Inside the all-new Vauxhall Corsa - On the road

There are six engines with the three petrol engines being carried over from the current Corsa – a three-cylinder 59bhp 1.0, a 79bhp 1.2 and an 89bhp 1.4.

There’s also a choice of three turbodiesels, where before there was just one. The 1.3-litre engine sourced from Fiat becomes available with either 74 or 89bhp, and will soon be joined by a 123bhp 1.7.

Five and six-speed manual gearboxes, a semi-automatic and a full auto are offered, depending on engine.

The petrol 1.8 in the current car has been dropped, but performance enthusiasts needn’t worry – before long Vauxhall will add a VXR model, powered by a 1.6-litre turbo engine believed to deliver around 190bhp.

The good news, according to Vauxhall, is that the new Corsa can handle this sort of power where the old one would have struggled.

A stiffer body, new suspension (with an optional sports set-up), and speed-dependent electronic power-assisted steering with a variable-ratio rack are said to make it much more lively to drive than any previous Corsa. Sporty models also have shorter gear ratios for brisker acceleration.