• 100hp petrol best all-rounder
• Entry-level 75hp version best avoided
• Disappointing automatic gearbox

Petrol engines

Petrol is your only choice if you don’t want a pure-electric Corsa. You have three options to choose from, all based on the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine. The cheapest model produces 75hp and is only available with a five-speed manual gearbox. It’s quite a breathless engine as it doesn’t feature a turbocharger, so we’d suggest avoiding it if you can.

Above that, there’s a pair of turbocharged units. The cheaper of the two produces 100hp – and we reckon it’s the sweet spot in the Corsa’s line-up. It’s paired with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, although you can have an eight-speed automatic if you want.

The 100hp engine is very well-matched to the six-speed manual gearbox, which has a light, easy action that goes well with the progressive nature of the clutch. It isn’t particularly quick off the line, but it’s strong in the mid-range, which means you don’t need to row through the gears too much. It’ll do 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds and, with a welcome dose of pulling power, you can make decent progress.

There’s a 130hp petrol engine at the top of the Corsa’s range, which is noticeably more spritely. It hits 62mph from rest in 8.7 seconds, and is the one to have if you enjoy keeping up with the flow. 

We tried the six-speed manual and the good bit is its slickness between ratios – the less good bit is a long-ish change action. So it’s not a gearbox you’ll change for the hell of it, and it doesn’t help that the clutch biting point is vague, and the pedals are offset to the right. But if all you desire is to potter about town it’s fine. 

The Corsa is also available with an eight-speed automatic ‘box that’ll let the machine take care of the work for you, but we’d recommend steering clear. We tested the 130hp version of the Corsa with this gearbox and found it to be irritatingly ponderous, sluggish and laggy.

At times you’ll put your foot down slightly and it’ll jolt itself into a frisson before settling into a higher gear while at others it’ll take a few seconds before doing anything at all. As far as we’re concerned, the six-speed manual is the gear box to pick for the latest Corsa.

Electric powertrains

You can read our full review of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric in our dedicated review of the car, but we’ll offer a brief outline of it here. It’s available with two electric powertrains, both shared with the Peugeot e-208. The cheapest model has a 136hp electric motor driving the front wheels and a 50kWh battery pack, while the more expensive Long Range model has a more potent 156hp motor and a 51kWh battery.

Both motors are nippy but, because they both produce 260Nm of torque, we don’t think it’s worth splashing the cash on the more expensive model for the performance alone. Still, because all that torque is available the second you prod the throttle, it’s surprisingly quick off the mark. The entry-level Corsa Electric will dash from 0–31mph in less than three seconds, while the 0–62mph sprint takes just 8.1 seconds.

You also get regenerative braking, which claws back some energy to feed into the battery pack when you lift you foot off the throttle. There are two settings, called D mode and B mode. The former offers a mild level of regeneration, while the latter ramps the power up to the point where you can drive around without ever touching the brake pedal. It’s also quite intuitive.

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What’s it like to drive?

• Plenty of grip in the corners
• Light, accurate steering
• No hot variants to make the most of it

The Corsa is competent, but not particularly fun. Overall it’s a grippy and nicely balanced supermini, and Vauxhall’s stiffer set-up (compared with the 208 it’s based on) is better at limiting lean and keeps more composure over undulating roads to give you confidence. That’s a tick if you prefer something sportier.  

The Corsa’s steering is also changed over the 208, but that’s less good. It’s slow and a little vague over the first few degrees, then ramps up in speed suddenly thereafter. Combine those two traits and its initial lightness (GS and Ultimate trims have a sport button to add weight) and it takes some time to gel with. So for something that handles with more Fiesta-style verve, try the recently updated Renault Clio or SEAT Ibiza.

Because it’s firmer, the Corsa doesn’t ride with the 208’s soft-edged panache, but it’s far from jarring. Jiggly is about as agitated as it gets, especially at low speeds, because it’s markedly more settled as you up the mph. That’s something you can do easily enough with the smooth yet thrummy 100hp 1.2 turbo three cylinder we tried.

The suspension also patters over rough tarmac and can get unsettled on rumble strips, sending vibrations into the cabin. The problem is exaggerated by the larger alloy wheels fitted to GS-Line and Ultimate-spec cars. However, wind noise is well suppressed.

Venture onto faster roads and you’ll hear some wind noise coming from the door mirrors and B pillars, plus some tyre noise – although it’s arguably quieter than the Clio in that respect. Suspension noise is generally well suppressed.