Opel Corsa 2013 Overview

Opel's recent entry into the Australian automotive market creates exciting times for small car buyers. The car, once sold here as the Holden Barina, is back, this time under its original name, the Opel Corsa.

Opel, a division of General Motors since the 1930s, hopes to win a European image, thereby pushing itself into a more prestigious market than Asian-made subcompacts.

Made in Germany and Spain, the Opel Corsa offers buyers the chance to own a sporty hatchback, albeit with far from sporty performance. However, this is a chance to get a European compact hatchback at a competitive price.

VALUE

There are three options - Opel Corsa, Corsa Color Edition and Corsa Enjoy; bright and fresh names to give it a different place in the overall scheme of small cars.

Pricing starts at $16,490 for the three-door Corsa manual transmission and goes up to $20,990 for the five-door automatic Enjoy model. Our test car was the last one with a manual transmission, which retails for $18,990.

The Color Edition comes standard with a black-painted roof, 16-inch alloy wheels, and is available in a variety of vibrant exterior colors that run into the interior, where the colors and patterns of the dashboard create a two-tone effect. The seven-speaker audio system can be controlled via steering wheel controls, and Bluetooth has just added a USB connection with voice recognition and auxiliary input.

The added attraction comes from Opel Service Plus: The Corsa costs a reasonable $249 for standard scheduled maintenance in the first three years of ownership. Also available is Opel Assist Plus, a 24-hour roadside assistance program throughout Australia for the first three years of registration.

TECHNOLOGY

There is a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. But there is no choice with the engine, only a 1.4-liter, with a power of 74 kW at 6000 rpm and 130 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm.  

Design

The Australian Corsa has recently undergone a major design overhaul to make the hatchback more visible on the road. The lower part of the double grille is widened to give the front of the car a wider width. The Opel Blitz badge (lightning bolt) is embedded in a raised chrome bar, giving the car a confident look.

The Corsa joins the rest of Opel's lineup with the inclusion of winged daytime running lights in the headlights. Fog lamp clusters with integrated chrome petals complete the vehicle's assertive character.

Black plastic piping and dark material seat upholstery give the interior a utilitarian feel, with the only contrast being the matte silver center console panel. Analog gauges are clear and easy to read, while audio, fuel, air conditioning and other information are displayed on a screen located in the center of the dashboard.

With room for five passengers, shoulder room with three in the back isn't the best, and not up to legroom, which is just enough for a person of average height. With power windows on the front only, people in the back have to turn the windows manually.

285 liters with the rear seats up, cargo space is at a premium. However, if you fold the backrests, you get 700 liters and a maximum of 1100 liters for transporting bulky items.

SECURITY

With a rigid passenger compartment with computer-generated crumple zones and high-strength steel profiles in the doors, Euro NCAP awarded the Corsa the highest five-star rating for passenger safety.

Safety features include dual stage front airbags, dual side airbags and dual curtain airbags. Opel's patented pedal release system and active front head restraints are standard throughout the Corsa range.

DRIVING

While the Corsa intends to give a sporty face, the performance falls short. The five-speed manual transmission, which is best kept in the top rev range, requires an extra gear. The six-speed manual transmission makes the car more lively and attractive to drive.

Accelerating to 100 km / h in 11.9 seconds, the test car with a five-speed manual transmission made its way through dense traffic, using more than eight liters of fuel per hundred kilometers. economical consumption of six liters per 100 km.

VERDICT

Neat styling gives the European Opel Corsa an edge over affordable cars. Anyone who wants more performance from the Opel Corsa - much more performance - can opt for the recently introduced Corsa OPC, an acronym for Opel Performance Center, which is to Opel models what HSV is to Holden.

Opel Corsa

Cost: from $18,990 (manual) and $20,990 (auto)

Guarantee: Three years/100,000 km

Resale: No

Engine: 1.4-liter four-cylinder, 74 kW/130 Nm

Transmission: Five-speed manual, four-speed automatic; FORWARD

Safety: Six airbags, ABS, ESC, TC

Accident Rating: Five stars

Body: 3999 mm (L), 1944 mm (W), 1488 mm (H)

The weight: 1092 kg (manual) 1077 kg (automatic)

Thirst: 5.8 l / 100 km, 136 g / km CO2 (manual; 6.3 l / 100 m, 145 g / km CO2)