Vauxhall Corsa has a sting in the tale!

ROAD TEST

The fast-expanding supermini arena may be awash with bright, breezy and economical new offerings, but two names still dominate the scene.

No prizes then for guessing that the big guns of Ford and Vauxhall are the forefront of sales – across the board.

And for fans of the Vauxhall Corsa – once dubbed The New Supermodel – the news couldn’t be much better.

The start of this year saw the arrival of the latest generation line-up, complete with extra style, more technology and a genuinely upmarket aura.

Better still, the new models are also up to £3,000 cheaper than the outgoing range.

Take the entry level Corsa 1.2-litre Sting model, all racy style with stripes and 16-inch white alloy wheels for £9,265.

It also has one of new Corsa’s most endearing features in the form of a cabin that’s modern, well designed and soft to the touch, from the comfort of the seats to the piano black trim around the facia and dash.

The only downside to this particular model is an engine that’s slow to pick up its feet. More punch than the 70PS on offer would help a lot.

But the tested SRi version with top end VX Line trim featured the higher powered 115PS version of the company’s new 1.0-litre three-cylinder Turbo petrol unit.

With decent punch allied to an average 52 miles per gallon, only 5mpg short of the official average figure, this model has much to recommend it.

The 115PS engine can accelerate from 0-62 in 10.3 seconds, hit 121mph and has an emissions rating of 114g/km.

And to make the car more enjoyable and dynamic to drive, the Corsa’s chassis has also been redesigned with an emphasis on rolling refinement, ride quality, handling and stability.

All of the Corsa’s body panels are new, making the sporty style of three-door model stand out more from the premium look of its five-door stablemate.

Another attraction is something called Intellilink which operates through a seven-inch touchscreen, can be controlled by apps and is compatible with both Apple and Android phones.

As for space, well it’s fine for four but a tight squeeze for five, the rear seats split/fold 60-40 and the boot is pretty accommodating for the size of car.

Standard kit is comprehensive, though a vanity mirror on the passenger side sun visor wouldn’t go amiss.

Prices are from £9,265 for the Corsa 1.2 Sting to £22,405 for the fiery 205PS VXR Clubsport 1.6i 16v Turbo.