Buying a brand new car can seem like an impossible feat when you’re faced with a choice of nine trim levels, 30 engine and wheel combinations and three or five doors. However, that’s exactly the challenge facing anyone looking for a new Vauxhall Corsa – the UK’s third bestselling new car.
Vauxhall has given its popular supermini a complete overhaul, answering many of the old model’s criticisms – and slashing prices by up to £3,000 compared to the outgoing car in the process. As a supermini one of the most important factors to bear in mind when deciding which model to buy, is cost: A price difference of £1,000 for a better equipped model might not seem like a huge amount in car terms, but when you’re considering buying a £10,000 car you may want to think long and hard before taking the plunge.
Most buyers will be well-served with the 1.4 Corsa Sting, which costs £9,340.
We’ve trawled through the Corsa range to find the models that make the most sense to those on a budget, those after a good range of equipment and practicality as well as those looking for the maximum style and performance for their money. One of the Corsa’s key selling points over its even more popular nemesis – the Ford Fiesta – is its low prices. Therefore, the cheapest versions are the ones that make the most sense. If you’re willing to do without air conditioning just £9,340 is enough to get you the keys to a well-equipped Corsa.
Affordable Vauxhall Corsa: 1.4 90 ecoFLEX Sting – £9,340
Despite being the second cheapest Corsa on offer, this version includes driver’s seat height adjustment to ensure you can get comfortable behind the wheel, a heated windscreen, electric wing mirrors, cruise control, Bluetooth along with a USB connection, 16-inch alloy wheels and white bonnet stripes.
For just £345 more than the entry-level 1.2-litre model, this Corsa is both more economical and has a more powerful engine. Official fuel economy stands at a reasonable 55.4mpg with annual car tax bills of just £30, while it can sprint from a standstill to 62mph in a satisfactory 13.2 seconds.
Top value Vauxhall Corsa: 1.4 90 Design 5-dr – £11,845
If you’re after a little extra equipment spending a little more can get you a load of additional toys such as air conditioning, a digital radio, front fog lights and two extra doors, making it easier for rear passengers to get in and out.
With the same 1.4-litre petrol motor under the bonnet this Corsa offers identical acceleration to the cheaper version above, though economy drops to 54.3mpg and CO2 emissions rise slightly, pushing this model into the £110 annual car tax band.
You can also get an economical turbocharged 1.0-litre 90 model, which offers claimed economy of 64.2mpg, though the hefty £1,485 price difference would take 12 years for a driver covering 10,000 per year to recoup in lower fuel costs. Even if you take into account the 1.0’s lower car tax it would still take more than 70,000 miles before the smaller engine proves better value, so we’d opt for the 1.4.
Sporty Vauxhall Corsa: 1.4 100 Turbo ecoFLEX SRi – £12,595
The 1.4-litre 100 Turbo engine might not be the most powerful available in the Corsa currently, but it offers the best combination of price and punch. Even in sporty SRi trim you’ll be able to get plenty of change from £13,000 if you go for a three-door model.
This Corsa includes air conditioning, body-hugging sports seats, a digital radio, Bluetooth, a trip computer, automatic lights and wipers and handy split-folding rear seats plus 16-inch alloy wheels. With a turbocharged 1.4-litre engine, this sprightly model gets to 62mph in 11.0 seconds, though it still returns claimed economy of 55.4mpg and annual car tax costs just £30.
Picture: Vauxhall
