Vauxhall Corsa hatchback: well built, with a high-quality finish

Price:£8,995 - £16,235

Pros:Well built, low diesel running costs, big dealer discounts

Cons:Inefficient petrol engines, dull to drive, roomier rivals

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2.4/5, Carbuyer "The Vauxhall Corsa is a supermini that's available with three or five doors and is a rival to cars such as the Ford Fiesta, SEAT Ibiza, Kia Rio and Toyota Yaris.

But unlike those models, the three and five-door versions have their own distinctive styling, with the sporty three-door getting a more rounded rear end and small back windows, while the practical five-door hatchback has a squarer tail to make room for the extra doors and a bigger boot.

Despite those credentials, the Corsa is showing its age and now lags behind many newer cars such as the Ford Fiesta and SEAT Ibiza, as well as budget models like the Hyundai i20.

The Corsa has a five-star Euro NCAP

crash-test

rating, but this was awarded in 2006, and the test has been toughened up in the intervening years. That doesn’t mean the Corsa is unsafe, but it does lag behind its rivals.

The range is vast, with assorted special editions on offer alongside the regular line-up. All are powered by a variety of small petrol and diesel engines. Unfortunately, the petrol engines return poor economy and emissions when compared to the latest engines from rivals."

3.5/5, Auto Express, "The cabin has been lifted with new upholstery shades and different colour door trims, centre console and handles. Vauxhall will also offer its new Touch and Connect multimedia system, which features a CD player, USB and auxiliary inputs, as well as Bluetooth compatibility and a five-inch touchscreen display for the sat- nav."

3.0/5, What Car? "A great-value car, the Vauxhall Corsa is best in the mid-level trims. It's also comfortable and has a roomy, high-quality cabin."

4.0/5, Parkers "The new version of the Vauxhall Corsa was launched in 2006 and was a major leap forward over the older, duller model it replaced. With sharp styling and a great interior it's a huge improvement over its predecessor offering more space, comfort and refinement."