Vauxhall Corsa
Specs, engines and history
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By Felix Hartmann, Automotive Technology & EV Contributor
- Built
- 1993–present
- Top power
- 115 kW (156 PS)
Which Corsa to choose
Our verdict · Felix Hartmann
- For low running costs on short trips: the Corsa Electric, ideally the 115 kW version with the larger battery.
- For mixed driving without a charger: the 1.2 Turbo with 74 kW (100 PS), or the mild hybrid from 2024.
- For a cheap first car: the 55 kW 1.2 with the five-speed manual.
- For fun on a budget: a used Corsa D or E VXR with 141–154 kW.
Compare the class in our list of the best small city cars, or read about the Opel Corsa F for the German side of the same car.
Vauxhall is one of Britain's oldest car makers. Alexander Wilson founded the business in 1857 in Vauxhall, London, as a maker of pumps and marine engines; it built its first car in 1903 and moved most production to Luton in 1905. General Motors bought Vauxhall on 16 November 1925, and from 1980 most Vauxhall models were twins of Opel cars engineered in Rüsselsheim. PSA Group took over both brands in 2017, and since January 2021 Vauxhall has been part of Stellantis. The Luton plant closed in March 2025, leaving Ellesmere Port as the last British factory.
The Vauxhall Corsa is the British-market version of the Opel Corsa supermini. British buyers knew the first generation as the Vauxhall Nova; the Corsa name arrived in April 1993. The current sixth generation, the Corsa F, has been sold since late 2019 on a PSA platform, with petrol, diesel, mild-hybrid and fully electric versions. In 2021 it became the UK's best-selling car.
Specs by version
Engines
Dimensions and weight
Show all 1 versions
| Version | Battery |
|---|---|
| Corsa Electric 50 kWh | 50 kWh |
Verified Manufacturer and type-approval data from our catalog · Sources and methodology
In short
- Nova from April 1983 to March 1993, Corsa since 2 April 1993; the Corsa F is built in Figueruelas near Zaragoza, Spain.
- Corsa F engines: 1.2 petrol with 55–96 kW (75–130 PS), 1.5 diesel with 73 kW (99 PS), and electric motors of 100 or 115 kW.
- UK best-seller in 2021 with 40,914 registrations, ending the Ford Fiesta's 12-year run.
- Euro NCAP 2019: four stars; in Germany the Opel-badged twin started at €13,990, and the Corsa-e at €29,900, in 2019.
Vauxhall Corsa F at a glance
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Generation | Corsa F, sixth generation |
| Production | since 7 October 2019, Figueruelas (Zaragoza), Spain |
| Platform | PSA CMP; e-CMP for the electric car |
| Body | five-door supermini hatchback |
| Petrol engines | 1.2 three-cylinder, 55 kW (75 PS), 74 kW (100 PS) and 96 kW (130 PS); 48-volt mild hybrid from 2024 |
| Diesel | 1.5 BlueHDi, 73 kW (99 PS), 250 Nm |
| Electric | 100 kW (136 PS), 260 Nm; 115 kW (156 PS) from 2023 |
| Gearboxes | five- and six-speed manual, eight-speed automatic |
| Drag coefficient | 0.29 |
| Euro NCAP | four stars (2019) |
| Twin | Opel Corsa F |
From Nova to Corsa: the British names
The first Corsa was launched in September 1982 and built in Zaragoza, Spain. In Britain it arrived in April 1983 as the Vauxhall Nova, and all British Novas came from the Spanish plant. Nearly 500,000 were sold in Britain over ten years; in 1989 it was the country's seventh best-selling car, with more than 70,000 sales. The sporty Nova GTE had a 1.6-litre engine with 74 kW (101 PS) and a top speed of 186 km/h.
Vauxhall dropped the Nova name when the second generation arrived, and the Corsa B went on sale in Britain on 2 April 1993. It sold 1,371,573 cars in the UK within sixteen years. Across all markets, the Corsa was the best-selling car in the world in 1998, with 910,839 sales, and more than 18 million had been sold by 2007.
Six generations of the Corsa
| Generation | Years | UK highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Corsa A (Nova) | 1982–1993 | sold as the Nova; seventh best-seller in 1989 |
| Corsa B | 1993–2000 | first car with the Corsa name in Britain |
| Corsa C | 2000–2006 | UK's most popular supermini in 2002, 2003 and 2004 |
| Corsa D | 2006–2014 | What Car? Car of the Year 2007 |
| Corsa E | 2014–2019 | shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2014 |
| Corsa F | since 2019 | UK's best-selling car in 2021 |
The Corsa C was introduced in October 2000 and facelifted in February 2004. It was also Britain's second most popular car overall in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The Corsa B, C and E were built in Eisenach in Germany and Zaragoza in Spain, among other plants; the Corsa F is made only in Spain. The Opel side of the story is told in our history of Opel.
VXR and GSi: the fast Corsas
Vauxhall sold its hot versions under the VXR badge, while Opel called them OPC.
| Version | Power | Torque | 0–100 km/h | Top speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova GTE 1.6 | 74 kW (101 PS) | - | - | 186 km/h |
| Corsa C GSi 1.8 | 92 kW (125 PS) | 165 Nm | - | - |
| Corsa D VXR | 141 kW (192 PS) | 230 Nm | 7.2 s | 225 km/h |
| Corsa D VXR Nürburgring Edition (2011) | 154 kW (210 PS) | 250 Nm (280 Nm overboost) | 6.8 s | 230 km/h |
| Corsa E VXR (2015) | 152 kW (207 PS) | 245 Nm (280 Nm overboost) | 6.8 s | 230 km/h |
| Corsa GSE (revealed 2026) | 207 kW, electric | 345 Nm | 5.5 s | - |
The Corsa GSE was revealed on 6 May 2026 as an electric performance model. Its public debut was planned for the Paris Motor Show in October 2026.
Corsa F: development and platform
The sixth Corsa was first planned on a General Motors platform. After PSA bought Opel and Vauxhall in 2017, that project was cancelled and the car moved to PSA's CMP architecture. The electric version was unveiled on 23 May 2019 and the combustion versions on 26 June 2019. Series production began on 7 October 2019, and the electric car reached dealers in March 2020.
In the electric car the battery sits under the floor, with cut-outs for the rear footwells. German Wikipedia says this lowers the centre of gravity by more than 5.5 cm and makes the body 30 % stiffer in torsion.
The facelift was revealed on 24 May 2023 and shown at the IAA in Munich that September. Its main change is the "Vizor" front, first used on the Mokka. The update also brought the 115 kW electric motor, and a 48-volt mild-hybrid petrol engine followed in February 2024.
Engines and the Corsa Electric
| Version | Power | Torque | Gearbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 petrol | 55 kW (75 PS) | - | five-speed manual |
| 1.2 Turbo petrol | 74 kW (100 PS) | 205 Nm | six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic |
| 1.2 Turbo petrol | 96 kW (130 PS) | - | eight-speed automatic |
| 1.5 diesel | 73 kW (99 PS) | 250 Nm | manual |
| Electric (2019–2023) | 100 kW (136 PS) | 260 Nm | single-speed |
| Electric (from 2023) | 115 kW (156 PS) | - | single-speed |
The first Corsa Electric, also called Corsa-e, has a 50 kWh battery, of which 46 kWh is usable, and reaches 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds. Its WLTP range is 330 km in English Wikipedia; German Wikipedia gives 337 km at launch, 354 km for the 2022 model year and 357 km after the 2023 update. The later 115 kW car has a larger battery: 51 kWh in German Wikipedia, 54 kWh gross and 51 kWh net in English Wikipedia. Its range is 405 km or 429 km on the WLTP cycle, depending on the source.
Charging is 7.4 kW on alternating current, or 11 kW in better-equipped versions. A 100 kW DC charger takes the battery from 0 to 80 % in about 30 minutes. The site's electric car rankings compare range and battery size with other models.
Safety and prices
Euro NCAP tested the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa in 2019 and gave it four stars, the same as the previous generation in 2014. It scored 84 % for adult occupants, 86 % for children, 66 % for vulnerable road users and 69 % for safety assist. Euro NCAP said the car missed five stars by a single percentage point in safety assist. The standard camera-based emergency braking worked well at city speeds but could not react to cyclists; an optional radar system was not assessed. The rating has since expired. Other results are in our car safety section.
Vauxhall prices the Corsa in pounds sterling. For the identical Opel Corsa, German Wikipedia records German list prices in 2019 of €13,990 for the combustion versions and €29,900 for the Corsa-e. In 2020 the Opel Corsa F was Germany's best-selling small car, with 53,199 registrations.
Photo gallery
Vauxhall Corsa in our rankings
- No. 50 of 106 · Most powerful hatchbacks (115 kW · top 48%)
- No. 542 of 912 · Longest-running car nameplates (7 years · top 60%)
- No. 203 of 305 · Oldest car models still on sale (7 years · top 67%)
- No. 662 of 859 · Most powerful cars (115 kW · top 78%)
- No. 249 of 312 · Most powerful cars of the 2010s (100 kW · top 80%)
- No. 64 of 78 · Biggest batteries: electric cars (50 kWh · top 83%)
More powerful than 52% of ranked hatchbacks in the 1CARS catalog (No. 50 of 106).
Vauxhall Corsa photos 6
FAQ
Is the Vauxhall Corsa the same as the Opel Corsa?
Yes. Since 1980 Vauxhall models have been largely identical to Opel models, and the Corsa is sold as an Opel outside Britain.
Why was the Corsa called Nova in the UK?
Vauxhall sold the first generation as the Nova from April 1983 to March 1993 and switched to the Corsa name with the second generation.
Where is the Vauxhall Corsa made?
The Corsa F is built at Figueruelas near Zaragoza, Spain; earlier generations were also made in Eisenach, Germany.
How far can the Corsa Electric go?
The first 50 kWh version is rated at 330–357 km on the WLTP cycle; the later 115 kW version at 405–429 km, depending on the source.
Was the Corsa the UK's best-selling car?
Yes, in 2021, with 40,914 new registrations.
Data sources
Data checked by an editor against the sources below.
