The current Corsa just got a midcareer update: a new face, more kit and… a bigger battery. We drove it briefly a few days ago, in the Frankfurt area.
The sixth generation Corsa was launched in 2019 and was a complete departure from the previous one, being more compact and sitting lower. The Corsa Electric arrived a year later. After four years, the Corsa is ageing rather well, but its appearance was no longer in tune with the rest of the range… What’s more, it faces an ever growing number of competitors, especially Asian ones.. all being strong contenders. From the outset, it was marketed as a simple, easy-to-live-with electric car meeting the needs of a majority of buyers. The Electric version continues to build on its success, but is now available with two battery capacities.
Vizor and sporty looks on the cards
The first stinking thing is the Corsa’s new face. It adopts Opel’s characteristic « Vizor » design, with a wide black central panel that joins the 7 segments per side IntelliLux matrix headlamps. Fog lamps and rear lights are LED affairs too. The wheels are 16″ or 17″, another way of positioning the brand a little higher up on the market and attracting buyers longing for a young and dynamic image. Overall it’s quite a success, especially compared with its 208 cousin or even the Cupra Born : these two feature more challenging and divisive designs. A new logo adorns the rear tailgate, enlarging it visually. All the cars available for test drives were finished in Grafik Grey, featuring a glass black roof.
A simplified range
Just two versions are available : the Corsa Electric and the Corsa Electric Long Range. The former has 136 bhp and the latter 156 bhp, with an identical torque value of 260 Nm. The Long range’s engine is a synchronous M3 lump already used on the Astra. It will also appear under the bonnet of the e-208 in a few months time. The 136 bhp car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds, while the 156 bhp one does it in 8.1 seconds. In both cases, top speed is capped at 150 km/h. The Corsa Electric’s battery is 50 kW and the Long Range one is… 51 kW. What’s the difference? Opel reduced the number of cells from 216 to 102 and the number of modules from 18 to 17. Battery weight is down from 5 kg to 340 kg! It benefits from liquid cooling while a heat pump is standard on both versions.
Range is 345 km with the 50 kW battery and 395 km for the more powerful one. Energy consumption is either 16.1 kWh or 14.2 kWh. The more powerful version should be the most energy-efficient one. It takes just under 8 hours for a complete charge using a 7.4 kW single-phase charger. An optional 11 kW three-phase charger needs just 3 hours. On 100 kW direct current, the Corsa Electric gets from 0 to 80% range in just 30 minutes. The Corsa is 4.06 m long, 1.96 m wide and 1.43 m high and the wheelbase is 2.54 m. Boot capacity is 267-1042 liters, compared with 309-1081 liters for the internal combustion version. It weighs 1,469 kg, due to the battery fitted under the front and rear seats, of course, but also because the body is reinforced, compared with a petrol version. Its center of gravity is also lower than that of petrol cars. It comes with an 8-year or 160,000 km warranty that should please potential customers.
The sporty interior is just an illusion
Once inside, everything leads you to think you are seating in a sports car ! From the three-spoke steering wheel to the seats and overall black finish, the interior gets away with it.The digital dashboard runs on Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon platform. Plastics are rather hard but well put together. In front of the driver there’s a 7″ screen with just the mandatory instruments : a large tachometer, a range indicator and a trip computer. Brightness and legibility are good, even in direct sunlight, as we experienced during our test drive. The central touchscreen is now a 10″ easy to use with a clear display affair, complete with two buttons at its base… that’s the detox trend, Opel style. The on- board satnav is fairly precise, but sometimes it’s slow to react. There’s a wireless phone charging pad and remote connection but Apple Car Play stubbornly refused to work on our test car. The air-conditioning controls are located just underneath and use conventional buttons, which is a good idea.
Of course, the new Corsa has a whole range of driving aids: collision warning assist, lane keeping assist, sign recognition, front and rear parkpilot, etc. The display and image accuracy of the reversing camera are good. Unlike other cars from the Stellantis group, lane-keeping assist can be deactivated easily using a conventional control : no need to navigate through 35 menus here ! The sports seats offer good lateral support, even though the seat cushion is a little too short. The driver’s seat even has a very pleasing massage function. However, finding the ideal driving position isn’t easy: space is limited inside and the pedals are quite close together, which reduces foot space… and robs rear passengers room, eventually.
A tall driver who likes to extend his arms on the steering wheel will leave nearly no legroom behind him. The back seat is rather cramped and better suited for children than adults, especially on long journeys. The boot has an underfloor compartment for the charging cable, but its volume is not gigantic. Its capacity drops from 309 liters on an ICE Corsa to 267 on an electric one.
On the road: a good compromise
The Corsa Electric uses an ex-PSA platform, since it predates the creation of Stellantis. Its roadholding is safe and fairly comfortable, without being sporty or too soft. Its steering is relatively direct and smooth. The chassis absorbs poor road surfaces easily, without noise or intrusive vibrations. While it is nippy in town, on A roads and motorways, it’s a different matter. As speed increases, things start to feel a little more sluggish. True, it doesn’t roll too much, but this is no sports car: the battery’s weight is quite noticeable when cornering. Once lateral thrust increases, you have to play with the steering and turn a little more to remain on course. Electronic stability and traction controls are always active but aren’t too intrusive.T he front suspension does not seem to be subject to undesirable torque effects.
Our test car tyres did not offer a very high grip level but seemed nevertheless well suited to the chassis and steering. The rear axle tends to wobble when the car feels uncomfortable in tight bends, though. Three driving modes are available: Normal, Eco and Sport. Eco mode is designed to increase range by limiting performance and power. It also forces you to do without the air conditioning… in this case, you only get 82 bhp and 180 Nm of torque. In Normal mode, there are 109 bhp and 220 Nm available, rising to 156 bhp and 260 Nm in Sport mode. Eventually, there isn’t much difference between Sport and Normal mode. There is a ‘B’ button on the center console to increase regeneration. However, it never allows single-pedal driving. In fact, regeneration starts as soon as your right foot is off the loud pedal.
It just improves the car’s handling during deceleration phases and… makes life easier for the braking system as it amplifies the car’s deceleration before the hydraulic brakes come into action. In ‘D’ mode, the brake pedal could be more consistent as it seems to hesitate a little at first, before eventually slowing the car down. Sometimes, it even feels spongy! The natural reflex is to push it down more strongly, making it difficult to dose the braking force. That is especially true in town where, at moderate speed, you’ll soon have your nose in the windscreen.
A hybrid version will complete the Corsa range soon
The Corsa will soon be the first Opel to feature 48-volt hybrid technology. A 1.2-liter gasoline engine (74 kW/100 hp or 100 kW/136 hp) will be combined with a dual-clutch automatic transmission and an electric motor with lithium-ion battery. The two engines will operate together or separately to optimise energy consumption and performance. Three 1.2-litre petrol engines producing either 55 kW/75 bhp, 74 kW/100 bhp and 96 kW/130 bhp also remain available.
A competitive range
The Corsa’s electric range starts from €36,350. The GS Long Range we tested is priced from €38,450. Extras and packs are available at reasonable prices. The Grafik Grey paintwork costs €250, the glass roof is € 725 and 17″ wheels are € 500. In Germany, Opel offers the car for a € 169 monthly fee, on par with ICE cars. The revised Corsa Electric has a decent range, is easy to drive and safe. It comes with a high level of kit for its class, it’s visually pleasing and attractive. The two electric versions of the Corsa are not aimed at the same customer base. However, both have the same goal : convincing potential customers that an electric car is, in some cases, more than enough for their own needs. (Translation: Dimitri Urbain)
