Opel Corsa
Engine: petrol,
1.2 TWINPORT
Displacement - 1229 cc
Power - 80 hp
Max speed - 168 km/h
Acceleration to 100 km/h - 15.4 s
Transmission: 5-speed, Easytronic
Fuel consumption:
Urban cycle - 7.6 l/100 km
Extra-urban cycle - 4.6 l/100 km
Combined - 5.8 l/100 km
Dimensions:
Length - 3999 mm
Width - 1737 mm
Height - 1488 mm
Gross vehicle weight - 1585 kg
Tire size - 185/65 R15
Vasilya, personal car Opel Corsa C.
I've been driving a Corsa C for almost two years now, and during this time the car has managed to fully satisfy me. That's why, when I learned about the opportunity to test drive the new model – the Corsa D at "Delpho-auto", I immediately agreed. Naturally, I kept mentally comparing the new car with mine. And here are the conclusions I came to.
Exterior. The new Corsa has definitely become more noticeable, prettier, and seemingly faster. It's clear that the designers worked hard. This is exactly what the predecessor lacked! The old Corsa was too universal, as if trying to please both a young girl and a respectable man. Because of this pursuit of compromise, it got lost in traffic. The new one, on the contrary, stands out with a bright appearance that is easy to remember. I'll note one nuance. The front optics have become more modern and beautiful. But the rear lights, which on the previous Corsa were vertical and clearly visible to other drivers, have somehow been reduced here – they are now modest, like those on the Astra.
Interior. Inside, the new Corsa has become noticeably more pleasant: more comfortable, prettier, and more welcoming for both the driver and passengers. The audio system block is now stylistically unified with the other buttons, and everything together is painted in a practical silver color. The round air vents are a fashionable touch, looks stylish. The front seats have become more comfortable, I think due to more pronounced lateral support. But what I didn't notice right away was the armrests on the doors: wide, long, and very comfortable, bravo! Inside, the Corsa has become noticeably more spacious, already quite comparable to C-class cars, which are inherently longer. Sound insulation has also improved: the engine is not audible, and the street is almost not heard either. True, the rear arches remain without felt, so the sound of gravel will still break through. But getting out of the rear seat is more convenient in the old Corsa: in the new one, you have to turn your foot almost perpendicular to the movement, and you still risk dirtying either the seat or the central pillar. I was very pleased with the shelf in the trunk – it creates a double-bottom effect. And also (I read later) there are drawers under the front seats.
Let's go! Currently I have a manual, but I want my next car with an automatic. For a woman, it's much more convenient: I'm tired of constantly shifting the lever in traffic jams. True, a regular automatic is only available with the 1.4 engine. And with the 1.2, they offer either a manual or Easytronic – a robotic gearbox. There are also two pedals, like an automatic, with modes: 'A' – automatic, 'S' – sport (the previous Corsa didn't have this), '*' – winter, and '+-' – manual. The advantages of such a robot: convenience like an automatic, but fuel consumption like a manual. Easytronic now resembles a computer joystick, I didn't get used to it right away: the lever always returns to the center, and you only know the selected mode from the indicator. But you won't get the reactive acceleration like on my Corsa with a manual in 'A' mode. Both the robot itself and the fact that the car has become 100 kg heavier are to blame. However, for dynamic driving, there's the 'S' mode and manual shifting.
Driving the Corsa is a pure pleasure: potholes and bumps are almost not felt, but the car is not loose, but composed. Probably, the tires play a role – here they are 185/65R15, while mine had lower-profile 175/65 and also R14. It's precisely comfort that I lack in the previous Corsa: it's a bit stiff, as if made for aggressive driving, not for calm trips. The new Corsa gives real enjoyment from the very process of driving, and speed is not felt at all here. I'll note that ABS is already standard, and extra active safety won't hurt – ice and wet mud haven't been canceled. Also, the base version now has a front passenger airbag.
See you? A bright, beautiful car – comfortable inside and comfortable in motion. So far I've only seen the 5-door version, it's nice, but in photos the 3-door looks even more elegant and striking. I'm really looking forward to it appearing in the showroom, I'll definitely come to see it.
Alfred, driving experience 11 years.
The first thing I heard while examining the Opel Corsa was something like: "...look, this is how you properly start the car." How about that? It turns out it needs to be started in some special way! And all because of the tricky automated gearbox Easytronic. But more on that later.
The new fourth-generation Opel Corsa is a typical modern overgrown car. It's already cramped in the European B-class, only the base body length still allows it to be registered there. The car has become more spacious and taller. The appearance is already recognizable and organically fits into the Opel family. By the way, this brand has made a real breakthrough in recent years and gained its own charisma. These cars are now easy to distinguish in traffic – and this applies to the Astra, Vectra, Zafira, Meriva, and now the Corsa. You'll agree, they have common features, not only external but also in character, in temperament. I've been convinced of this personally, already in the first meters of the journey. If the old Corsa was decent, the new one is simply excellent. Its sound insulation has noticeably improved, a fashionable interior has appeared, and overall it has become richer and more respectable. A pleasant bonus is one of the most "revvy" production engines today. True, I wasn't allowed to feel all the power of the 1.2-liter (80-horsepower!) engine by that very Easytronic. The thing is convenient, no argument, but it "dulls" heartily.
You sharply press the gas – the engine starts humming like a fan, and only then comes the response: a slight push, and the car moves off. Moreover, gear changes are accompanied by such jerks that I literally nod my head. But the manual mode here, unlike many other "automatics", is clear: the car goes much more cheerfully, and the reaction to the pedal is almost instantaneous. The steering pleased with sharpness and informativeness – a rarity for electric power steering, especially in this class. And the suspension is just brilliant. An amazing balance of comfort and handling, the engineers clearly did a good job, and the 15-inch wheel radius is a serious help here (the previous version had 14-inch). On terrible rails, the car behaves very maturely, reactions to bumps are worthy of more expensive cars.
The driver's seat is very comfortable, rigid by German standards, with good support. Sitting behind the wheel is a pleasure. Well, I finally got to that very starting algorithm. The trick is that you need to start with the brake pedal pressed and the gearbox in neutral. Serious foolproofing. But it's not very convenient for rear passengers to get out. I, getting out of the back row, caught on the threshold and almost fell. And this repeated the second and third time. Maybe I'm so clumsy, or maybe it's a pattern.
The first thing that catches your eye in the new Corsa is its practicality. The trunk has a double floor "DualFloor" that can be leveled with the edge of the opening. This is very convenient: heavy bags or large boxes don't need to be lifted and thrown in, they just need to be pushed inside. If you raise the floor to the upper level, another hidden compartment for small items forms underneath. With the rear seatbacks folded down, the surface becomes completely flat – you could even organize a sleeping place. Or you can lower the structure to the very bottom. Overall, if you sum it up, the car turned out successful: modern design, rich equipment, solid build, and smooth ride. Those who like active driving should look at the version with a manual gearbox, while for dense city traffic, the Easytronic option is better suited. And one more observation: it seems to me that the robotic transmission is practically not inferior to a regular "manual" in fuel consumption.
Vadim, driving experience 9 years.
Everyone is used to thinking that B-class cars are small little cars. But stereotypes are long outdated. Take, for example, the dimensions: the width of the Corsa (173.7 cm) is 1.7 cm more than that of the Toyota Corolla, which belongs to the C-class, and 3.7 cm more than that of the Opel Vectra A, a representative of the D-class of the early 90s. The car is growing in size, and that's a fact.
I'll say right away: the acceleration dynamics on the version with Easytronic did not impress me. My previous Corsa with a manual gearbox would have pulled ahead in the same exercise. But that was the first impression — and then I got into the unhurried character of the new model. Especially since the sound insulation is top-notch, the suspension pleases with comfort, and the interior is truly cozy. So racing is not necessary here at all. Although, if desired, you can also have some fun: switch to "manual" or "sport" mode. By the way, the Easytronic lever here is made in the form of a computer joystick, not like in the previous Corsa, where it resembled an automatic transmission selector. At first, such a novelty is unusual, but gradually you get used to it and begin to appreciate its convenience.
Another pleasant detail: you can shift gears manually directly from the automatic "A" mode, simply by pushing the lever forward or backward. This noticeably saves time compared to the usual logic of "robots" or automatic transmissions, where you first need to exit "A" into manual mode and only then change the gear. A similar scheme exists on Honda, but there it is handled by paddle shifters, which, in my opinion, is less convenient. Thanks to the manual mode, I managed to turn the Corsa into a truly fast and daring car. And it is precisely this duality — sometimes smooth and comfortable, sometimes brisk and exciting — that I especially liked in it.
The suspension deserves a special mention. The old Corsa was frankly stiff, but together with the hatchback body it gave excellent handling: lightning-fast lane changes without body roll and precise entry into any turn. The new model is tuned differently: the suspension is elastic, but without excessive stiffness. Combined with 185/65/15 tires, it perfectly absorbs road irregularities. For everyday use, this option is much more comfortable.
A few words about the powertrains: they carried over to the new model unchanged from the previous Corsa. And that's right, because the TWINPORT engines with variable intake geometry and increased power are among the most modern. For example, the 1.2 TWINPORT appeared in the series only in the second half of 2004. For an 80-horsepower engine, a consumption of 7.7 liters in the city is a quite decent indicator. In city traffic, the elasticity of this engine will also come in handy: at a speed of 70 km/h, you can safely engage fifth gear and save fuel, while the car still responds lively to the gas pedal. If needed, on the same fifth gear you can calmly slow down to 50 km/h. For the city, elasticity is no less important than the number of horsepower.
The new model has certainly succeeded. The design is bright, memorable — as if created for the youth. But the interior, on the contrary, is spacious and solid, with quality finishing, which will appeal to more conservative buyers. Personally, I really liked the car.
