Vauxhall Corsa SRi 1.3 CDTi ecoFLEX

Anyone that writes off the latest Corsa as more of the same, will be missing out, as despite having a similar silhouette to the previous generation car, under the skin, big changes have been made. Of course the most noticeable change is the adoption of a similar nose treatment to the Adam city car, which won’t necessarily suit all tastes, but there’s also a brand new smart-looking interior and the underpinnings and mechanicals have been extensively revised, too. Here we test the new Corsa with the latest incarnation of the 1.3-litre CDTi engine, originally developed in association with Fiat, and now capable of meeting the latest Euro 6 emissions regulations. CO2 emissions are super low at 87g/km, with 85.6mpg claimed on the combined fuel economy cycle. In our tests, we managed to exceed 70mpg in normal everyday motoring, and that was without any eye towards driving economically.

The latest 94bhp 1.3-litre CDTi engine is one of the car’s strongest assets, as it is super quiet, refined and doesn’t even get raucous when you bury the accelerator pedal in the footwell. Acceleration is pretty decent, with more than enough mid-range punch to keep up with city traffic. The six-speed manual gearbox has a touch of notchiness in first gear, but otherwise is slick and smooth, with nicely chosen ratios. Well-judged suspension that soaks up all but the deepest of potholes is another good attribute, while on the motorway, there’s a calm, mature level of ride comfort.

The steering feels relatively agile and precise, delivering a light action around town, that weights up the faster you go. Handling is pretty neutral, with body lean kept well in check, and high levels of grip. Road rumble and tyre noise are appreciably low, though there is a fair bit of wind flutter on faster and more exposed roads.

Climb into the cabin and it’s obvious that a lot of work has gone into lifting the ambiance of the interior. Quality standards have improved no end and results in a nicely styled dashboard, with attractive gloss black appliqués. All of the major controls are logically placed, though we would prefer it if the touchscreen infotainment system and climate controls were mounted a little higher up, rather than having to look down and away from the road.

Good size door pockets, a pair of cupholders and a cubby hole ahead of the gear lever mean there’s ample space for oddments, though the glovebox is a little on the small side.Boot space is about par for class standards at 285 litres, and folding the rear chairs down opens this up to 1,120 litres, though it would be handier if they folded down flat. The stripy seats and red stitching to the steering wheel and gear lever give a sporty feel, though the chairs could do with being softer and offering a little more support for the lower back. And for larger framed drivers, it would be useful if the seat had a little more rearward travel. Space up front is pretty good, though, with generous amounts of elbow and head room, and in the back, passengers will be happy with the amount of space, both in terms of head and knee room. All-round visibility from the driver’s seat is pretty good, too, with the pillars kept relatively slim.