The Vauxhall Corsa supermini range has been given a significant mid-life refresh, including a new ‘Vizor’ front end, on-board tech upgrades, and performance and range enhancements for the battery-powered Corsa Electric.
Bringing the Corsa up to date with Vauxhall’s current design ethos that is displayed on its larger Astra, Mokka and Grandland models, the updated Corsa sports the brand’s trademark ‘Vizor’ grille, with a black panel stretching across the car’s front fascia between upgraded Matrix LED headlights.
The car also comes with a new five-spoke design for its 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels, and a shark fin antenna on the roof. The car’s rear end has not been altered, apart from the addition of ‘Corsa’ lettering that appears below the Vauxhall badge on the boot lid.
In the cabin, the mid-range Corsa trims have been given a larger ten-inch infotainment console in the centre of the dashboard. The brand adds that the seven-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel has also been given sharper graphics.
The design of the steering wheel has reportedly been slightly altered, and Vauxhall has given the Corsa a new gear selector and a different seat pattern design. These Corsa models will be the first to be available with wireless smartphone charging and the Astra’s voice control function.
Other on-board tech additions include a ‘high-resolution’ rear-view parking camera which is included with the mid-range trim and above, and the brand’s 3D sat-nav software accessible through the infotainment system.
The Corsa will continue to be offered in petrol and all-electric guises, and a hybrid version of the Corsa will join the range later this year.
The Corsa Electric is set to benefit from a powertrain upgrade that swaps out the old 50kWh battery for a slightly larger 51kWh unit. The current 136hp electric motor will still be available, but the battery can now also be paired with a more powerful 156hp electric motor, which provides a reported maximum battery range of 246 miles – up from the current model’s 222 miles.
The Corsa Electric will gain a new 11kW charger as standard, which will fully charge the battery in five hours and 15 minutes.
Now available to order, pricing for the updated Corsa range starts at around £20k for the combustion-powered model, while the entry-level 136hp Corsa Electric is now priced at over £32k. Prices in the facelifted range rise to over £38k for the top-spec 156hp Corsa Electric ‘Ultimate’.
Three trims are available to choose from, starting with the lead-in ‘Design’ grade. This package includes LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen and safety features such as lane keeping assistance and speed sign recognition.
Mid-range ‘GS’ models get a larger ten-inch infotainment console, and add a rear-view parking camera and larger 17-inch alloy wheels. This model also comes with a seven-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and keyless entry.
Finally, the range-topping ‘Ultimate’ grade swaps out the standard LEDs for more advanced Matrix LED headlights, adds heated Alcantara leather-wrapped seats, and introduces blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control tech.
The Corsa Electric is now available in its 156hp guise within the ‘GS’ and ‘Ultimate’ trim levels, but buyers more interested in the less powerful 136hp model will have to wait until August, when that powertrain will be offered with the ‘Design’ and ‘GS’ trim grades.
The Vauxhall Corsa has been on sale since late 2019, and has been frequently praised for its exterior styling and improved handling, though there have been criticisms levelled against the supermini’s interior quality. The Corsa currently holds an Expert Rating of 61%, while the Corsa Electric fares a little better with an Expert Rating of 62%.
