Is the Opel Corsa good for new drivers? Here’s our verdict.

By Farzana Chaumoo

We take a look at why the Opel Corsa makes for a good first car for a new driver.

 

Opel’s Corsa is definitely worth your attention as a first car. It has long been a favourite with young drivers as it’s a cute little car with a good level of equipment. The Corsa has also become quite stylish with age.

When choosing your first car you should be considering factors such as a small engine, efficiency, insurance, and the size of the car.

The Corsa sits on a list of cars for new drivers that include the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen UP, Renault Clio, Suzuki Swift, Hyundai i10 and so on. These cars, and specifically the Corsa, have been famed for its drivability which makes it ideal for young and inexperienced drivers. It’s good value for money and comes with some great engines that start with the 1.0L Turbo and go up to the 1.4L Turbo on the Corsa Sport.

The Corsa now offers modes. For one, you can select the City Mode which boosts power assistance to the steering system and makes parking and manoeuvring at low speeds a breeze, which is great for new drivers.

Furthermore, the Corsa has relatively low running costs with claimed fuel consumption rated at 4.6L/100km for the base model and goes up to 5.9L/100km for the 1.4T Sport. It’s also relatively spacious when compared to its compact car rivals.

 

What we like

• Fresh styling that was inspired by the Opel Adam
• Surprisingly eager 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine
• Safe 
• Easy to drive
• Roomy for four adults 
• 285-litre boot
• Fuel efficient 

 

Key standard features

With a price tag starting from R240,690, the base level Corsa 1.0T is stocked with all these features as standard. As you will see, there’s plenty of safety features that a new driver will find very assuring:

 

• 1.0-litre Turbo - 66 kW/170 Nm
• 6-Speed Manual
• Start/Stop Engine Control

• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
• Front and Rear 15" Brake Discs
• Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
• Hill-Start Assist
• 6 Airbags - (Driver/Passenger/Seat Side/Curtain)
• Pedal Release System
• ISOFIX Child Seat Anchorage
• Passenger Airbag De-activation Switch
• Seatbelt Pre-Tensioners
• Seatbelt Reminder
• Foldable Key
• Anti-Theft Alarm and Immobiliser

• Daytime Running Lights
• Headlamp Levelling

• City Mode Steering
• Speed-Sensitive Power Steering
• Tilt/Telescopic Steering Adjustment
• 12-V Power Outlet

• Electric Front Windows - Express Up/Down
• Tinted Windows
• Electric & Foldable Rear View Mirrors

• 15" Structure Wheel
• Steel Spare Wheel

• 3 Years/60 000 km Service Plan

There’s also the two optional packs that allow you to add on an aircon, Radio/CD with Bluetooth®, USB, AUX, and steering wheel audio controls.

 

Use our Finance Calculator to calculate how much your monthly repayments could be on an Opel Corsa.

 

Read more Opel News and Reviews