Vauxhall Corsa Review 2026

Rarely is a ‘new’ car as comprehensively updated as this Vauxhall Corsa launched in 2019. Heck, even the parent company was a new addition in the form of the PSA Group. That means this Corsa has a lot in common with the Peugeot 208, including some very fine engines. However, there is also plenty that is unique to the Corsa in the way it has been styled and set up. It’s an entertaining car to drive down twisty roads, though the low-speed ride is on the lumpy side, while Vauxhall has addressed the standard equipment with a much more generous specification for all models.

While Vauxhall's latest small car instalment is easily the best Corsa yet, it still can’t match the fun of the Ford Fiesta or the everyday practicality of the SEAT Ibiza.

The Vauxhall Corsa has plenty to offer buyers who are in need of an affordable small car that provides decent value and a rewarding drive. Indeed, compared to its predecessor, the latest Corsa is a revelation from behind the wheel, and will impress those after a solid and sensible first car. 

The Corsa borrows a lot of its oily bits from the Peugeot 208, with the platform and running gear all being carried over from the Peugeot. However, while the two are mechanically similar, the Vauxhall is the keener car to drive thanks to being set up specifically for UK roads. This has involved fine-tuning the suspension and steering to suit bumpier roads that also have lots of twists, turns and cambers to throw at the car.

That stiffer set-up does impact comfort, with the Corsa feeling quite unsettled at low speeds. Rough roads and pot holes produce a lot of body movement, which is made worse if you choose one of the higher specification models with larger wheels. In our view, both the Fiesta and Ibiza are more comfortable cars and also more entertaining on country lanes.

The Corsa is offered with petrol, diesel or electric power, but most will choose the zesty three-cylinder 1.2-litre 100PS petrol, which is identical to the 1.2 PureTech engine found in the Peugeot 208.

It’s one of the best petrol engines on sale today and is packed with lots of low and medium range urge for relaxed cruising, nippy acceleration and generally easy manners. It works wonderfully well in the Corsa, with 0-62mph taking around nine seconds and advertised economy peaking at a respectable 52mpg.

All versions of the Vauxhall Corsa are generously equipped as standard. Even entry-level models get LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels and touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility as standard. 

However, while the Corsa's spec makes a lot of sense on paper, in reality the cabin is more cheap than cheerful with cramped rear seats and lots of scratchy grey plastics. The infotainment is also a long way behind the quality of the systems used by Ford or the Volkswagen Polo and its cousins from SEAT and Skoda.

Compared to the old model, the latest Vauxhall Corsa does represent a monumental leap forward in terms of handling and refinement. Much of this is down to its PSA partnership.

However, while an undeniable improvement, the Corsa's progress is hindered by its cramped and disappointing cabin. This limits its versatility and appeal in the supermini class, where the best contenders are now nipping at the heels of models from the small hatch sector in terms of cabin space, comfort and driving ability.

Looking for a second opinon? Why not read heycar's Vauxhall Corsa review.

The Corsa isn’t as agile as a Ford Fiesta or as comfortable as a Volkswagen Polo. It’s a missed opportunity from Vauxhall, especially as the Corsa is very stable and easy to drive on the motorway.

In town, the ride is decent, though choose a model with bigger alloy wheels and the comfort suffers. The steering is light for parking, but it doesn’t interact in the way a Fiesta’s does. On curvier roads this discourages the Corsa driver from making the most of the car’s considerable grip.

At this sort of higher pace, the suspension takes on a harder edge that has the driver scanning the road ahead to avoid dimples and ripples. Given the Corsa has been developed from the same platform as the Peugeot 208, it’s frustrating to know the French car is more agile and dexterous.

Most buyers will choose their Vauxhall Corsa with petrol power. The sole 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol is available with 75PS or 100PS. In 100PS form it’s a peach with generous thump delivered from barely over tickover. This means the Corsa has a rewarding punch, which provides plenty of zip for passing slow moving vehicles or joining a fast-flowing A road.

The 75PS 1.2 engine is the only powertrain to get a five-speed manual gearbox, while the higher powered petrol and diesel get a six-speed manual as standard. Vauxhall offers an eight-speed automatic transmission called the EAT8 as an optional extra. 

Drivers who cover long distances can also spec the Corsa with diesel power in the form of a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine that develops 102PS. However, while the diesel has more low-gear acceleration, it does have a tendency to become quite noisy between 20 and 40mph. 

A four-star rating from Euro NCAP is not that impressive. Even so, the Corsa comes with twin front, side and curtain airbags in all models. It also has Isofix child seat mounts on the outer rear seats.

All Corsas have ESP traction control, Hill Hold Assist, and traffic speed sign recognition. On top of that, every Corsa has autonomous emergency braking to warn of impending hazards and apply the brakes if the driver doesn’t. You also get lane departure warning and assistance to guide the car back into lane if it strays too close to a white line. A driver fatigue system is another standard feature to let the driver know when to take a break.

Some Corsas can be further enhanced with a Blind Spot Alert to tell the driver if there’s a vehicle coming alongside that the driver might not notice.

You can adjust the driver’s seat for height and the steering wheel also alters for depth and angle, so finding a comfortable position is not an issue.

Vauxhall has taken a step back with this generation of Corsa when it comes to fitting in rear seat occupants. The previous Corsa was one of the roomier cars in its class, but this one drops down the ranks to become one of the less accommodating

The boot has a high load sill with a big drop to the boot floor, though the cargo bay itself is well shaped. It’s a pity there are not any storage cubbies on either side of the boot, but at least it offers 309-litres of space to be one of the biggest in the small hatch class.

The Vauxhall Corsa’s cabin is a big step up in terms of quality from its predecessor, with improvements such as the deeply padded soft-touch materials used for the upper dash surfaces.

However, the Corsa is quickly let down when your eyes and hands explore more of the plastics and other materials inside the cabin. A lot of the plastics are cheap, low-grade and hard, so they are prone to scratching that quickly makes them look old and scruffy.

Alleviating all of this are some glossy dash inserts and splashes of chrome embellishment to lift the cabin ambience to the same sort of level as the Ford Fiesta’s.

Lower end Vauxhall Corsas come with a 7-inch infotainment screen, while the Elite Nav Premium and Ultimate Nav models have a 10-inch display. In both cases, they are simple to pair with your smartphone using the USB port and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Using these connections also means you can access apps from your phone through the car’s display. It means every Corsa driver has sat-nav to hand through their phone, while those models with the larger 10-inch screen gain integrated sat-nav with the car.

We find the smaller screen can be tricky to read while driving due to its narrow shape. The bigger 10-inch version solves this and is easy to use.

Choosing one of these cars with only a handful of miles on the clock can save you up to £3000 with no haggling and depending on which trim you’re after.

Look for a nearly new example of the Corsa with a few thousand miles under its wheels and you can drive off in a car for £7000 less than it would cost if you paid the full list price.

For those who want to buy brand new, some firm but fair haggling will quickly trim a reasonable amount from what you pay in the real world compared to the list price if you’re paying cash.

More buyers are likely to look at the finance options on offer from Vauxhall or other providers. As usual, it pays to shop around. For those who opt to go with a Vauxhall-provided deal, there are options that include personal contract hire and a personal contract plan.

Vauxhall often has offers with zero per cent APR deals spread across three or four years to make them very tempting. The firm also routinely offers deals with no deposit to pay and nothing to pay for the first three months of the contract.

The most economical Vauxhall Corsa is the 1.5-litre turbodiesel model that offers up to an official 70.6mpg average. For the 1.2-litre petrol engines, the non-turbo 75PS is the easier on fuel and records a claimed 53.3mpg. However, as the more potent 100PS turbo 1.2 comes in with an official 52.3mpg, we’d take this engine for its better performance with barely an impact on efficiency.

Vauxhall has pushed up the prices of the Corsa compared to its predecessor. As a result, the cheapest Corsa to get insured for is the 1.2-litre 75PS model that falls into group 10 in SE trim. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the 1.5-litre turbodiesel is the priciest to insure as it sits in group 20 even when you choose it in the least opulent SE trim.

While the Corsa-e benefits from free road tax thanks to its zero tailpipe emissions, the cheapest non-EV Corsa to get road taxed is the diesel with the automatic gearbox. Its carbon dioxide emissions of 85g/km mean you pay £110 for the first year and then £150 in the following years.

The rest of the Corsa range falls into Band E with emissions between 91- and 100g/km, so you’ll pay first Vehicle Excise Duty of £135 and £150 thereafter.

The Corsa SE has 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, electric front windows, and air conditioning. You also get a 7-inch infotainment screen, DAB radio, Bluetooth connection, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Move to the SRi and you gain LED front fog lights, electric rear windows, and a sporty exterior styling including rear privacy glass, black roof and chrome-topped exhaust, plus rear parking sensors and a roof spoiler. Inside, the SRi has sports front seats and alloy foot pedals.

With the Elite Nav model, you have the 10-inch infotainment screen with 2- and 3D navigation mapping, Vauxhall Connect live traffic updates, and electric folding door mirrors.

There’s leather-effect upholstery, rear parking camera and blind spot alert, front parking sensors, heated front seats and steering wheel, and automatic wipers and lights. The Ultimate Nav has 17-inch alloy wheels, leather seats with massage function for the driver, keyless entry and ignition, and IntelliLux headlights. It also has climate control and adaptive cruise control. Vauxhall also offers Nav and Premium options for the SE and SRi.