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Vauxhall Corsa 1.0-litre 113bhp review: New supermini company car star

Vauxhall Corsa 3 door 800
Vauxhall Corsa three-door

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14 October 2014

Vauxhall, Corsa, engine
Star engine in the new Vauxhall Corsa is the all-new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol with 89 or 113bhp

What’s hot?

  • To ensure the Corsa has the ammunition to help topple the Fiesta, new frugal but punchy engines have been made available. The star of the show is an all-new 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo available with either 89bhp or 113bhp.
  • It may be the smallest engine available in the Corsa but it’s certainly no slouch. In fact, it’s quickest model currently available with a 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds.
  • It’s an incredibly refined engine, with fluid power delivery but it also has an appetite to pick up speed quickly when you need it. Even from low revs in fifth-gear it has some noticeable urgency.
  • It’s also efficient, with 57.6mpg and 115g/km claimed for the 113bhp 1.0-litre version.
  • The low C02 emissions will mean the Corsa 1.0-litre 113bhp falls into the 15% company car tax band for 2014/15.
  • A 1.3-litre diesel model also dips below the magic 100g/km barrier, emitting only 85g/km and returning up to 88mpg. It falls into the 16% company car tax band.
  • The basic platform from the old Corsa has been carried over, but Vauxhall has bolted on a new suspension setup, which allows the supermini to float over surfaces it struggled to deal with before.
  • It’s far more compliant at lower speeds but also feels more stable on quicker B-roads.
  • A new electric steering system has been installed which has a nice weight to it. It’s speed sensitive, so light enough to manoeuvre around town with enough weight and feeling of stability when on twisty B-roads.
  • For a supermini there’s also good amounts of space inside. You won’t have much fuss seating three in the rear as head and knee room is rather generous. Plus a 285-litre boot is comparable with main rivals.
  • A brand new cabin and a much more upmarket feel is immediately obvious when you step inside. Gloss black plastics, soft touch materials and a new seven-inch touchscreen give it a much needed uplift in quality.
Vauxhall, Corsa, five, door, parked
There might be some big changes underneath,  but it’s a shame that Vauxhall didn’t change the exterior styling much

What’s not?

  • While there are big changes beneath the surface, little has been done to give the Corsa much visual showroom appeal.
  • The shape is almost identical to the previous Corsa, so viewed in profile or from the rear this all-new model could well be a mid-life facelift to the untrained eye.
  • All-new engines give a broader range of options but they’re not as efficient as rivals. The faster and more driver focused 123bhp 1.0-litre Fiesta EcoBoost emits only 99g/km. If you want that from the Corsa you have to get a diesel model, which is more costly.

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