Review of the new Vauxhall Corsa 1.0i 12v

"Quality, quality, quality: never waver from it, even when you don't see how you can afford to keep it up. When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die." So says Gary Hirshberg a US writer and keynote speaker on corporate social and environmental responsibility. The timeline he has described was never meant to be reversed but that's what Vauxhall's Corsa has done, rising from nothingness to become a commodity product and only now becoming a desirable item of unimpeachable quality. We were curious to see how the cheapest model translated the quality mantra.

After all, if there's anything we've learned from car production of recent years, it's that the price of quality can be directly measured in lbs and ounces and pounds sterling. Quality cars weigh more, they are consequently thirstier and slower than flimsier lightweights and they cost more too. Therefore, wouldn't it seem rather rash to put a tiny 998cc engine that develops just 64bhp into a car that weighs a big-boned 1,070kg in five-door form? You might be surprised.

Against the clock, this Corsa is nothing special. It will detain you for 18 seconds on the journey to 60mph, enough time for the kids to complete their Sudoku and start asking if you're there yet. The advantage comes at the pumps as this Vauxhall can return nearly 57mpg on the combined cycle. If you're looking for an effervescent little fizzer, don't choose this Corsa but it is a very satisfying car if you're happy taking your time.

"You now no longer need to buy a big car to get a reassuring degree of quality"

It's a car that offers so much more than lowest common denominator motoring. In three-door Expression guise it looks particularly well priced, serving up big car values in a truncated package. Climb inside and the standard of the materials used is good but there's also a bulletproof feeling of build quality that's as good as anything in the sector. A criticism often levelled at older Vauxhall interiors was that, although well built, they didn't offer a whole lot of slick design to catch the eye. The Corsa changed that particular script with a number of neat touches including translucent ambient lighting on the centre console switchgear, one of those 'surprise and delight' features that adds the all-important showroom wow-factor. The round air vents and big satellite navigation screen (available on high spec cars only) give the Corsa's dash a modern, integrated look.

No longer just a shopping trolley, the modern Corsa has real impact. The front end features a deep Vauxhall V-grille with aggressive air intakes under the bumper and a pair of headlamps that smear back along the wings. Climb inside the Corsa displays more capacity to impress. The quality of materials used is leagues ahead of the old Corsa and there's a bulletproof feeling of build quality that's as good as anything in the sector.

Many of the features available with the Corsa are real eye-openers, the kind of stuff you'd usually associate with a more expensive car. Halogen Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) alters the beam of the headlamp according to speed and steering input, allowing the Corsa to see further round dark corners. There's also an innovative Enhanced Understeer Control (EUC) function and convenience features such as MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

The Corsa 1.0 is offered exclusively in the basic S trim level with a choice of three or five door bodystyles. Even these entry-level S cars come fairly well-equipped, with a CD stereo, electric door mirrors, twin front airbags and a neat folding ignition key.

Safety equipment isn't in short supply. Whereas some manufacturers will offer you little more than a soft touch dashboard to smash your head into in the event of a shunt, the Corsa offers chapter and verse. As well as the many active safety features demonstrated by its dynamic chassis design, the Corsa has been designed to offer the best levels of protection in even the most extreme circumstances. Under heavy braking, when the ABS is activated, the brake lights flash five times per second to warn following motorists, while if airbags or seatbelt pre-tensioners are activated in an accident, the car's safety system will automatically switch on the hazard warning lights.

Should an accident occur, the Corsa has been designed to offer the best protection for its occupants. Two-stage front airbags help cushion any impact, while the passenger airbag can be deactivated if using a rear-facing baby carrier via a button on the instrument panel. Seatbelt pre-tensioners secure the seatbelts to hold passengers in position, while the Pedal Release System automatically drops the pedals away from the driver's feet in the event of a heavy frontal collision. The Corsa has also been designed to meet the latest stringent passenger safety test criteria. Suddenly the 1,070kg kerb weight seems a little more excusable.

True, it's no ball of fire but if you are more concerened with safety, design and peerless build quality, the Corsa 1.0-litre comes strongly recommended. Speed is not always of the essence.

TOP 5 CORSA DEALS

The results below show the top CORSA deals on buyacar

Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 SXi 3dr Hatchback
Price £9,489 Read Corsa Reviews	Save £4,566
Vauxhall Corsa 1.6T VXR Nurburgring Edition 3dr Hatchback Special Eds
Price £17,963 Read Corsa Reviews	Save £4,317
Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi [95] ecoFLEX SE 5dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £12,110 Read Corsa Reviews	Save £4,685
Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi [95] ecoFLEX Exclusiv 5dr [Start/Stop] Diesel Hatchback
Price £11,204 Read Corsa Reviews	Save £4,126
Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi ecoFLEX SE 5dr [Start/Stop] Diesel Hatchback
Price £12,134 Read Corsa Reviews	Save £4,696
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