Road Test
Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 SXi 5dr
Test Date 01 June 2006
Price When New £11,015
Verdict
Even if it were not about to be replaced, we couldn’t seriously recommend this generation of Corsa to anyone unless they were able to secure the deal of a life-time on one. Even when it was young the likes of the Honda Jazz and Skoda Fabia were massively better bets and since then almost all its other significant rivals have been replaced and left it far behind.If you think the Corsa is showing its age dynamically, you should take a look inside. While the outside of the car retains a certain cuteness, the interior design looks old as the hill. The driving position is fundamentally flawed by the lack of the reach and rake adjustable steering that’s now standard on most new high-spec superminis and the dashboard layout, while fundamentally sound, is hardly the last word in style or function.
There is also the fact that Corsas have been used by hire companies and driving schools up and down the country and their sheer numbers mean that residual values are pretty shaky. Yes, it’s quick and frugal but this is not enough to gain it more than an early bath here. If it’s a Corsa you must have, you’ll not have long to wait before an all-new one is available. It is almost impossible to see how it could be anything less than a substantially better bet.
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