Opel Corsa Enjoy 2013 Review

Driving the five-door manual Corsa Enjoy in the days prior to the company's official launch, motoring.com.au finds a package familiar to the Opel-sourced Barina variants sold under the Holden nameplate early last decade.

We understand the driveline of the model driven to be representative of the range which will be available in three and five door models, each powered by a 1.4-litre ECOTEC four-cylinder petrol engine.

Settling in behind the wheel we find hard and shiny interior plastics that tend to reflect on the windscreen in bright sunlight. The monotone slate grey plastics are punctuated by piano black trim highlights on the door handles and ventilation outlet surrounds while the painted “matt chrome” centre stack and old-school audio system is quite reminiscent of previous-gen Barina, and could do with a refresh.

The ‘leather’ steering wheel feels quite nice to hand and the level of adjustment for the driver is up there with the best in this sector. The steering wheel mounted audio controls, too, are decent in their tactility, complementing the feel of the indicator and wiper stalks. The fact that the top of the range Corsa is fitted with manual rear window winders, however, is a real let down; as is the lack of USB connectivity, Bluetooth audio streaming and undersized cupholders.

Corsa’s gravelly sounding 1.4-litre engine is on par with the likes of Suzuki Swift and Holden Barina for output, and like those rivals takes a little while to reach full song. It wants for low-end torque, too, and needs to be revved quite hard to summons an adequate response.

On the road this makes Corsa feel a little sluggish in keeping with fast-flowing traffic, and in this way it doesn’t stack so favourably against the likes of Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia, Mazda2 and Kia Rio. A shame given the agility of the chassis.

Sitting at 3200rpm at 100km/h on the highway, Corsa really wants for a sixth ratio in the gearbox, and we should imagine the case is much the same with the four-speed automatic (not tested). It would also help improve fuel economy which through a mix of urban and highway driving returned 7.0L/100km.

On the open road there’s a little engine and wind noise but considering its standing, Corsa is remarkably well insulated. The pedal box feels typically German offering excellent modulation and weighting, especially from the brake pedal. Its control over the meaty disc/drum stoppers is a standout.

The gearshift, too, is well weighted and suitably mechanical of feel, though we did occasionally strike an issue selecting first and reverse if the car was not at a complete stop for more than a few seconds. Ironic considering Opel was the first car manufacturer to offer a reverse gear in a car...

The same cannot be said for the steering, however, which is rather light and quite devoid of feel. A shame considering the car’s dynamism and ride/handling compromise is up there with the best in the biz and could be better exploited were the steering feel up to task.

With a package that’s as well equipped and attractive as Corsa we can’t help but feels its lack of pep -- and what we expect will be quite steep pricing -- is not going to do it any favours in this bustling segment.

If, however, you’re not fussed with performance and fuel savings, and prefer the solid build quality and comfort not usually found in this segment, Corsa could just be the ticket.

Visit motoring.com.au again soon for our full launch review and video of the new Opel Corsa, Astra and Insignia.

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