The Opel Corsa may be an outlier in the current South African automotive landscape, but there was a time when it was one of the leading hatchbacks on the market. It was mentioned in the same breath as the Golf, Clio, and Fiesta. Consumer demands for crossovers and SUVs, along with the departure of GM from South Africa, drove the model into murky depths. Rescued by the Stellantis group, the Opel brand continues to fight the good fight and the revamped, sixth-generation Opel Corsa aims to rejuvenate interest in the model.
Related: Opel Corsa GS Line (2024) First Drive Review
The sixth-generation Opel Corsa, or Corsa F, was first launched back in 2021 and now, only a few years later, has undergone a rather extensive makeover, adding a host of tech, driver assistance systems, and safety systems into the pot, along with a fresh new face.
Styling
The Corsa is still a compact hatchback, perfectly suited for daily commuting in and around town. Where many of its former peers grew in size (we're looking at you Golf and Mini), the Corsa has remained true to its roots. It's still larger than the Corsa B that you may recall, but the proportions are still agreeable, and it manages to be compact without being claustrophobic.
The big changes come in the front end, where the new Corsa gets the Opel Visor treatment, a sleek panel between the headlights that houses the sensors for the driver assistance systems. All models' headlights are LED units, and the GS trim, which we sampled, is fitted with fog lamps as well.
16-inch alloy wheels are standard across the range, with the GS model receiving a diamond-cut two-tone finish. The rest are equipped with gloss black wheels. You can identify the GS trim by the black badges and lettering, and the update shows the Corsa name spread out and placed centrally under the rear badge.
Opel Corsa Colour and Price Guide
Space and Comfort
The compact exterior proportions don't hamper the interior space, and the Corsa is as generous inside as any crossover. You get a 309-litre boot that expands to 1081-litres when you fold the rear seats down. The deep-set floor of the boot does add volume, but when combined with the protrusion of the rear bumper, one has to lift and reach deep to load or unload any luggage.
The GS trim gets firm but supportive bucket seats with contrasting panels and stitching. Instead of going the leather route, the Corsa is trimmed with a hard-wearing denim-like fabric, which is still elegant and tasteful. These are heated items on the GS trim, perfect for those chilly winter mornings.
Opel's Corsa Lite returns!
Convenience
The range-topping GS version has many convenience features, over and above the accepted array of electric windows, airconditioning and power steering. Digital climate control and an electronic park brake form part of the GS package and have a larger 7.0-inch driver display. This has a simplistic digital display with bar graphs rather than the customary circular sweeps, but all the necessary information is displayed. A large, 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system rests in the centre fascia, offering a variety of connectivity and audio solutions. The Intellilink infotainment system supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The GS gets automatic headlights with automatic high-beam assist, cruise control, and automatic wipers.
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Performance
Two variants of the 1.2-litre turbocharged engine do duty on the revamped Opel Corsa, with the Lite and Edition versions getting the 74 kW unit. A more powerful 96kW type is used in the GS trim, making an impressive 230Nm torque. This gives the little Corsa a pleasant get-up-and-go once on the move. Getting it off the line, though, can be a little frustrating as it takes a moment for the engine to develop the boost required to gather momentum.
It sends power to the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic gearbox, and the GS trim is the only one in the current lineup to offer such a system. The gearbox is agreeable, but the engine's off-boost performance can be a little frustrating at times. One has to adapt one's driving style accordingly. The combination makes the Corsa GS good for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 8.7 seconds, while the top speed is 208 km/h.
The Drive
Aside from the throttle response, the Corsa is an enjoyable drive. The suspension is possibly firmer than one would be used to, especially when coming from a more compliant crossover. Still, it retains the appeal of the sporty hatchback with eager responsiveness and a well-weighted steering feel. The brakes are a little sharper than one would possibly like, making stop-start traffic somewhat more jarring than you would want. However, once on the move this positive feedback from the brakes is appreciated.
Fuel Consumption
One of the benefits of a small displacement turbocharged engine is the ability to save fuel. The 94 kW version of the 1.2-litre engine is claimed to return a combined cycle fuel consumption of 6.3 L/100 km. Mid- to high-7s were more common, but admittedly, that was with a swing in favour of the urban commute rather than the open road.
Safety
The Corsa GS shines on the safety front with a comprehensive range of safety and driver assistance systems. The GS model has 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, an electronic stability program, hill-start assist, and seatbelt pre-tensioners. Isofix mountings are located in the outer rear seats.
Front and rear park distance control, a 180-degree reverse camera, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and traffic sign recognition are complemented by front pedestrian detection and collision mitigation braking.
Price
One thing that the Opel Corsa is not trying to be is a budget offering. It has a robust build quality and a more premium feel than what you may be accustomed to. This is reflected in the price, which isn't exactly cheap.
| Model | Price (incl. VAT) |
| Opel Corsa Lite 1.2T 74kW 6MT | R374 900 |
| Opel Corsa Edition 1.2T 74kW 6MT | R394 900 |
| Opel Corsa GS 1.2T 96kW 6AT | R459 900 |
Competitors
The Honda Fit, Mazda 2, and Volkswagen Polo play in this space and offer compelling arguments. For not a lot more money, you'd be able to step things up a notch and get into a slightly larger hatchback like the Mazda 3 as well. The R400 000 mark is also the playground of some more economical crossovers, making the Corsa a tougher sell than it should be.
The Verdict
We often say there's no such thing as a bad car these days, and the Corsa is one of the better ones. The rough history with the brand hasn't done it any favours locally, and convincing the public to part with their money is a challenge for the Opel brand as it just doesn't offer enough to differentiate itself from the competition. I doubt we will see many of these on the roads; South African consumers are worried about the brand's future locally. Sadly, that means that the Corsa will end up in the hands of the fans and few others.
