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SOLD BY THE LITRE?
Is Vauxhall’s super supermini worth buying with a minuscule 1.0-litre engine? Andy Enright decides

"Quality, quality, quality: never waver from it, even when you don’t see how you can afford to keep it up. When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die." So says Gary Hirshberg a US writer and keynote speaker on corporate social and environmental responsibility. The timeline he has described was never meant to be reversed but that’s what Vauxhall’s Corsa has done, rising from nothingness to become a commodity product and only now becoming a desirable item of unimpeachable quality. We were curious to see how the cheapest model translated the quality mantra.

After all, if there’s anything we’ve learned from modern car production, it’s that the price of quality can be directly measured in lbs and ounces and pounds sterling. Quality cars weigh more, they are consequently thirstier and slower than flimsier lightweights and they cost more too. Therefore, it would seem rather rash to put a tiny 998cc engine that develops just 59bhp into a car that weighs a big-boned 1,070kg in five-door form. Compare that to a 58bhp Daihatsu Charade 1.0EL which does without the feel-good soundproofing and doors which thunk instead of clang and which tips the scales at just 720kg. The difference against the clock also speaks volumes, with the Japanese car requiring 12.4 seconds to breach the 60mph barrier while the Corsa will detain you for 17 seconds. Compare the fuel consumption and the Daihatsu is again streets ahead – 58.9mpg compared to the Vauxhall’s 50.4. If you’re looking for an effervescent little fizzer, don’t choose this Corsa. Yet despite these apparently unflattering comparisons, the Corsa is the far more satisfying car. It’s a car that makes you feel good about your investment for every second of the journey, not just those moments when you’re stood filling up or giving the car death from a T-junction.

"You now no longer need to buy a big car to get a reassuring degree of quality"

It’s a car that offers so much more than lowest common denominator motoring. Priced from just £7,495 in three-door Expression guise or £8,600 for a five-door Life model, the Corsa 1.0 serves up big car values in a truncated package. Climb inside and, if you’re used to the Astra, you’ll feel immediately at home here. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and like the Astra, there’s the bulletproof feeling of build quality that’s as good as anything in the sector. Just about the only criticism of the Astra’s interior was that, although well built, it didn’t offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changes that particular script with translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those ‘surprise and delight’ features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa’s dash a far more modern, integrated look than the somewhat piecemeal integration of technology of the old car. No longer just a shopping trolley, the Corsa now has real impact. The front end features a deep Vauxhall V-grille with aggressive air intakes under the bumper and a pair of headlamps that smear back along the wings. Bigger than the model it replaces, the Corsa shares a platform with Fiat’s Grande Punto, the benefit of a rather complicated relationship between Fiat and General Motors that’s too convoluted to go into here. Suffice to say, you may be reminded of the pretty Fiat when you spot the window by the A-pillar and the rather unconventional door outlines. Like its progenitor was, the Corsa is built in the same Zaragoza factory in Spain but breaks from tradition in offering a resolutely high-tech approach. Halogen Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) alters the beam of the headlamp according to speed and steering input, allowing the Corsa to see further round dark corners. There’s also an innovative Enhanced Understeer Control (EUC) function and convenience features such as MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Variable progressive sports power steering aims to offer finger light steering at parking speeds with a properly meaty feel when you’re really in the groove. The Corsa 1.0 is offered in a choice of Expression and Life trim levels should you opt for the three-door variant and Life in the five-door guise. Even the entry-level Expression trim is fairly well-equipped, with a CD stereo, electric door mirrors, twin front airbags and a neat folding ignition key. Step up to the Life and you’ll also benefit from welcome lighting, remote central locking and power front windows. You’ll get more toys from a south-east Asian cheapie but again it’s a trade off. Do you want gadgets or a well built car that’ll last the course? It’s almost a no brainer. Take safety for instance. Whereas some manufacturers will offer you little more than a soft touch dashboard to smash your head into in the event of a shunt, the Corsa offers chapter and verse. As well as the many active safety features demonstrated by its dynamic chassis design, the Corsa has been designed to offer the best levels of protection in even the most extreme circumstances. Under heavy braking, when the ABS is activated, the brake lights flash five times per second to warn following motorists, while if airbags or seatbelt pre-tensioners are activated in an accident, the car’s safety system will automatically switch on the hazard warning lights. Should an accident occur, the Corsa has been designed to offer the best protection for its occupants. Two-stage front airbags help cushion any impact, while the passenger airbag can be deactivated if using a rear-facing baby carrier via a button on the instrument panel. Seatbelt pre-tensioners secure the seatbelts to hold passengers in position, while the Pedal Release System automatically drops the pedals away from the driver’s feet in the event of a heavy frontal collision. The Corsa has also been designed to meet the latest stringent passenger safety test criteria. Suddenly the 1,070kg kerb weight seems a little more excusable. True, it’s no ball of fire but if you are more concerened with safety, design and peerless build quality, the Corsa 1.0-litre comes strongly recommended. Speed is not always of the essence.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 range PRICES: £7,495-£9,250 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 1 CO2 EMISSIONS: 134g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 17s / Max Speed 93mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 50.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, seatbelt pretensioners, twin front airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3990/1710/1490mm

CROSS HATCH
Vauxhall’s VXR products have a reputation for being real tearaways but the Corsa VXR has some sophistication to go with its brutal performance. Steve Walker reports

The hot hatch arms race has escalated once more and Vauxhall’s Corsa VXR has the arsenal to win it. 189bhp and 0-60 in 6.8s was the stuff of lottery winners’ performance saloons until recently. Now you can get it all in a souped-up supermini along with a well-judged handling package and some superb detailing. The Corsa VXR is an engaging drive with real quality and depth to back it up.

Purists might still shed an occasional tear for the passing of the original hot hatch heyday back in the 1980s but the current clutch of fiery small cars is arguably just as remarkable, if for different reasons. Vauxhall’s smallest VXR-badged rocketship generates nearly 190bhp, requires less than seven seconds to punch a Corsa-shaped hole the 60mph barrier and will eventually hit the wall at 140mph. While the appeal of old classics like the Mk1 Golf GTI and Peugeot’s 205 GTi remains strongly felt, the capabilities of the Corsa VXR and its rivals demand respect. This Vauxhall takes the turbocharged route to achieving its formidable performance, the 1.6-litre engine fitted with a BorgWarner turbo unit to help it achieve a 189bhp maximum power output. Like the best modern turbocharged engines, power and torque are served up in a progressive fashion from low in the rev range with no discernable lag. The 230Nm maximum torque output is available from 1,980rpm to 5,850rpm but a clever overboost facility actually gives the driver 266Nm for a period of five seconds when full throttle is deployed. It all helps the VXR generate searing pace with rapid responses to throttle inputs. The engine doesn’t reward excursions into the upper rev range vocally in the way that the normally-aspirated powerplants of some rivals do but it’s got serious shove down low where you want it and there’s the added bonus of strong refinement on the open road. The standard Corsa serves up class-leading ride quality but the VXR takes a firmer line with springs that are 12mm lower at the front and 19mm lower at the rear as well as specially-tuned gas-pressure shock absorbers. Information about the road surface is transmitted to the driver more effectively with the VXR staying flat and planted in corners but the ride remains highly compliant, making the VXR a perfect companion for blasts down Britain’s poorly-surfaced B-roads.

"VXR products don’t tend to be shrinking violets and true to form, there’s very little that’s low key about this one…"

The ESP stability control system has its work cut out reining the VXR in under hard acceleration and wheelspin is never far away when you switch it off. The variable-progressive steering system increases the level of assistance the more you turn, giving a reassuringly weighty feel around the straight ahead and faster response with more assistance as the steering angle increases. This helps with parking and urban driving but the level of feedback at speed is a lacking a little. VXR products don’t tend to be shrinking violets and true to form, there’s very little that’s low key about the Corsa VXR. The bodywork is riddled with scoops and vents with much of the styling addenda taking triangular form. There’s triangular mesh in the grille with its body-coloured V-bar and under bumper, while each of the fog lights is housed at the end of its own vaguely triangular chrome funnel. The fetching wing mirrors (that Vauxhall will be selling as an accessory so all Corsa buyers can get in on the VXR act) have a triangle hole beneath and at the back of the car. Plus there’s a triangular exhaust finisher as a final retort to those left in the VXR’s wake. Some of the detailing both inside and out is exquisite and Vauxhall has certainly pulled out the stops to differentiate the VXR from humbler Corsa offerings. The cabin is dominated by the specially-designed shell-backed Recaro seats which offer outstanding support and comfort. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is another upmarket feature that will set the enthusiast’s heart aflutter and you have the general build quality of the standard Corsa which is as good as anything in the segment. The Corsa is priced competitively against key rivals like the Clio Renaultsport 197 and the MINI Cooper S. You’ll pay £15,625 for the privilege which looks expensive for a bespoilered supermini but a bit of a bargain for a 189bhp, 140mph performance hatch – a lot depends on your point of view. Standard equipment includes ESP stability control, air-conditioning, remote central locking, electric front windows and door mirrors, a CD stereo and 17" alloy wheels. Vauxhall is offering massive 18" alloy wheels as an option, the biggest ever offered on a supermini, and they really add something to the exterior with little detrimental effect to the ride quality. As well as the 18" rims, buyers can dip into a wide range of further options to personalise their car with the manufacturer confident that very few VXR Corsas will be sold in standard guise. Tick the boxes marked climate control, leather, halogen head lights, Bluetooth and metallic paint and you’ll be shelling out nigh-on £18,000 for your Corsa. The available paint colours are Flame Red, Arden Blue, Star Silver and Black Sapphire with the blue looking particularly swish as it matches the brake callipers. While it might be a shade extreme for some, both in looks and personality, there seems little doubt that the VXR’s target market will lap it up. They’ll have to be quick though because production capacity constraints mean just 2,500 will be available in the UK each year. This promises to make the Corsa VXR a relatively exclusive sight on the road and help protect its residual value. Once you’ve got your hands on one, running costs should be agreeable for a car in this class with a combined average of 35.8mpg and 190g/km CO2 emissions. Vauxhall has done a thorough job of making the Corsa VXR feel special. Whichever way you look at it, it’s obviously no ordinary Corsa and at the wheel, its power and poise never fail to entertain. It’s the car’s ability to deliver indecent pace when roused but still remain comparatively mild-mannered in everyday circumstances that marks the Corsa VXR out. It’s not the absolute head-case that its styling suggests and beneath that snarling bodywork is a comfortable, beautifully-detailed interior that you’ll rarely tire of sitting in. There’s no real comparison between the Corsa VXR and the 1980s shopping rockets that started the whole hot hatchback thing off, the Vauxhall’s size and sophistication see to that. The whole genre has evolved, bringing more power and performance but also adding comfort, practicality and safety. In Vauxhall’s hands, the hot hatchback has become more of a performance all-rounder that’s adept in a range of driving conditions but just like the old masters, it’s still at its best when shown a winding lane and given its head.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa VXR PRICE: £15,625 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 15 [est] CO2 EMISSIONS: 190g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.8s / Max Speed 140mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: 26.9mpg (urban) / 44.1mpg (extra urban) / 35.8mpg (combined) STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: front and side airbags, ABS, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4040/1713/2511

WORTH THE WEIGHT?
Vauxhall’s Corsa is a grown-up supermini both in terms of size and quality but can the modest 78bhp 1.2-litre engine do an adequate job of powering it? Steve Walker finds out…

The supermini is growing. The quest for greater interior space and the necessity of complying with ever more stringent safety criteria has seen these once tiny cars expanding in every direction. In fact, probably the only key area where the modern supermini isn’t significantly upscale from its predecessors is that of the engine. This should set alarm bells ringing. Can the latest small capacity petrol engines shoulder the burden of propelling the latest crop of not so mini superminis? This is just one of the burning questions as we check out Vauxhall’s 1.2-litre Corsa.

First 855kg, then 999kg and now 1,085kg; the Corsa certainly has piled on the pounds since its 1993 launch, managing to supersize itself over the course of three generations. It’s by no means unusual either, rather like the nation’s telly-addict offspring, our superminis have been growing steadily porkier before our very eyes with today’s Peugeot 207, Renault Clio and Fiat Punto all weighing-in far heavier than in earlier iterations. This isn’t simply redundant bulk, the product of two many turkey twislers or after school McDonalds detours. The extra weight is accounted for by increased dimensions that facilitate greater interior space and superior safety measures to meet tightening legislation, not to mention the technology and all-round quality that we now demand in our small cars. Inevitably though, it’s weight that puts a greater strain on the engines saddled with shifting it all about. The Vauxhall Corsa’s 1.2-litre engine sits one rung off the bottom of the range, the base level being occupied by a 59bhp 3-cylinder 1.0-litre unit that really looks to have its work cut out. The 4-cylinder 1.2 is certainly stronger, developing 78bhp and 110Nm of torque at 4,000rpm but the Corsa is a big vehicle these days. The performance figures are quite respectable: 0-60mph takes 13 seconds and there’s a 104mph top speed, but to achieve this kind of progress you’ll really have to work the engine. Here lies the problem: the Corsa 1.2 is exceptionally refined at modest cruising speeds and around town but as you let the revs rise, the engine note becomes harsh and a touch overbearing with little appreciable gain in terms of forward progress.

"The 1.2-litre unit uses Vauxhall’s Twinport technology to conserve fuel without cutting back too much on performance"

Of course, if you prefer to do your driving in the vicinity of the redline whenever possible, a 1.2-litre Vauxhall Corsa will not be the car for you. Far more important to typical buyers of this model will be issues of refinement, where the Corsa scores well, and economy. The 1.2-litre unit uses Vauxhall’s Twinport technology to conserve fuel without cutting back too much on performance. The system uses two fuel intake ports for each cylinder, one of which is closed under limited throttle loads to reduce the quantity of unleaded being burned. Through this, the Corsa can achieve 48.7mpg on the combined cycle, an identical figure to that to the previous generation model which used the same engine and was nearly 100kg lighter. Co2 emissions are measured at a very commendable 139g/km. The 1.2-litre engine is available in Life, Club, SXI or Design trim with all models benefiting from a CD stereo, twin dual-stage front airbags, ABS with Emergency Brake Assist, electric door mirrors, central locking, speed sensitive power steering and body-coloured bumpers. The SXI is particularly worthy of note as it features sports suspension that lowers the car by 20mm and variable ratio power steering. These modifications have a pronounced effect on the driving experience, quickening the steering for sharp responses and firming up the ride. The Corsa becomes great fun to zip about in and can really engage its driver on the right road even if most buyers will find the ride too firm to live with day to day and the 1.2-litre engine isn’t ideal for exploiting the car’s sportier side. Both 3 and 5-door bodystyles are available and the difference between the two versions is pronounced. The 3-door offers a coupe-like silhouette with a side window line that falls away from the roof at the rear to maximise the sporty look without minimising rear headroom. As it is, headroom in the back isn’t spectacular and the low window will have adults ducking down to see out but legroom is quite adequate. The 5-door is a very different looking car that yields more space for back seat passengers. Both models give generous space to front seat passengers with a very comfortable driving position courtesy of the height and reach adjustable steering wheel and the supportive seating. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and like the Astra there’s the bulletproof feeling of build quality that’s as good as anything in the sector. Just about the only criticism of recent Vauxhall interiors was that, although well built, they didn’t offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changes that particular script with translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those ‘surprise and delight’ features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents, the stereo and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa’s dash a far more modern, integrated look than the somewhat piecemeal integration of technology of the old car. Vauxhall offer a particularly wide array of trim options for buyers to personalise their model range but it’s all very tastefully done with quality materials throughout. Yes, the 1.2-litre Twinport engine does have a big job on when it comes to shifting the substantial mass of the latest Vauxhall Corsa around but it should prove quite adequate for buyers who stick mainly to shorter, urban journeys or who simply aren’t interested in performance. The CDTi diesel engines are undoubtedly a better choice but at a £900 premium even for the least powerful 1.3-litre CDTi, you really are paying for that extra firepower. It’s best to make a decision based on the kind of driving you do and if you pick a 1.2-litre, the shinning all-round competence of the latest Corsa is unlikely to leave any lingering regrets once you’ve signed on that dotted line.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Twinport range PRICES: £9,000-£11,700 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 1-5 CO2 EMISSIONS: 139g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 13s / Max Speed 104mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 48.7mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, seatbelt pretensioners, twin front airbags WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3990/1710/1490mm