With introductory package quite complete but limited available
The current generation Opel Corsa sells quite well in the Netherlands and after a recent facelift and with a new face, it is ready for the next few years, in which it will again be available as an electric car or as a car with a combustion engine. The cheapest has a naturally aspirated power source and a good old five-speed manual transmission at a starting price of €23,349. Is that a good offer?
Opel Corsa 1.2, €23,349
Due to its Vizor nose obtained with the facelift, the Opel Corsa now looks a lot sharper than before, but it is still an accessible B-segment car that can be compared with cars such as the Volkswagen Polo or Seat Ibiza: cars from European brands with model names that have lasted for many generations. You can get into an Opel Corsa from €23,349 and for that money you get an unnamed version that you recognize by its 16-inch steel wheels with hubcaps.
No surprises
And entry-level or not: all new Corsa’s get Opel’s Vizor face, completely including the corresponding LED daytime running lights – that sleek front is therefore not only for more expensive versions. The only other things you can recognize from the outside of an entry-level Corsa are the lack of privacy glass and the finish of the B-pillar: it is high-gloss black on all versions, except the basic version. The cheapest will do with a non-shiny plastic finish. The only paint you don’t have to pay extra for is the non-metallic gray you see in the pictures.
LED taillights are reserved for more expensive versions.
Also inside the entry-level Corsa no surprises when it comes to decoration and color choices. The seats are wrapped in a black-and-grey fabric, here and there we find a shiny edge and ‘just’ analog counters adorn the driver’s nose. You also have to turn a key in the new Corsa to start, after which you hear a rumbling three-cylinder: 1.2 liters, 75 hp strong, good for a peak of 174 km / h and a 0-to-100 from 13 .2 seconds. The block has no turbo and is linked to a five-speed gearbox; relatively simple technique that keeps the car weight nicely low. Opel communicates 1,010 kg as empty weight, more than 400 kg less than the Corsa Electric.
Apple Carplay and Android Auto are the big absentees
As far as further equipment and ease of operation are concerned, the basic Corsa does not drop many stitches. On several fronts – including the non-electric parking brake – it’s quite conventional, but pretty much everything you expect these days is on it. The side mirrors are heated, four side windows are electrically operated, there is air conditioning, cruise control and a light and rain sensor, and you can listen to music via a Bluetooth connection. Android Auto and Apple Carplay are the notable absentees here; these are standard on most cars these days and also very handy, but they are missing in this Corsa.
Manual gearbox, handbrake lever, analog clocks, an ignition switch and no large color screen in the middle.
A color screen in the center of the dashboard is also missing, as is a reversing camera. However, the slip-on has rear parking sensors. Other types of driver assistance systems are also present – as befits a modern car that is available in the EU. These include an active lane keeping assistant, traffic sign and fatigue recognition and an emergency braking system to prevent inner-city collisions. Yes, such systems are also present on a car with a manual gearbox, ‘old-fashioned’ handbrake and analogue counters.
Opel Corsa provisionally with attractive ‘introduction package’
Actually, only Android Auto and Apple Carplay are a loss, because also to all others basics the least expensive Corsa simply suffices. And is that lack of connectivity a deal breaker? Certainly not. Or at least; not any time soon. For the time being, you can tick an ‘introduction package’ when ordering a new Corsa, which offers a 10-inch infotainment screen with the aforementioned systems, a reversing camera, front parking sensors, and a 7-inch digital instrument panel at an additional cost of €899. , blind spot warning and electrically folding door mirrors. Always do it, we think, and then you have a pretty complete car for €24,248 (€23,349 + €899). You just have to be quick. It is not known at the time of writing how long the introductory package will remain available, but it will not be long, so be sure to inquire at the nearest Opel dealer.
The introductory package is also available on the basic version in combination with a turbo engine (100 hp, basic price €24,499) and in combination with the more expensive equipment level of the Corsa, which is called GS. The latter is available from €25,549 and for that the introductory package – which also consists of other extras – costs €999 instead of €899. If you take a GS with an introductory package, you will have a car with a lot of amenities on board for €26,548. We can therefore conclude that the Opel Corsa is currently a competitive offer compared to some competitors.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl