free of superfluous elements, and Opel did not copy the 208's vertical LED "fangs"; instead, small LED fog lamps with black inserts sit at the sides of the bumper. The bumper has a full-width lower grille that also holds sensors for the comfort and safety systems. The bonnet has a curved edge running from the windscreen pillars to the grille and a central line reminiscent of a shark's fin.

The sporty GS Line version has more aggressive bumpers, a large tailgate spoiler, visible twin exhaust outlets and 17-inch wheels with a unique design.

In profile the Corsa resembles the 208, with similar creases at the bottom of the doors, a curved horizontal line on the doors and smooth lines on the wings. Eight paint colours are offered, and the roof can be painted black. The mirrors sit in the corners of the front windows; even base versions have electric adjustment and heating, and higher trims add power folding. The roof is plain, with a rod antenna, and a fixed panoramic glass roof is optional. Entry versions have 15-inch steel wheels, others 16- or 17-inch alloys. Ground clearance is an average 140 mm.

At the rear, a sporty spoiler with an LED brake light tops the tailgate, along with the badge, model and version badges and a wiper. The LED tail lights have a black background and are split into two parts, mostly on the body with a smaller section on the tailgate. The large rear bumper has vertical fog lamps or reflectors at the sides and a recess for the number plate and rear camera in the centre.

Interior

The cabin keeps a familiar layout. The Corsa remains an affordable supermini, so it uses decent plastics and fabric upholstery, but it is attractively designed, with bright inserts on the dashboard and door panels. The driver has a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with thumb grips, flattened at the bottom on the GS Line, and higher trims get a digital instrument panel.

The Corsa seats five. The front seats are ergonomic, with well-defined bolsters, firm padding, a sufficient range of adjustment and heating. The centre console carries a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, with a 10-inch screen as an option, and two long air vents above it. Below is a climate control panel with small knobs and a compact display, which flows into the tunnel with wireless charging and, on automatic versions, a small gear-selector lever reminiscent of Peugeot models.

The rear bench is comfortably shaped, with reasonable space in every direction. The boot is well shaped and holds 309 litres, compared with 285 litres in the previous generation; folding the 60/40 split rear seats more than doubles the space. The Corsa-e's boot is slightly smaller at 267 litres.

Engines and transmissions

The petrol engines use 4.1–6.2 l/100 km and the diesel 3.2–4.5 l/100 km. All versions are front-wheel drive. Depending on the engine, the Corsa reaches 100 km/h in 8.7–13.2 seconds and has a top speed of 174–208 km/h. Later, 48-volt mild-hybrid versions of the 1.2 Turbo with 81 and 107 kW (110 and 145 PS) were added.

The Corsa-e shares its drivetrain with the Peugeot e-208. It reaches 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds and has a WLTP range of 330 km at launch; later versions have a larger battery and 115 kW (156 PS).

Chassis

The CMP platform uses a transverse engine, extensive high-strength steel in the body structure and an aluminium bonnet. The front suspension uses MacPherson struts and the rear a semi-independent torsion beam, with coil springs and anti-roll bars. Rack-and-pinion steering has electric assistance. The front brakes are ventilated discs; the rear brakes are drums or discs, depending on the version.

Safety and equipment

Despite its small size, the Corsa offers an impressive set of comfort and safety systems for its class: front and side airbags, curtain airbags, cruise control, ABS, ESP and traction control, hill-start assist, emergency brake assist, lane keeping assist, driver fatigue monitoring, ISOFIX mounts, central locking, an immobiliser, front and rear parking sensors, a rear camera, a surround-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, keyless entry, LED lights and light and rain sensors, depending on the version.

A typical entry version has four airbags, 15-inch wheels, a 7-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument panel, air conditioning, heated electric mirrors, halogen headlights, ABS and EBD and electric windows. Options include leather upholstery, the 10-inch infotainment system, matrix headlights, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel and seats, automatic parking, a rear camera and front seats with massage.

What owners say

Owners of earlier Corsas like their pleasant looks, economy and compact size. The cabin is comfortable and well suited to city driving, and safety and equipment levels are high. On the downside, they mention low ground clearance, a fairly small boot and limited power; at high motorway speeds the car can feel less stable. The new generation addresses some of these points.

Rivals

The Corsa competes with the Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris, SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and, until 2023, the Ford Fiesta.