Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi three-door

Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi Club three-door

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The Corsa's been in the UK's top ten sales chart since it was launched in 1993, but can the new car justify its position with a wider range of abilities? We find out.

Price: £12,122 (including options)
On sale: Now
0-62mph: 13.6 seconds; top speed 101mph
Average fuel: 62.8mpg
Standard equipment: Body-coloured wing mirrors, body-coloured door handles, steering wheel mounted audio controls, steering column adjustable for rake and reach, height-adjustable drivers seat, Remote central locking, air-conditioning, Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, a single disc CD player with seven-speakers.

Tiscali verdict: Looks good, is spacious, drives well and there's a feeling of quality. But it's pricey, the options are expensive and there are visibility issues. 8/10

The first-generation Corsa, launched in the UK in 1993, earned a reputation for its funky, modern styling. The second-generation car debuted in 2000 and whilst it retained the previous models style, build quality was much improved. Despite being the best-selling supermini for over 29 months, rivals have caught up. The new car is wider, longer and according to Vauxhall, has been designed to look much more dynamic. The three-door 1.3 CDTi certainly looks the part, but how does it compare against supermini rivals?

£12,122 sounds pretty expensive for a modern supermini, but the test car did include almost £2,000 worth of optional extras (these included the clever Flex-Fix integrated bike carrier system). The standard kit on our Corsa Club included pretty much all the equipment you'll ever need. But, is it too expensive? For comparison, the Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi Style three-door is just £9,892 in standard form. Club standard equipment is fairly generous, with air-conditioning, remote central locking and electric windows and mirrors all as standard. It's just a shame you have to pay extra for alloy wheels and front fog lamps, when the wheel trims and blanked out holes in the front bumper look a bit cheap. The coupe-like roofline and high shoulder line of the three-door might look like a compromise of style over practicality, but there's enough room for four tall passengers and a reasonably sized boot, though it's a bit on the shallow size.