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VAUXHALL CORSA HATCHBACK REVIEW

For The Corsa is refined, comfortable and good to drive. Running costs are affordable and the cabin is spacious and classy

Against The smaller engines lack motorway pace. It looks a bit bland and the bulky windscreen pillars obscure your view

What Car? says

4 out of 5 stars

A great-value car that's at its best in the higher-spec trims. It's also high quality and a great drive, with plenty of space inside

Reader review rating

3.261539

The Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback full review Read in full

Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Adequate pace, rather than nippy
Ride & Handling
4 out of 5 stars
The composure of a much larger car
Refinement
4 out of 5 stars
Few superminis are as quiet
Buying & Owning
4 out of 5 stars
Keenly priced
Quality & Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Affordable to own
Safety & Security
4 out of 5 stars
Stability control costs extra
Behind The Wheel
4 out of 5 stars
Bulky front pillars can be annoying
Space & Practicality
4 out of 5 stars
Big enough for a family
Equipment
3 out of 5 stars
Exclusiv spec is best bet

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There are 65 Vauxhall Corsa versions available

Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX Exclusiv 5dr	TBA	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX S 5dr	TBA	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX S (AC) 5dr	TBA	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3CDTi95 ecoFLEX Exclusiv(AC) 5dr	TBA	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.0 ecoFLEX S 3dr	£11,065	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 S 5dr	£11,430	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.0 ecoFLEX S 5dr	£11,485	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 S 3dr	£11,490	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.0 ecoFLEX S (AC) 3dr	£11,565	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 S 5dr	£11,910	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.0 ecoFLEX S (AC) 5dr	£11,985	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 S (AC) 3dr	£11,990	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 Exclusiv 3dr	£12,040	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 S (AC) 5dr	£12,410	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 Exclusiv 5dr	£12,460	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX S 3dr	£12,475	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 Exclusiv (AC) 3dr	£12,540	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 Exclusiv 3dr	£12,565	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX S 5dr	£12,895	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 Exclusiv (AC) 5dr	£12,960	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX S (AC) 3dr	£12,975	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 Exclusiv 5dr	£12,985	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 SXi 3dr	£13,005	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX Exclusiv 3dr	£13,025	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 Exclusiv (AC) 3dr	£13,065	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX S (AC) 5dr	£13,395	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 SXi 5dr	£13,425	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX Exclusiv 5dr	£13,445	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 Exclusiv (AC) 5dr	£13,485	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX S 3dr	£13,490	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 SXi (AC) 3dr	£13,505	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3CDTi75 ecoFLEX Exclusiv(AC) 3dr	£13,525	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SXi 3dr	£13,530	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 SE 3dr	£13,905	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 SXi (AC) 5dr	£13,925	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3CDTi75 ecoFLEX Exclusiv(AC) 5dr	£13,945	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SXi 5dr	£13,950	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX S (AC) 3dr	£13,990	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SXi (AC) 3dr	£14,030	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX Exclusiv 3dr	£14,040	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX SXi 3dr	£14,090	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2 SE 5dr	£14,325	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SE 3dr	£14,430	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SXi (AC) 5dr	£14,450	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 90 SXi 3dr	£14,490	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX SXi 5dr	£14,510	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3CDTi95 ecoFLEX Exclusiv(AC) 3dr	£14,540	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX SXi (AC) 3dr	£14,590	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SE 5dr	£14,850	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 90 SXi 5dr	£14,910	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX SE 3dr	£14,990	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 90 SXi (AC) 3dr	£14,990	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX SXi (AC) 5dr	£15,010	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SRi 3dr	£15,030	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 90 SE 3dr	£15,390	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 75 ecoFLEX SE 5dr	£15,410	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 90 SXi (AC) 5dr	£15,410	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 SRi 5dr	£15,450	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.3 CDTi 90 SE 5dr	£15,810	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.7 CDTi 130 SE 3dr	£16,430	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.7 CDTi 130 SE 5dr	£16,850	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.7 CDTi 130 SRi 3dr	£17,030	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.7 CDTi 130 SRi 5dr	£17,450	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.6 VXR 3dr	£18,070	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5
Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.6 VXRacing 3dr	£19,145	What Car? says:4 stars out of 5

Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.4 Exclusiv (AC) 5dr

Our favourite Corsa. Exclusiv (AC) trim is the best compromise on price and equipment and, unless you do the mileage to warrant a diesel, this 1.4 petrol is the engine to go for.

What Car? says:4 stars out of 5

Read review

Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

When it first came out, the Corsa was What Car?’s Car of the Year, and even now it’s still an impressive little thing, offering great value for money.

The Ford Fiesta and VW Polo may have overtaken it at the very top of the class, but its blend of space, quality and refinement means it’s still up with the best.

The Corsa is quite a heavy car, however, so you’re best advised to steer clear of the smallest engines, which struggle once you’re out of town.

The punchy 1.3 diesels suit the car really well, but they’re expensive to buy, so we think the best balance overall is to be found with the 1.4-litre petrol engine. It gives decent performance at the same time as returning more than 51mpg on the combined cycle.

Similarly, you’re best off avoiding the most basic trims, which look rather spartan. Instead, go for the mid-range Exclusiv with air-con, which supplies the best balance of kit and cost.