The hot hatch is as popular as ever, and with the arrival of a new Vauxhall Corsa comes
a new VXR model, the most hardcore version of the affordable supermini.
And Vauxhall has thrown all its tricks at it, giving the front wheels 80% more power
than the next fastest version in the line-up.
With 202bhp, it’s also slightly ahead of the Fiesta ST, Renaultsport Clio and Peugeot
208 GTI in the supermini power race, while handily costing £1,000 less than the previous
version, and undercutting most of its rivals on price.
So, what’s it like where it counts, out on a British B-road.
Well, you have an important decision to make, and that’s whether to go for the optional
£2,400 performance pack, which brings bigger brakes, a limited-slip differential to improve
cornering and stiffer suspension.
And, it’s the last modification we’d warn you to try before you buy, because while the
chassis is no doubt mega on track, the springs and dampers are so firm that along a bumpy
road like this we think the standard VXR would actually be more composed, faster and a far
happier place for any passengers you have along for the ride.
So, unless you take to track regularly, we’d recommend the comfier standard car, which
handles superbly and still has ample grip and stopping power.
And what about that engine?
Well, it certainly has more than enough power, getting the Corsa to 62mph in 6.5 seconds
with a sucking sound from the air intake and rasp from the Remus twin tailpipe exhaust
tuned within a decibel of the legal limit.
Vauxhall has also really concentrated on the gear shift, which is far better, thanks to
a short, precise throw and the steering, which is very sharp.
It’s still not quite as communicative as a whole as the incredible Fiesta ST, but we’d
now choose the VXR over the Clio or 208.
Sadly it does cost more to run than its rivals, averaging just 37.7mpg and with CO2 emissions
of 174g/km, making it quite a pricey car to tax.
While it might look quite similar from outside, the new Corsa has a much better interior,
with a large touch-screen and intellilink connectivity for ios and Android smartphones.
It’s ahead of the Fiesta for design and layout, but can’t touch the classier Polo
GTI as there are still some fairly cheap looking plastics here and there.
There’s also a heated windscreen and bi-xenon headlights for those dark and frosty mornings,
as well as a whole host of VXR badges and modifications.
Recaro sports seats come with cloth as standard, or leather as in this car and the flat-bottomed
steering wheel is good to hold.
Be careful of the large blind-spot created by this thick A-pillar though, especially
at roundabouts and pedestrian crossings.
The VXR is three-door only, so getting in the back is a bit tricky.
There’s a reasonable amount of room, but the tapered windows and wide front seats do
make it a bit claustrophobic.
A hot hatch is normally someone’s only car, so it has to have a decent boot.
In the case of the Corsa, its 285-litres matches the 208 GTI and is just 5-litres shy of the
Fiesta ST.
Fold the rear seats down and it grows to 1,050 litres.
Despite the Corsa VXR only being in its second generation, special editions like the VXR
Nurburgring and Clubsport have given Vauxhall’s engineers a chance to really hone this supermini.
Their learnings have made it a very competitive hot hatch, even if the Performance Pack might
be too firm for most drivers away from the track.
The interior is now better to live with and a low price and decent list of kit makes the
VXR one of the biggest performance bargains on sale.
Are you a Corsa VXR fan?
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