[Palmnuts]

I dropped my car off at a Mercedes interior specialist in Woking today to have my roof lining re-trimmed in alcantara (why not eh!). As they need it for two days (and I needed to get home), I hired a car for a couple of days.

As it's nearly my birthday, I thought I'd splash out and treat myself to a 'Class B' car....this means instead of having a Ford Ka or Kia Picanto, I'm treated to this







What I can't understand after spending the last couple of hours and 150 miles in it is how pieces of shit like this get to become best sellers

I'm sorry if anyone reading this actually owns a Corsa as I don't purposfully mean to offend, but in all seriousness, this car is a terrible fail in comparison to many of it's perfectly capable competitors. It drives appallingly and to buy one of these must mean none of the competition were driven beforehand!

Before I explain why it's so bad, let me reiterate that I am not comparing this with my car but a fair comparator would be Vicki's Citroen DS3 which is in the same class (and price point), and it comprehensively outclasses the Corsa. Indeed, I hired a new-shape Fiesta a few weeks back and that also had a driving experience in a different league.

So, whats wrong with it?

Firstly, despite having a very generous engine size of 1.4 litres , it barely moves. I was unlucky enough to be given a free upgrade to an automatic one (I don't think they had a manual in stock hence the free upgrade!) and whilst this could be expected to be slower, this is slow enough for me not to be able to keep up with the traffic flow. I am not exaggerating...at best I was able to keep up with vans.

Secondly, the suspension. Oh my god, the suspension. Bouncy, bouncy and more bouncy...it just doesn't seem to be able to control the cars' movement in any way that is comparable to the DS3 or Fiesta...indeed, if memory serves me right, my first car 14 years ago (a Citroen Saxo) was far more competent in this area.

Thirdly and most concerning is the steering! I have never driven a car with such sensitive steering. It's a genuine challenge to keep this thing in a straight line on the motorway such is it's tendency to move in any direction except straight ahead. And when you do turn the wheel, there's no consistency and generally doesn't go where you want it to without further adjustment.

Appalling...bloody appalling.

Will someone please enlighten me as to why someone would choose to spend upwards of £13k on a car like this when for the same or less cash, there are so much better things out there?

[Em135eye]

Had one as a loaner once - they are indeed absolutely dreadful.

However the interior of a Kia C'eed makes them look like a Bentley inside in comparison!

[JLR1969]

Never happy!

[Jay_Jay]

My ex had an SRi for 6 months before chopping it in. It's a good job you didn't have a manual one, the clutch is absolutely, mind-blowingly awful. I just couldn't for the life of me get a smooth start or change gear in a coherent way. A work colleague also had issues with his brand new one(noisey brakes & clutch)& he had it for less than six months aswell

[themetz]

Maybe you should do some serious overnight mods to get it up to standard and see if they notice when you hand it back.

I think a paint job could be in order too - who specs these cars FFS?!

[zltm089]

LOL...you wrote quite a long review for that piece of sh8t...

[peterg1965]

Vauxhall can pride themselves on having a truly dreadful range of cars and teaming up to sell Chevrolets in some of their dealerships just shows the market level they are at. I wouldn't be surprised if GM Europe become a casualty of these difficult times.

[MB London]

Originally Posted by Palmnuts

I dropped my car off at a Mercedes interior specialist in Woking today to have my roof lining re-trimmed in alcantara (why not eh!). As they need it for two days (and I needed to get home), I hired a car for a couple of days.

As it's nearly my birthday, I thought I'd splash out and treat myself to a 'Class B' car....this means instead of having a Ford Ka or Kia Picanto, I'm treated to this








What I can't understand after spending the last couple of hours and 150 miles in it is how pieces of shit like this get to become best sellers

I'm sorry if anyone reading this actually owns a Corsa as I don't purposfully mean to offend, but in all seriousness, this car is a terrible fail in comparison to many of it's perfectly capable competitors. It drives appallingly and to buy one of these must mean none of the competition were driven beforehand!

Before I explain why it's so bad, let me reiterate that I am not comparing this with my car but a fair comparator would be Vicki's Citroen DS3 which is in the same class (and price point), and it comprehensively outclasses the Corsa. Indeed, I hired a new-shape Fiesta a few weeks back and that also had a driving experience in a different league.

So, whats wrong with it?

Firstly, despite having a very generous engine size of 1.4 litres , it barely moves. I was unlucky enough to be given a free upgrade to an automatic one (I don't think they had a manual in stock hence the free upgrade!) and whilst this could be expected to be slower, this is slow enough for me not to be able to keep up with the traffic flow. I am not exaggerating...at best I was able to keep up with vans.

Secondly, the suspension. Oh my god, the suspension. Bouncy, bouncy and more bouncy...it just doesn't seem to be able to control the cars' movement in any way that is comparable to the DS3 or Fiesta...indeed, if memory serves me right, my first car 14 years ago (a Citroen Saxo) was far more competent in this area.

Thirdly and most concerning is the steering! I have never driven a car with such sensitive steering. It's a genuine challenge to keep this thing in a straight line on the motorway such is it's tendency to move in any direction except straight ahead. And when you do turn the wheel, there's no consistency and generally doesn't go where you want it to without further adjustment.

Appalling...bloody appalling.

Will someone please enlighten me as to why someone would choose to spend upwards of £13k on a car like this when for the same or less cash, there are so much better things out there?

Great review, your best by far

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by themetz

Maybe you should do some serious overnight mods to get it up to standard and see if they notice when you hand it back.

It would be great if the overnight mod could be the disappearance of the car! I'm home now so don't need it anymore (I'm sure I can find another way to get back to Woking...walking, hitchhiking, in a coffin??

Originally Posted by Jay_Jay

It's a good job you didn't have a manual one, the clutch is absolutely, mind-blowingly awful. I just couldn't for the life of me get a smooth start or change gear in a coherent way.

Surely not...a manual cannot be worse than this one. Not possible...I refuse to accept it

Originally Posted by 335diesel

However the interior of a Kia C'eed makes them look like a Bentley inside in comparison!

I bet the C'eed drives a whole lot better though. Heck...at least a C'eed moves!

Glad to know that I'm not going mad and someone else shares my contempt for it!

Originally Posted by zltm089

LOL...you wrote quite a long review for that piece of sh8t...

Originally Posted by MB London

Great review, your best by far

Thanks guy's - I thought a good in depth review was the least that this car deserved! I will try and improve my other reviews to this standard


I went out in it again this evening and still can't get over it! Has anyone come up with a logical reason why people choose to buy shit like this (and don't say price....it's not that cheap!)?

[ghosty]

thats exactly the same car i had as a loaner a couple of months ago, 5 door, 1.4 auto but in blue. i tried not to drive it as much as possible cos it wasnt great. had to pop down to the shop quickly in the evening and the bloody thing died on me! got the AA man out at 10pm telling me he thinks the transmission failed! (on an '09 14k miler). so i was also shafted for gettng to the work the next day

so be thankful yours is still working!

[vikzE92]

I was offered a Pug 107 when my E46 had some vandalism damage repaired-I refused to accept it and said "er no thanks i'd rather walk" bloody pieces of crap!

[Em135eye]

A pug 107 is better than a Corsa IMO - it least it handles okay!

A small car surprise for me was when we had a Suzuki Swift loaner - it was slightly sporty but not the 125bhp version. Really well made, excellent handling, nice spec. If I needed a small car, this would be my choice.

[vikzE92]

Lol it probably handles better but the street cred of being a "prat in a peugeot"!!

The Swift looks quite smart-a good first car I think-well thats if a 17 year old could get insured of course!

[quattrogmbh]

Lovely car ;-)

But I quite fancy a rooflining in Alcantara. Can you give a clue on cost?

Thanks

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by quattrogmbh

Lovely car ;-)

But I quite fancy a rooflining in Alcantara. Can you give a clue on cost?

Thanks

£600 - by a company called D:Class.

I'll bang up some before and after pics next week