Vauxhall Corsa

VAUXHALL Corsa Club

1.3 CDTi 16-v 3 door

Top speed: 101 mph

0-62 mph: 13.6 seconds

Max power: 75 ps

Max torque: 126 lb ft

Urban economy: 49.6 mpg
Extra urban: 74.3 mpg

Combined: 62.8 mpg

CO2 emissions: 119 g/km

Price £10,215

The Corsa, one of the most enduring superminis ever created has had a rebirth of astounding proportions.

In 1993 when it was first launched - to replace the Nova - I found the car very small inside, which was fine at the time and it was a popular first car for many. I'm always very open minded when it comes to cars reinventing themselves and Vauxhall has achieved great things with the latest Astra.

New Corsa is a revelation in the supermini market. So much thought has gone into the re-creation of this small car that I simply won't have the room to explain all the wonderful things that Vauxhall has achieved with the new Corsa.

I was test driving the 1.3 turbo diesel version with manual and three doors. A great little car. Which will probably prove popular with those who need to cover more miles than your average supermini owner.

I can wholeheartedly vouch for the superb ride comfort, as I spent many hours and hundreds of miles (mostly motorway with a sprinkling of London traffic jams) and the car performed as good as, if not better than, the usual mid-sized hatchback, which is favoured as a small-car commute, the likes of the Golf, Astra and Focus.

New Corsa is very sensible and is really spacious inside. In fact it belies its diminutive exterior.

Externally, the design of the new Corsa is just like the very stylish and dynamic Astra Sport, just in miniature. It's striking and purposeful (yes I am beginning to sound like Vauxhall PR) But I'm not ashamed say how much I love this big small car.

Vauxhall has a real magic trick up its sleeve when it comes to safety. Small cars are by far the more difficult package to incorporate all the latest safety features into. The designers have achieved a small miracle to create the safest small car on the road.

Inside the car the seats are full size and there is still plenty of room around the passengers. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room is abundant. The dashboard is extremely good - user friendly, easy on the eye - a perfect package. I was able to find my perfect driving position.

The driving experience is superb. The torquey little diesel engine had really good power and the little car never struggled once. I didn't feel the harshness of the road, or hear it either. And there was no intrusion into the cabin of engine or wind noise.

I thoroughly enjoyed driving the new Corsa and the fact that it is so stylish just adds to the pleasure.

The piece de resistance, however, is the phenomenal boot space. There is a false floor, and I was able to stow a couple of crates of Stella Artois and multiple bottles of plonk from across the Channel. Not to mention umpteen boxes of chocolates from Belgium.

On top of the floor I had my suitcase and camera equipment, bags of shoes and umpteen other bits and bobs, which were all hidden from prying eyes when the boot lid is shut and the car is locked up. Quite the little tardis.

I can see this enduring style outliving the former Corsa by years because I believe it is unimprovabled. They could not make it any better than it already is. I'm chuffed to bits with it, and knowing it costs from just a snip over £7k.

The range-topping 5-dr Design with the 1.7 CDTi engine for ~13,795 is the ideal car for the commuter who has limited room for parking, needs four full size seats, large doors with easy access, economy, the best safety and striking good looks to match - it has to be the new Vauxhall Corsa.