MORE MATTERS OF CORSA (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 47

The fourth generation version of Vauxhall's Corsa borrowed much from its predecessor but still manages to mark a decent step forward for Vauxhall in the supermini segment. If you prioritise value, it's a decent used buy. Here we look at the 2014-2018-era versions of this MK4 model.

Modelsword count: 14

3&5dr Hatch [1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.4 Turbo, 1.6 Turbo petrol / 1.3 CDTi diesel]

Historyword count: 169

By 2014, the Corsa supermini was no longer Vauxhall's smallest model, but it was still the brand's biggest seller. Though this fourth generation Corsa looked much the same as a MK3 model whose history went back to 2006, it was - as advertised - fundamentally different, changed in all the areas that really mattered, with the underpinnings, the engine and the technology all new. There was a much smarter cabin too and buyers were promised a far better driving experience than any small Vauxhall had previously offered. An all-new three cylinder turbocharged 1.0-litre ECOTEC petrol powerplant was the headline engine, but there were also 1.2 and 1.4-litre units, plus a 1.3-litre diesel. In 2015, a 1.6-litre turbo petrol VXR hot hatch model was added to the range. In the early Summer of 2018, the line-up was slimmed down to the 1.4-litre petrol engine and the VXR was deleted in favour of a less manic 1.4 150PS GSI variant. It's the earlier, wider 2014-2017-era range we look at here though.

What You Getword count: 209

This MK4 Corsa's design is a mix of old and new. The 'old' is easily appreciated, for you'll immediately recognise this as a Corsa, given that the windows and the A, B and C pillars that surround them on this fourth generation model are pretty much identical to those of the old third generation version. There's much that was 'new' for this 2014-era design though. Every body panel is different from the previous MK3 car, most of the underpinnings were changed and there was a re-designed crash structure at the front. At the wheel, everything's of better quality than before, with soft-touch materials dominating the dash and decor elements dressed in rich satin chrome. Many of the major functions are grouped onto the 7-inch Intellilink infotainment colour touchscreen that dominates the centre of the dash and is smartly mounted in a high-gloss surround. In the back, this Corsa is much as it always was, remaining one of the more spacious superminis you can buy with plenty of room for two fully-grown adults - or three children - in the five-door model. Inevitably the three door body shape is a little more claustrophobic. Either way though, there's significantly more head and legroom than you'd get in a comparable Ford Fiesta.

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