Review
As replacement approaches the Corsa still regularly tops the UK sales charts. And there's still plenty to like about it - it's well finished, well equipped and comes with a range of characterful engines. Unfortunately in other areas, especially refinement and driving dynamics, it feels increasingly off the standards set by the rest of the segment.
The handsome styling has aged well - with the Corsa still bearing a clear visual relationship with the fine-looking original 1993 version. Inside it now feels relatively tight compared to some key rivals - and the dark, gloomy plastics don't do much to lift the ambiance. Rear seat space is tight for bigger occupants and the boot is less than generously proportioned.
On the road the Corsa feels very old with stodgy driving dynamics and a crashy ride. Refinement is relatively poor with loud motorway cruising and lots of "bump-thump" getting into the cabin over rougher urban roads.
A good range of engines provide a decent spread of performance. The basic 1.0 litre three-cylinder petrol motor lacks performance, but it sounds nice, loves to be revved hard and costs peanuts to run. The larger 1.2 and 1.4 litre petrol motors are decent, but it's the excellent 1.3 litre CDTi turbodiesel engine that gets our nod as the pick of the range - combining sprightly performance with 60-plus mpg economy. The range-topping 1.8 litre petrol version can't get close to more powerful hot hatch rivals.