Corsa has been sharpened-up with latest Opel Vizor front apron. Image: Opel
Introduced four years ago after requiring a complete redesign following its offloading by General Motors to the then PSA Group, now Stellantis, Opel’s smallest and still most important model, the Corsa, has received its first and also extensive update inside and out.
Debuting at a time when most manufactures are abandoning the B-segment hatch segment has evident by Ford ending the Fiesta later this year and Volkswagen the Polo by next year, the Corsa prevails by becoming the first model to sport Opel’s second generation “Bold and Pure” styling language.
Compared to the now pre-facelift model, the changes to the Opel Vizor and Compass grille that premiered originally on the Mokka consists of the former itself being blacked-out together with the Opel Blitz badge, while flanked by new LED headlights.
Seemingly modelled on the previous generation Renault Clio, the lights not only receives a new LED graphic, but in the case of the optional adaptive Matrix IntelliLux bulbs, 14 instead of eight diodes that work individually in order to improve illumination and prevent dazzling oncoming traffic on full beam.
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Also new is a restyled front bumper with slimmer air inlets on the side, a new lower air intake and blacked-out taillight clusters.
A new colour option called Grafik Grey completes the exterior’s transformation, along with new alloy designs and derived from the new Astra, the Corsa name badge displayed in block letters underneath the Opel logo on the tailgate.
Inside, the interior’s revisions are equally prominent and although again derived from Astra, according to Opel, has been “detox to max” in reference to it relaying more on displays than buttons.
As such, the latter activation method, along with physical dials, remains for the updated air-conditioning panel that resides underneath the new 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
While likely to the offered on higher-end derivatives, the new display forms part of Opel’s Pure Panel that also includes a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, again on more premium models only.
Elsewhere, Rüsselsheim’s smallest model gets the steering wheel from the Astra and the centre console from the Mokka eschews the gear lever for a toggle switch on automatic models.
Up front, the existing turbocharged 1.2-litre PureTech turbocharged three-cylinder engine receives mild-hybrid assistance, which bizarrely has resulted in unchanged outputs of 74kW/205Nm for the entry-level model, but 100 kW instead of 96 kW and 230 Nm for the flagship.
Carried over is the non-hybrid PureTech with unchanged outputs, the normally aspirated 1.2 that delivers 55kW/118Nm but seemingly not the 1.5 BlueCDTI turbodiesel that made 75kW/250Nm.
On the transmission front, the five-speed manual remains the only option for the free-breathing 1.2, while on the PureTech, the 74 kW derivatives offers a choice of either a six-speed manual or a brand-new eight-speed dual-clutch that replaces the old torque converter eight-speed automatic.
Seemingly, the 96 kW PureTech keeps the torque converter automatic as its sole option, while the dual-clutch becomes standard fare on the 100 kW mild-hybrid.
The final change is to the popular electric Corsa-e that now becomes the Corsa Electric. Still the most powerful Corsa model, the previous 50-kWh battery pack makes way for a bigger capacity 54-kWh unit that lifts power from 100kW/260Nm to 115kW/260Nm.
Claimed range therefore increase from 357 km to 402 km with Opel claiming a waiting time of 30 minutes from 20-80% using a fast charger.
Going on-sale in Europe from the third quarter of this year, the revised Corsa is unlikely to reach South Africa this year as evident by the debuting of the revived Lite last month as part of a complete model line-up revision.
Should approval be given though, chances are that the updated Corsa will only become available next year, although at present, this is purely speculative and could be proved otherwise.
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