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  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Corsa Elite Nav Review

    CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Corsa Elite Nav Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    The Corsa name was first unleashed onto the British public in 1993. Here, it superseded the Vauxhall Nova and had the model reference Corsa B. Over in Europe, the Nova was known as the Opel Corsa (Corsa A) but let’s not get bogged down with the details.

    It’s hard to appreciate the impact the humble Vauxhall Corsa has had on the automotive world. It’s not a particularly revolutionary, but man it had an impact.

    How many young kids have learnt to drive in a Corsa, or had a Corsa as a first car? Maybe you had one as a first car? As it happens, I have a Corsa C parked outside the house as I write this. It’s no2 son’s first car.

    In 2017, PSA bought the Vauxhall brand from GM and has been busy rejuvenating the brand since then. 

    This all-new Vauxhall Corsa is a result of the new PSA influence and is based on the EMP1 platform, the same platform that the excellent Peugeot 208 is built on.

    Our press car was the well-appointed Elite Nav, fitted with the 1.5 Turbo Diesel engine. It’s a peppy and frugal unit, producing 102PS (100bhp) and giving back up to 70mpg. You also have the choice of two petrol engines (75PS/74bhp non-turbo or 100PS/99bhp turbocharged) and even an electric variant.

    It had the 6-speed manual gearbox rather than the 8-speed automatic gearbox. My preference is a manual and it’s a good gearbox that suits the car.

    Vauxhall offers the new Corsa in 6 trim options. Ours was the Elite Nav, top of the family tree. This is a well-appointed car with standard equipment including; 10-inch colour touchscreen, IntelliLux automatic LED Matrix Headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, leather seat trim with driver seat massage function and front heated seats, auto wipers, power-folding door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, a panoramic rear-view camera, privacy glass, black roof and much more. Very impressive for a small car.

    Vauxhall list up to 53.3mpg on petrol engines, with C02 from just 93g/km C02. With the diesel engine, up to 70.6mpg and from 85g/km CO2. This diesel Corsa was had a 0-60mph time of 10.2 seconds.

    Vauxhall’s new Corsa is fun to drive. I’m not a small guy and if I had a couple of criticisms, it would be that the driver’s seat was a little small. I found it a little short in leg support and not high enough at the back. Having said that, I’m not the target audience for this car. Also, the interior was very black.

    It has a great chassis, comfortable and fun, it works really well. 

    I enjoyed the diesel, it’s a good engine that suits the car. I’m keen to try the full-electric version, I think it would be a really good, fun car to drive. The new Corsa has a really good chassis and with an electric powertrain, should be very interesting. 

    In summary, the new Vauxhall Corsa is a good looking, well built, well-equipped car. It’s fun to drive, practical and economical. There’s a range of incentives and finance deals to make the Corsa a great buy too.

    It’s a tough sector with plenty of competition. Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta and of course the Peugeot 208. I’m no Clio or Polo fan and find the Fiesta a bit bland. The 208 could be a problem for the Corsa though.

    Vauxhall’s new Corsa starts from £15,925.00, with the Elite Nav starting from £30,310.00.

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Elite: “The engine is current darling of the motoring world”

    CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Elite: “The engine is current darling of the motoring world”

    Here we have the 7th generation Vauxhall Astra. It’s been with us since 2015 and as a result it is still very much a Vauxhall designed product under General Motors. In 2017, Vauxhall was bought by PSA Groupe.

    There are 8 models to choose from in the Astra range, priced from £18,905 to £26,295. The mid-range Elite starts at £23,95 before options. 

    From the outside, the Astra is a good looking 5 door hatchback. As you would expect, it is an improvement over the previous generations and is now less nondescript than ever. Of note is the size of the boot opening. Finally it has become a bit more square at the bottom. Doesn’t sound much, but as practical hatchbacks go, having a narrow bottom on your opening can hinder loading and unloading. 

    It’s around the back that you notice a design faux-pas. The stylish kick-up in the rear doors stretches into the 3/4 panel. Here sits a triangular piece of plastic. To be honest, I’m not a fan of this. It feels cheap and doesn’t serve any purpose whatsoever. 

    As well as a heated steering wheel, the Elite model also gives four heated leather seats and the leg room is comfortable all round, even for those sitting behind 6 foot tall drivers. There is even a touch of opulence with an attempt at illuminating the door cards. It’s a nice try and just needs a bit of work. Like many others, the rear doors are void of any such niceties though they do get largish rear door bins. 

    The hottest item in this Astra Elite is the engine. The small capacity turbo is the current darling of the motoring world. Powering through 3 cylinders with a turbo, the engine makes for an interesting topic of conversation. You don’t need to rev the engine to its redline to get the maximum 145PS of power from it for it to feel sprightly and useful. In the day to day running around you also won’t need to use 3 of its 6 gears either. 

    And here is the strange driving style this Astra has to offer. The engine is its shining star. It surges forward with quite a lot of likeable charisma. Gear changes are effortless and ignoring the change up indicator, makes for an engaging power unit. Power delivery certainly doesn’t feel like that from a little engine. The only giveaway is the thrum emitted by the 3 cylinders. 

    There is also enjoyment to be had with this when added to the chassis. The suspension set up is nothing out of the ordinary and it allows for enthusiastic driving. The chassis, while not being the most compliant in the ride department but not hard in an over sporty set up, whizzes along with aplomb. It’s quite sad then that when it gets to the twisty bits, the steering totally lets it down. 

    This steering is the Astra’s Achilles Heel. In the straight line, it feels wooden. Give it a few flicks and it won’t inspire much confidence and it’s this confidence that takes sometime to build on because the level of adhesion from the 225/45 17 Conti’s is exceptional. With just a bit more feel, it would make for an inspiring drivers car wrapped in a simple hatchback body. Something you can’t say about many of today’s popular SUV’s.

    And therein lies many of the Astra’s problems. It’s just a little too safe even down to the usual over paranoid parking sensors that seem to be inflicted on the Vauxhall owner. 

    As cars go, the Astra Elite, in the cold light of day, is one of the best allrounders. It’s like a friend. You know the friend, the one who can be a little curt in conversation. The one you go to when you want to be told the truth. No bullshit, no messing, just straight up honesty. There is no fooling around. Trouble is, you don’t always want to be with that friend.

    Love

    Engines lively behaviour

    Weight of the controls

    Chassis balance

    Loathe

    Wooden steering

    Dark interior 

    Rear 3/4 trim

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Vauxhall Astra Elite Nav 1.2 Turbo

    Price – £26,210 (as tested)

    MPG – 51.4/54.3 mpg (WLTP low/high combined)

    Power – 145ps

    0-62mph –  8.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  137mph

    Co2 – 99 (g/km)

    All pictures (c) Stuart M Bird

  • The Good, the Bad and The Ugly. Corsa C 2000 – 2006

    The Good, the Bad and The Ugly. Corsa C 2000 – 2006

    The Vauxhall Corsa C 2000 – 2006

    An irrelevant look at a certain car.

     

    You’ll be glad to have read that this Corsa was only available for six years. In the big scheme of motoring giants, six years is a pretty short notice and they only change the car that quickly if it just so happened to be crap.

    Well, dear reader, your luck is in. They were. There wasn’t much to recommend about the Corsa C and yet, in the UK at least, it was a big seller. From 2002 to 2005 it was always in the top 3 on the sales charts but that doesn’t mean anything. Celine Dion’s Titanic song spent way too long in the charts and that was shit. Thankfully our Cher kept it from being the top-selling single of 98. 

    Speaking of the great white hope of the ocean, one thing Corsa C did well was taking in water. These little Titanic’s of GM were exceptionally good at this, they let water in both at the front by the fuse box (water and electrics are such a good mix) and around the rear lights. Take that Titanic and your single gash!

    This did dampen Corsa C drivers’ spirits. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Left unchecked, the water would pile in and the mould pile up and out. I’ve seen many Corsa C’s with all the penicillin you can eat on the seats! It’s like infection control on wheels. MRSA, dead in a Corsa C. C-Diff? Don’t make me laugh. Doesn’t stand a chance. You might get Legionnaires disease from all that stagnant water, but only one to six out of 20 die from that, so the odds are pretty good on survival. And remember, Corsa C is packed with antibiotics.

    To understand if your Corsa C has a water problem, you need to drive it with vigour. Here was the problem. It wasn’t very nice to drive. The interiors were pretty much all grey in colour and that sort of summed up Corsa C. 

    Engines were standard units of GM-type (I’m sort of losing the will to type now) but the three-cylinder did have a nice trick up its sleeve. It vibrated through the bloated body causing motion sickness to the point where you either stopped or chundered into the pool of sogginess in the footwell, adding something new to the cesspit that is also called the passengers’ footwell.  

    I suppose if I have to give Corsa C one selling point, it would be the boot opening. It was large and practical for a hatchback-cum-driveway skip. What followed with Corsa D was worse.

    But I’m talking Corsa C and it’s a bad car. Catch the bus.

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  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

    CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

    ★★★★☆ | Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

    What Have We Got

    It’s hard to believe that this car as it is, on my driveway is just £3650 more than the Astra we tested recently. And you’ll notice this through other manufacturers. There once was a time when they made more money from their big cars. That doesn’t always seem the case these days but is the Insignia £3650 extra about right or an absolute bargain?

    Driving

    The engine in Insignia is down by 26ps over that fitted to the Astra, and it feels it. It runs out of puff rather quicker to reflecting its leisurely 11+ 0-60 sprint, yet that is the wrong way to drive this version on Vauxhall’s 1598cc turbo diesel. The power of 300Nm on this engine comes in lowly at 1750rpm to 2000rpm. In the Astra, it was higher up at 2000rpm and beyond. This lower engine power suits the Insignia well and here is the reason. It’s a smoother car to drive. The feel of the Insignia is more relaxed. 

    Inside

    The overall ambience of the cabin is of serenity. There is subtle lighting across the tops of the doors and along the dashboard. It’s very in keeping with the current trends. What is also like the tendency is to exclude this nicety from the rear doors. Why the rear passengers are not given this, I do not know. Thankfully the rears are treated to heated seats and have access to two USB ports to charge up the smartphones that will no doubt be connected to Vauxhall’s WiFi hotspot within the car. They are also given vast amounts of legroom too. It’s more than spacious in the rear.

    Living with it

    As estate cars go, there is a load of space in the back. A bulkhead style cargo net comes as standard. It is integrated into two positions. It can be placed in front of the rear seats folded up and down. If you only carry a load that sits below the window line you’ll never appreciate this but for those who carry to the max will, and its fitting and removal are incredibly easy. Just like folding the rear seats to reveal a flat load area. You’ll find the release catch either inside the boot or on top of the seats.  It’s a simple operation.

    The Verdict

    It’s a bargain. As load luggers go, the Insignia carries more as you’d expect. It’s rather nice inside and made for effortless cruising. Considering what I said about it being lower powered compared to the Astra, don’t let that put you off. It all comes together to make for a more cohesive car that carries loads and cruises well. In my mind, that is a better combination. The problem I did find with the estate style body was the height of the rear door. At 6’1” my head brush closely to the underside. Depending on the angle I parked at I did once knock my head on it. It is, however, the price we pay for sleeker looking estate cars.

    Love

    Comfort

    Load-lugging ability

    Ease of converting to full estate

    Loathe

    Low tailgate edge 

    Lack of cabin joy in the rear

    Road noise with the cargo cover missing

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer SRi Nav 1.6 110PS Turbo D

    Price – £24,555 (as tested)

    MPG – 65.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 0-62mph – 11.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  125 mph

    Co2 – 112 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer

    ★★★☆☆ |  Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer

    Vauxhall Astra review
    We put the Vauxhall Astra through its paces

    The Overview | The Drive | The Cabin | The Verdict | The Lowdown

    The Astra sells in big numbers because it does what you want a practical car to do and fleet operators like it. With a market so crowded with fierce competition from VW, Skoda, Fiat and the likes, is the new Astra able to hold its own?

    There is always some anticipation when getting a new car for review. More often than not I request a model and leave it up to the manufacturer to supply the goods. So there was high anticipation for the new Astra. I hadn’t realised until the day that it was going to be their tourer model. To you and me that means estate. So already I am off to a good start. I like estates.

    It was a simple Astra CDTi with few frills at first glance. This would allow me to review the Astra as a car and not the toys. Now in its 7th generation, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s well put together and tough too.

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Cascada

    Vauxhall Cascada… Tonight we can be Glorious

    It’s been a long time coming. Not since the Mk2 Astra GTE of 1986 have I really paid any attention to Vauxhall. I liked the Astra GTE so much that I even drew a picture of one, sent it to Scalextrix and asked them if they would consider putting it in their next lineup. I got a letter and special badge for my efforts.

    Since then, many Vauxhalls have come and gone so it was about time I reacquainted myself with the Griffin and what better than to try the Cascada. You may be wondering what the hell this is? If truth be told so was I when l saw it in the catalogue. It’s a convertible Astra J series. What that means is underneath it is the last generation of Astra but seriously don’t let that put you off. It’s actually quite good and I’ll tell you why.

    I was given the 2 litre 170ps diesel Elite model. For a diesel, it is remarkable for being rattle free. In fact, it made no noise at all which might account for me stalling it on too many occasions to count. Hood up or down, I would say it was as quiet as a Mercedes. I can’t. I tested a Mercedes GLE recently and the Cascada is quieter. Vauxhall has thrown everything they can making the Cascada feel better than it actually is in refinement. Even riding on massive 20-inch rims has done nothing to harm the refinement of the car. It’s quite remarkable.

    Going back to the engine, it is a pleasurable unit to pilot around. According to the spec sheet, it really is the only engine option to go for. The 1.6-litre petrol engines will only better it in top speed and 0-60. That said a 0-60 time of 9.6 seconds isn’t exactly bad. It’s no sports car so these figures are quite on par with the sector.

    It is only when you realise that behind all the glitz, shine, open air motoring and 20-inch rims that this isn’t a sports car you appreciate it even more. It’s a serious cruiser. I only had it for a weekend so on a calm night in March I tootled along some nice roads near me and headed to the coast.

    Through the countryside with the roof down, Sara Cox on the radio, I noticed that the long legs of the gearbox and the reliable torque of the engine made it either essential to change gears or leave it in 4th and enjoy the power surges when needed. Refinement again was very evident here.

    The handling of the Cascada was also better than I thought it would be. Roof down it showed no body flex in fast cornering as is quite acceptable in a car with no roof. Strangely on first acquaintance, it felt like there was more flex with the roof up than down. It covered ground quicker than you’d think.

    I can’t say there were no problems. There were, but these were more annoyances to me. First up was the parking sensors. I’ve never come across a car so paranoid about parking. I was all of 70 cm away from the car in front that the siren alarmed. And it kept alarming. Even when stopped and the handbrake on it still alarmed. Get out, come back and no sooner was the ignition switched on that the alarm about the car in front was screaming. It is utter nonsense for a system to be this hyperactive. Thankfully there is a switch to shut the thing up. Alas, EVERY TIME you step back into the car, the system becomes operable again.

    It’s these private settings as I call them, that annoy me. If I set a system to not alarm I expect it to not alarm until I order it too. This was also evident for the auto lights that tended to be on all the time and the Eco stop-start system.

    What I did like was the roof’s operation. Let’s face it, you buy a soft-top for the open air experience. It was amazingly quick to erect, and could be done so at up to 30mph. You can also do it from the key remote. Step out of the house, lock the door and all while you activate the hoods disappearance. It was cool. In fact, the Cascada got the thumbs up from the yoof of the street. I was even complimented by a teenager and it does attract a lot of attention.

    I don’t mean this in a detrimental way but what makes the Cascada acceptable is that despite its million dollar looks, it’s a Vauxhall. It’s cheap enough not to attract the wrong attention so you can park it up with the roof down. It’s an affordable luxury.

    Roof down and even without the wind deflector it is quite draft free and this remains so up to high speeds. It is strangely a little too noisy for my liking with the roof up.

    The Cascada did have a magic trick up its sleeve. Roofs take up a lot of room. The boots are often useless or no more than a letter box. Push up the box in the boot and it reveals a big boot that also stretches into the cabin with the folding rear seat. It makes it quite a useable car.

    Now here is my real problem with the car. It’s the name. It might mean waterfall in Spanish but it is also the name of the 2013 Eurovision German entrant. Nothing wrong with that. Her song was “Glorious” however, the name of the car isn’t. If I had one, I and I have to say l would, I’d just have to remove the badge from the rear and replace it with Astra.

    Love

    Refined

    Design

    Price

    Loathe

    Paranoid parking sensors

    The name

    Noise with roof up

    The Lowdown

    Car – Vauxhall Cascada Elite 2.0 170ps Blueinjection

    Price – £32,810 (as tested)

    MPG – 57.6mpg (combined)

    Power – 0-62mph – 9.6 seconds

    Top Speed – 135 mph

    Co2 – 129 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Corsa VXR – The Four Wheeled Hooligan. We Love It.

    ★★★★ | Vauxhall Corsa VXR

    The Vauxhall Corsa is a familiar sight on UK roads; no surprise considering it’s the second best-selling car of 2015 with over 57,000 having found homes this year.

    Although the majority of buyers will be drawn to the low purchase price, cheap running costs and smart (if inoffensive) looks, there’s a variant that adds something extra, excitement. Step forward the VXR.

    Originally launched back in 2007 and heavily reworked along with the rest of the Corsa range at the start of 2015, the VXR takes aim at cars such as the Fiesta ST and MINI Cooper S. Compared to these, it looks something of a bargain at just shy of £18,000. That may be slightly pricier than the ST but it offers more power and a level of standard equipment higher than the cheapest fast Ford. For serious driver’s there’s also the optional ‘Performance Pack’ that’s fitted to our test car.

    Regardless of options, the VXR comes with a muscular 205hp from the 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, enough for 0-62mph in a rapid 6.5 seconds. That’s almost half a second faster than the Fiesta ST and enough to make the VXR very entertaining. The engine is certainly effective but lacks the kind of aural fireworks that make for a truly great motor. It’s also some way behind rivals in terms of carbon emissions and economy. While I did manage 40mpg on a long run, my average for a week was nearer 35mpg. A heavy right foot can see this drop below 30.

    Still, it’s unlikely you’d buy a hot hatch for cheap running costs. Of more interest will be how it goes round bends, an area the Performance Pack really helps with. For £2400, you gain bigger Brembo brakes, stiffer suspension, larger wheels with sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres and a race bred Drexler limited-slip differential.

    Opt for the pack and the first thing you’ll notice is the suspension; those after a comfortable life should look elsewhere. In day to day use the VXR is very stiffly sprung and can get a little bouncy at times. The pay-off is fine body control when you’re going for it with very little roll and a neutral balance, a good thing considering the vast reserves of grip the tyres serve up.

    For me it was the Drexler diff that made the biggest difference. Unlike electronic systems that simply slow a spinning wheel with a dab of brakes, this mechanical device prevents one wheel spinning by locking up making them spin together. Not only does this improve traction but it actively pulls the nose of the car into bends where a normal car would start understeering.

    Eventually the nose does run wide but the amount of speed you can carry up to that point is incredible. The VXR may be fast and great fun to throw around but it’s never the most talkative of companions, you’re much more likely to have the wheel writhing with torque steer than sending gentle messages about what the road surface is doing.

    Style wise, the VXR wants you to know how quick it is. There are gaping intakes and a chin spoiler up front, a faux diffuser and a couple of big exhaust pipes out back, side skirts, a big rear spoiler and 17 or 18” inch wheels barely hiding those big Brembo brakes. For real boy racers, there’s even a pack that adds carbon fibre effect flourishes to the grille and mirrors. If it were a person it would most definitely be wearing a tracksuit and chunky gold jewellery. It would be an attractive chav though.

    The interior is dominated by a pair of figure-hugging Recaro seats (leather is a £1045 option) that along with the chunky leather steering wheel really set the scene. A leather handbrake grip and gearstick gaiter are nice additions although the gearknob itself was a bit too big for my dainty hand. The upper half of the dashboard is nicely finished in soft touch plastics with piano black and chrome trim helping it seem quite upmarket at first.

    This illusion is somewhat undermined the first time you reach for the cheap feeling heater controls or feel the hard and scratchy black plastic that covers much of the doors and lower dash. This isn’t an expensive car however and you do get a lot of performance kit for your cash, with that in mind it’s just about acceptable.

    Those wanting their hot hatch to be as practical as possible should bear in mind the VXR is three door only, While that undoubtedly helps the looks, the heavily winged seats don’t lean forwards very far making rear entry tricky. Space in the back isn’t terrible though and the boot is far bigger than you’d get in a MINI too.

    To sum up, the Corsa VXR Performance Pack feels a bit like a four wheeled hooligan. The exterior styling is brash, it can be physical to drive and it’s a little rough around the edges inside too. On the flip side, it’s vast amounts of fun, fast and not too expensive either. If you’re so inclined, I think it would be an absolute riot on a track day and you’d probably surprise some more expensive metal too. Come and have a go if you think you’re ‘ard enough.

    Pros

    Exciting to drive
    Good value
    Looks like a hot hatch should

    Cons

    Coarse engine
    Expensive to run
    Could be more feelsome

    The Lowdown

    Car – Vauxhall Corsa VXR Performance Pack
    Price – £17,995 (£21,590 as tested)
    Power – 205hp
    0-60 – 6.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 143 mph
    Co2 – 174g/km

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    Reviewed by Alan Taylor-Jones

  • The Week In Cars – Ferrari or Porsche?

    Porsche have shown us the hottest Cayman yet, the GT4. As suggested by spy shots, it gains a much more aggressive body kit with a fixed rear wing along with 20 inch wheels.

    (more…)

  • Top Ten Motoring News This Week From Corsas To Teslas

    After complaints were made about an ‘ugly yellow car’, a local resident’s Vauxhall Corsa, ruining photographs of a Cotswolds’ village, Vauxhall have come up with an optional camouflage net for the car. Available in Flaming Yellow, Flame Red, Lime Green and Chilli Orange, they claim the bizarre accessory ‘has been designed specifically for use near National Trust premises and chocolate box Cotswold villages’. I think Vauxhall may be taking the p*ss somewhat.

    (more…)