Vauxhall Corsa Pre Model SXi 1.4i 16v 3dr Car Review - March 2012

Performance wise, the Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.4i 16v offers improvements on the 1.2i range but without impairing the economic value. The petrol engine delivers a decent 99 bhp at 6000 rpm with torque figures of 96 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. This helps to power the car along at a fairly impressive speed for a car of this class, with acceleration speeds capable of reaching 0-62 mph in just 11.9 seconds.

This gives the car a top speed of 112 mph which is more than sufficient for the average family hatchback and an improvement on the 107 mph top speed of the 1.2i models. Handling and steering is firm and controlled and this means that driving this model around town is easy and comfortable. Unfortunately, motorway driving is not as comfortable and a lot of steering adjustments are needed to help the car cope with the higher speeds.

In terms of efficiency, the engine performs fairly well for a petrol and offers high levels of refinement. This also limits noise disturbance within the cabin with noise from the engine, road and wind largely excluded although naturally this will increase the faster the car is travelling.

The car comes with power steering, central locking, alloy wheels, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control and a stereo system with CD player and MP3 connectivity as standard features.

Some options, such as leather seats, are not available on this model whilst others are only available at cost. A built-in sat nav is one example of this, costing £750. Bluetooth connectivity can be added for £315 whilst climate control, rear parking sensors, a metallic paint finish, air conditioning and stability control are priced at £815, £285, £495, £510 and £465 respectively.

The arrangement of the dash remains well organised and logical and that means that operating controls is easy for drivers.

One of the drawbacks to this model is the large number of extras which are available at cost. Whilst this gives motorists plenty of choice over their vehicle it means that kitting the car out with a full range of luxuries is expensive, pushing up the overall price of the car.

The Corsa range prides itself on comfort and reliability and that means the quality of the build is high. Internal equipment, whilst lacking in this model, feels firm and robust and the exterior has a similar feeling. A warranty is provided for 100,000 miles with a service interval of 20,000 miles suggested to help drivers maintain the quality of their vehicle.

The car performed fairly well in the NCAP safety tests, attaining a five star rating for occupant safety. The model is fitted with driver and passenger airbags as standard fittings with front side airbags also included. A n immobiliser is also fitted to protect it from theft but there is not option to have an alarm fitted which is a disadvantage.

Practicality is fairly high within this model although the lack of interior equipment can be a drawback. The boot offers a reasonable capacity of 285 litres even when the seats are up, increasing to 1,050 litres when the seats are folded down.

Priced at £14,055 this Corsa is more expensive than most of the 1.2i models although the overall cost is still manageable. The combination of good fuel economy (51.4 mpg), affordable road tax costs (price band D) and fairly low insurance premiums (under insurance group 8) makes the car reasonably cheap to keep on the road and this could be an attractive feature for buyers.

The larger engine also delivers a larger boost of power whilst maintaining the same levels of efficiency as the 1.2i models and thus making it a wise investment. However, the fact many in-car luxuries are only available at cost means customers will face fairly high costs to get their car up to scratch – something which could act as a deterrent.

Overall, this model offers relatively good value for money and those who are prepared to make small sacrifices on the interior kit could gain a relatively cheap model which offers great performance and fairly high levels of efficiency – making it a wise investment.