Opel Corsa C - for a good start
There are cars in this world that we sigh about and hang pictures of them over our beds. Unfortunately, they are available to few, and what we drive usually differs from the object of adoration by about 500 horsepower and a good few hundred thousand zlotys. We climb the car levels quite slowly and we need to start somewhere. Ideally, our first car should be reasonably cheap, economical, and, above all, reliable. So let's take a look at the Opel Corsa C, a small car that seems to fit those criteria.
From the premiere Corsi S More than 14 years have passed, but we still see quite a few of them on the roads, even as official vehicles. Perhaps this was due to the fact that during the years of production, when the first owners purchased them in car dealerships, they were quite cheap and had an extensive list of additional equipment. However, something more should have affected the popularity of the model - after all, no one likes trash.
Let's start with the exterior. Opel has opted for a simple shape that looks good even compared to current models. The sharp forms of the car withstand the passage of time quite well, although we will not find any interesting details or embossing here. A more complex body shape leads to a significant increase in production costs, and the Corsa has never claimed to be anything more than a small, practical and inexpensive car that drives from point A to point B every day. equal in segment B. .
Looking under the hood, we will see one of a fairly wide range of engines - gasoline and diesel. Most often on the road we come across diesel versions 1.2 or 1.7 CDTI, but in fact, neither engine version is uncommon. The only exotic is, perhaps, a 1.8-liter gasoline engine that produces 125 hp.
The model shown in the photos is equipped with an economical 1.2-liter ECOTEC engine with 75 hp. at 5600 rpm. This number may not be overwhelming, but in everyday use, especially in the city, it works very well. Due to its low weight of almost a ton, there are no problems with dynamic entry into the stream or even with overtaking another car traveling at a speed of 90-100 km / h. You just have to get used to constantly downshifting before maneuvering. The torque of this engine is only 110 Nm and it is available at 4 rpm, which also explains the need for a gearbox - and it is felt while driving. The engine comes to life only after exceeding 000-3 thousand. turnover.
The low horsepower and roominess may not live up to the expectations of homegrown riders, but it will at least satisfy their wallet. The result, fluctuating between 7 and 8 l / 100 km in the urban cycle, is not a record, but the consumption of 5 liters of gasoline per 100 km of the track looks good, even with more dynamic driving.
The car's suspension is not particularly difficult, as McPherson struts are used on the front axle and a torsion beam at the rear. The Corsa is quite soft, which, with a short wheelbase of 2491 mm, provides comfortable driving conditions, but at the cost of cornering stability. The car reacts to the driver's commands with minimal delay and shows understeer fairly quickly, showing where the grip limits are.
The dashboard is made of hard black plastic, while the center console is covered in a silver variant that mimics aluminum. In general, the design is raw, typically German, but also made with German precision - nothing creaks, despite the use of budget materials. The cabin also has black and gray seats that provide not very good lateral support, while light gray headlining illuminates the headroom.
There is no steering adjustment, so even after a few years of use, you can still look for the perfect driving position, just like me. The seat is adjustable in three planes - forward / backward, up / down and in the angle of the backrest. There will be room for three smaller people in the back, but the trip in such conditions will not be very comfortable for them, and the back seat should be used for two passengers.
Going on a longer route, a full set of travelers will be another problem. The trunk holds only 260 liters of luggage, which basically means 2 large suitcases and a few smaller ones to fill the empty space.
The interior was also not very good soundproofing, although in this segment this does not surprise anyone. up to 3 rpm is decent, but the sooner the worse. Driving along the highway at a speed of 140 km / h, we are doomed to constantly listening to high engine speeds, wheel noise or air flow around the body, and only loud music can drown out these “special effects”.
The equipment includes an EPS system, which arrogant traders deliberately confuse with ESP. In this case, we are talking only about the electric power steering, thanks to which we can control the car with one finger, unfortunately at the cost of worse signal reception from the wheels. In fact, you may be tempted to drive the car with two fingers - we use the steering wheel with one, and change gears with the other, because we will also insert them with minimal resistance. The clutch and throttle are soft, and the brake is very sensitive and even a little pedal deflection causes a lot of braking force.
The gearbox is configured in such a way that the car accelerates to a speed of about 100 km / h, after which it loses momentum. The leverage between successive gears is quite large, especially between one and two gears. Faster acceleration requires us to spin at 4-5 thousand revolutions. – below this value it is too slow.
Where can there be problems? In a car with an alarm, it should be in the battery - the circuit somehow takes too much energy and a long stay in the garage can even lead to a complete discharge. Nothing, but when an alarm wakes you and your neighbors up in the middle of the night, and the only reason for it is that your battery is dead, you might find it annoying. The tested unit has an original mileage of 37 thousand. kilometers, during which it did not require any financial investments, except for a new battery and regular oil changes. The suspension is strong, and the body remains corrosion-free for a long time.
Opel Corsa C with a 1.2 engine, despite the passage of time, it is still one of the most enjoyable city cars. The engine may be fuel efficient, but it also delivers city driving dynamics; the interior is neat, and the icing on the cake is high reliability and low maintenance.
So if you need a cheap, and most importantly solid car - look away Opla Corsi S. You can still buy models with an original mileage of less than 10 kilometers for around 100 4 zlotys, and decent engine versions, low fuel consumption, price and reliability can convince potential buyers. Considering it's a safe design with an NCAP star rating, the Corsa seems like the perfect car for a new driver to drive for years before putting it back on again. dream car.
