Motoring

TIME TO TANGO WHEN A NEW, ‘POWER ORANGE’ CORSA ARRIVED ON SUE COOKE’S DRIVE, IT BROUGHT KERB APPEAL, JUICY PERFORMANCE AND REAL ZEST TO HER WEEKEND DRIVING

Amotoring friend has invited me to spend a weekend over Easter with her and her husband up North. It will be a longish journey which includes a mix of motorway and country lanes. I have found the perfect car in Vauxhall’s new hatchback which I was road testing this week. The fifth generation Corsa arrived on my Sutton Coldfield drive in a gorgeous ‘power orange’ exterior paintwork with a black roof, black rear spoiler, black wing mirrors and chrome trim which will cost an additional £650 but it’s beautiful.

The Corsa is massively profitable for Vauxhall and has been the brand’s best-selling car for many years. I have to admit, it has never been top of my hit list but this new one definitely is. Vauxhall always manages to balance sportiness with comfort, so while this Corsa has a stylish sporty exterior, it has also proved extremely comfortable on my journeys around the Midlands. The balance of sporty comfort continues in the interior with a flat-bottomed leather covered steering wheel and seats which have leather effect side bolsters and surrounds. It ticks all the boxes for me with a wealth of useful technology which includes heated front seats and steering wheel and keyless entry. When the weather turned wet, the rainsensitive windscreen wipers kicked into action and increased and decreased speed according to the strength of the downpour. When the sun suddenly appeared, the tinted windscreen prevented glare and ensured good visibility.

CUT THE CAFFEINE

I always try to have plenty of caffeine with me to keep me awake on any long journey but there’s really no need with the Corsa thanks to its driver drowsiness system. The system warns the driver, via audio and visual signals at three levels, to take a break after two hours of driving at

speeds higher than 40mph. In addition, it alerts the driver to the need for a break at any time if it detects that the car is behaving dangerously, such as swerving.

KEEPING A GRIP

As I drive along the M42 North, I pass fields under water which it seems will be our destiny in years to come so it is important for me that the Corsa handles superbly on flooded or slippery roads. Vauxhall says that engineers held intensive testing on frozen lakes and snow covered roads. The Corsa has precise steering with balanced handling. Safety systems include electronic stability, traction control and antilock brake systems on slippery surfaces.

I like a car with a dynamic drive, and instant acceleration. This Corsa does not disappoint and has a wonderful growl. There is a choice of three high

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model: Vauxhall Corsa Elite Nav Premium

Price: £20,350 otr

Engine: 1.2litre 100PS six-speed manual

Performance: 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 121mph

CO 2 emissions: 96g/km WLTP test converted back to NEDC

Combined fuel consumption: 47.9-52.3mpg (WLTP)

efficiency petrol engines and a diesel. But ticking another box of mine, there is a fully electric powered Corsa. I road tested the award-winning turbocharged 1.2-litre engine with 100PS. The six-speed manual gearbox is slick moving around the box and there is a smooth eight-speed lightweight automatic transmission if you prefer.

The Corsa-e marks the start of Vauxhall’s electrification-offensive. The company says that all models will be electrified by 2024 when customers can choose an ‘e’ version of each model. ■

SHOWROOM Lookers Birmingham, Star Park South, Birmingham, B7 5AH. Tel: 0121 322 4190 www.lookers.co.uk/vauxhall