Opel Corsa ups the ante

This hot new Corsa has upped the ante. In the UK the Opel line carries the Vauxhall badge.

Having sold more than 12.4 million units sold worldwide the latest Corsa is armed to the teeth with segment-leading levels of comfort, efficiency and driving pleasure with which to tackle fellow B Segment toughies such the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta.

Boxing well above its weight

At the recent Media launch in the Boland I had the opportunity to get closely acquainted with the impressive newcomer which is armed with the same refined 1.0 litre 85kW/Nm ecoFLEX direct injection turbo that provides the go in the new Adam.

Being linked to a well-suited six-speed manual gearbox the latest baby Opel, like the Adam, boxes well above its weight in terms of its enthusiastic low-end power delivery and ease of overtaking.

The instruments are well laid out and easy on the eye.

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The new suspension set-up provides even better handling than the outgoing version, clearly setting the scene for the Bad Boy OPC version due here within the next few months.

The living quarters... well worth a visit

The cabin of the Corsa is impressively spacious and the finish is typical top-notch German quality including a soft-touch dashboard and layout although the difference is quite noticeable between the three trim levels, Essentia, Enjoy and Cosmo.

All models have the same standard safety equipment, including ABS with EBD and BAS, adaptive brake lights and automatic hazard warning lights, disc brakes all-round, the latest Electronic Stability Programme (ESP Plus), six airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, a pedal release system, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, pretension seat belts, a seat belt reminder and an anti-theft alarm and immobiliser - although, at the entry level you will have to fork out extra for audio and aircon.

The cabin of the Corsa is impressively spacious.

Our test car, the middle-of-the-range Enjoy version, was more than adequately kitted out and probably the best value for money because one step up the feature-rich flagship Cosmo costs R20,000 extra for automatic wipers and headlamps, daytime running lights, cruise control and a clever integrated communications system with access to cellphone apps (including navigation) via a large touchscreen.

Some extras for you

For more cash there are a few more luxuries to be had including parking sensors and blind spot alert. However, for the budget conscious even the entry level Corsa should be suffice because it has the same good looks, quality build and provides the same driving pleasure as the more expensive options, even down to having the same two settings for the steering to make city parking easier.

Feel like having some extras? In the Corsa you can.

General Motors has unwrapped a little gem in this new Corsa, particularly with its extra appeal to the younger, trendier set because of its sporty looks and nifty trim such as its eye-catching wing-shaped headlights (incorporating daytime running lights), sporty trapezoidal grille, embedded fog lights, cheeky air inlets with chrome trim and the car's meaner, wider and lower pavement pose.

Something good for the senior's club

More senior buyers will appreciate the comfortable, user-friendly and eye-pleasing way the living quarters are furnished and the car's overall look and feel which underlines the image of quality and reliability the Opel brand has built its name on.

Let's also not forget the Cora's frugal wallet impact. On the long Media launch drive a number of journos (as a group not generally known for their light-footed, conservative driving styles) recorded average fuel consumptions of six litres or less (the official claimed figure is 5.0-litres/100km over the combined cycle).

You'll enjoy the handling.

This hot new Corsa has upped the ante in this competitive sector by a big margin and the opposition will have to don their thinking caps, burn a good few midnight candles and remake their sums just to catch up, let alone better this latest addition to GMSA dealership floors.

The prices of the new Opel Corsa derivatives are inclusive of a five-year/120,000km warranty and a three-year/60,000km service plan.

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