Taking on a segment dominated by one model is tough, especially when that model is the beloved VW Polo. But Opel is back and feels it's up to the task with the new Corsa. We had the chance to drive the new Opel Corsa GS Line to find out if it's still relevant, or if its been left behind by the competition.
South Africa’s B-segment hatchback pool remains one of the most competitive segments, with so many options for customers to choose from. The Volkswagen Polo and Vivo remain the ones to beat, but other rivals also include the Renault Clio, Hyundai i20, Peugeot 208 and the topic of this review – the Opel Corsa.
The popular hatch is in its sixth-generation and has been a bestseller for more than 40 years globally, while also being a younger sibling to the locally discontinued Astra. Opel had another hatchback in the form of the Adam, but for some reason it didn’t become as popular as the Corsa has, despite being a great little car. As for the Corsa – legends live forever! We attended the local launch in Johannesburg and spent some time with the funky hatch.
Lite, Edition and GS Line are the derivatives available, with pricing starting from R374 900. In use across the entire range is a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine that has different outputs depending on the derivative. The one fitted to the Lite and Edition trims produces 74kW and 205Nm, and is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox. The top-of-the-range GS Line has more power, 96kW and 230Nm, with the gear changing done courtesy of a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Opel claims a combined fuel consumption of 5.7-litres (Lite and Edition) and 6.3-litres (GS Line).
Technology and features
Opel offers some nice standard features in the entry-level Lite model, including LED headlights, a 3.5-inch multi-colour instrument cluster, high-beam assist, hill-start assist, a 10-inch infotainment screen (featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and lane-keep assist. The spec list gets better with the Edition and GS Line derivatives with front heated seats, traffic sign recognition, electronic climate control and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster.
All trims come with 16-inch black alloy wheels, while the GS Line gets a black roof, black badging, black Corsa lettering and bi-colour diamond-cut 16-inch alloy wheels. Just like on the Mokka SUV, the Corsa boasts Opel’s Vizor front end, which incorporates a plastic-like grille that also houses the sensory technology for the driver and safety assists. It also looks pretty cool.
Rivals
Volkswagen Polo – priced from R353 200
Renault Clio – priced from R312 999
Peugeot 208 – priced from R344 900
Hyundai i20 – priced from R333 500
While the Corsa comes in at a higher price than all of its rivals, even the entry-level model comes with a variety of mid-spec features. The idea is not to pay extra for individual features, with Opel instead making these available only as a package.
The drive
The GS Line doesn’t disappoint in terms of driving dynamics, and the extra power is keenly felt in the nippy performance. It’s not the sort of power that’s going to light your hair on fire, but the acceleration is eager and there’s a nice growl that emanates as you go higher up in the rev range or at the drop of a gear.
During our stint behind the wheel, the aim was to see how low the average fuel consumption would go, and we managed to get the average down to 5.7 litres/100km – even with the aircon turned on. Given that the engine is brand-new and has yet to be driven it properly, the expectation is that the consumption will get even better.
Hatchbacks tend to handle well and that’s the case with the Corsa. The handling is responsive and despite it having a gross weight of 1650kg, there’s no inkling of it being sluggish or heavy. The automatic gearbox does the job in the GS Line, has little lag and works well with the three-cylinder engine. It would be interesting to measure how the more fuel-efficient 6-speed manual compares to it.
From a user experience point of view, connecting your smartphone via Bluetooth or Android Auto and Apple Carplay is a simple process. The infotainment screen is not the finnicky kind with there being no delay between inputs, which is crucial for eye-on-road concentration. The Corsa is a really well put together car, it’s just a pity that it has to compete against something as popular as the Polo.
Spec, pricing and aftersales
Corsa Lite 1.2T (6-speed manual) - R374 900
Corsa Edition 1.2T (6-speed manual) - R394 900
Corsa GS Line 1.2T (6-speed auto) - R459 900
The entire Corsa range comes standard with a five-year/100 000km mechanical warranty and a three-year/45 000km service plan.
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