Vauxhall Corsa Electric - Best selling, but is it the best?

The Vauxhall Corsa Electric has always been a likeable little electric car, and for that reason, it is easy to see why it is Britain's best-selling supermini. But over the years, the price has crept up, and despite some small incremental improvements, we've found it starting to really lag behind other cars in the class. Also, with a new wave of larger electric cars that cost less money, it was really starting to look bad for the baby Vauxhall. So what have the company done to improve Britain's favourite little car, and can it stay ahead of the competition? Bryan subjects the new '24MY Corsa to the road test that actual car buyers trust when it comes to choosing their new electric vehicle - the AutoEV one.
AutoEV - all electric, all independent.
0:00 - Introduction
01:14 - Titles
01:21 - Meet the car
03:49 - Styling
07:02 - Practicality
09:13 - Interior
14:42 - Usability
15:44 - Performance & Handling
22:54 - Pricing
24:02 - Competition
25:12 - Pros & Cons
25:51 - Summary

[@nathanwolf5547]

When Fisker hits the UK market Stelantis are really going to look even more expensive

[@neilfennell6833]

Over £38K for a Vauxhall? Oh dear.

[@TTThedarkknight]

Great review as always! Very detailed.

[@AutoEV]

Much appreciated!

[@ISuperTed]

Great review and as I drive an e208 I spotted many many similarities. Not surprising as they are the same car underneath. Really good small EV’s. Totally agree it’s way overpriced (as is the e208) and hence the massive depreciation. Saying that it’s easy to find £10k discounts on-line ad a one year old low mileage one is a bargain. I do hope the next generation small EV’s from Stellantis and other legacy makes are better priced, as there is serious competition out there now with MG and BYD and more coming. Personally I think in two years time we’ll laugh at £40k super minis and they’ll be consigned to history.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

agreed they proable will

[@MrDAVIDATKIN]

We own the pre facelift Corsa electric GS, bought brand new for under £20k. Give this new version a year or 2 and it will be under £20k too. No one pays RRP for a Corsa.

[@dast_uk]

Interesting how the number plate changed at 6:23. Odd to cut that in lol/

[@narvuntien]

To be honest all this review did was remind me to go to the BYD showroom

[@patrickh7368]

Has the peageot/Citroen robot lacquered over the primer coat 🤔

[@andyfraser5876]

We've got the 2020 version Elite Nav, as it was called in those days. It's just right for us in terms of size and performance, but badly let down by customer service. We've just got it back after being at the dealer's for 7.5 months. They lent us a newer Corsa-e, but it was a much lower spec, so we missed all the nice-to-haves from the top of the range model. However we put almost 7,000 miles on it. If the customer service was better and the price much lower, we might be tempted with the new model, but neither of those are likely to happen.

[@honestjohn6222]

Great review , here in Australia I do not think we will get this car, just asking as you have driven both , would you pr the BYD dolphin premium or the top of the range corsa , Cheers

[@AutoEV]

I’m tempted to say neither. For the money, I’d be driving an MG4. The Dolphin is a good car, and offers a lot of car for the money, but the MG is a better car to drive. But gun to my head, I’d choose the Dolphin over the Corsa.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

2 tone as shown is nice.

[@samboyle4779]

hi great vlogs will you be reviewing the volvo ex30 i have just put an order in for the ultra model

[@AutoEV]

Yes, soon hopefully.

[@jaapboode2719]

The nail on the head. Way too expensive. This car only becomes attractive when the price goes down 5 to 6000 pounds.

[@TTThedarkknight]

What? Apple Carplay / Android Auto is wireless, not wired for the electric. I'm looking at the Norwegian price sheet in front of me rn. Where did you get that info?

[@AutoEV]

It’s wired for the Electric according to Vauxhall UK. Just telling it like I’ve been told by the manufacturer.

[@TTThedarkknight]

@@AutoEV That is very weird. I'm reading wireless everywhere

[@LHawkesDrums]

That’s definitely not true and never has been for this face lifted Corsa.

[@TTThedarkknight]

@@LHawkesDrums it's literally in the spec sheet of their official website you numbnut

[@judithkitchingman4419]

For the same price as the ultimate trim I can drive around in my Smart #1 premium ---no contest!

[@AutoEV]

Good car the Smart. Excellent choice.

[@ashb8572]

Is this as efficient as EV database make out?

[@octarinehk]

Is the whole screen available for CarPlay and Android auto, or do the massive unnecessary borders persist from the previous model?

[@davidbithell8705]

How do they justify a 60% uplift in price from petrol to electric models. Just looked at the PCP numbers, the petrol automatic is £150 per month less than the electric, that's 1250 miles worth of petrol, I do half that so I'll be sticking with petrol for a while yet, and that's ignoring the fact that as someone without ability to home charge so electric is way more inconvenient

[@AutoEV]

But you save that £150 a month on using electricity rather than petrol. That’s the the theory Vauxhall have anyway….

[@davidbithell8705]

Even if the electricity was free I'd still be out of pocket by quite a lot, Vauxhalls figures just don't add up.

[@johnkeen2345]

38K for a posh Corsa 😂

[@MoragDrummond]

Isn’t quicker, is much more efficient

[@ohyesitsme]

Who would pay £38000 for a mediocre car when you look at the depreciation on a 12/18 month Corsa at £10000. For not much more you can get a Tesla M3.

[@davidpearn5925]

But it will still have stalks when no Tesla does. As a Model 3 owner…..I’m off , probably to BYD Seal.

[@ISuperTed]

No one pays that for them - £10k discount easy to get and more for an almost new. Stellantis are in big trouble if they keep asking £40k for these and other EVs’.

[@ohyesitsme]

@@ISuperTed So how many people don't know that so will not even consider it as an option.

[@AutoEV]

Road test of new Tesla Model 3 coming in a couple of weeks......

[@bernardhilton3527]

I took delivery of my Corsa e immediately after the first lockdown was lifted. I really wanted a Kona but the waiting list was way too long. I have enjoyed my car, the only thing I don’t like is the range in winter or at 70mph. As for depreciation, I have ordered a new Kona with the bigger battery and the dealership have given me the balloon payment. No complaints then. Yes the Chinese cars are cheaper but the styling on some is awful. The MG 4 looks very good on the outside but the interior looks cheap and dark. I would also prefer not to give my business to China. Great review as always. Some real world consumption figures would have been nice. 👍

[@colinrenfrew48]

You haven’t mentioned the terrifying depreciation, or the huge discounts available as dealers can’t shift these. Vauxhall have a dud here.

[@ISuperTed]

Yep- same with most egacy EV’s now and even MG’s are discounted. No one is going to pay £40k for a supermini however good it is.

[@antoniopalmero4063]

Must be sub £20k .

[@ISuperTed]

Check Autotrader prices - £10k discounts are easy and almost new ones aren’t far from £20k

[@denisscott5554]

At these prices I would opt for a Volvo EX30 and enjoy a prestige car.

[@TTThedarkknight]

EX30 ain't prestige tho

[@denisscott5554]

@@TTThedarkknight Prestige is a market derived term and a Corsa isn’t prestige by any stretch of the imagination. It’s not a bad car, just way too expensive compared to the Volvo - which is considered prestige by the market.

[@TTThedarkknight]

@@denisscott5554 I didn't say anything about the Corsa. And the EX30 is a cheap plastic on wheels with a barebones interior.

[@user-th1fs3if6i]

156 PS?

[@AutoEV]

?

[@user-th1fs3if6i]

I don't the term PS. BHP & kW but not PS.

[@user-th1fs3if6i]

OK I now know. Horsepower.

[@MrChriss000]

"In Europe, all electric vehicles are tested against a standardised metric for range. The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) measures the range of a car travelling at an average speed of 28.8 mph in summer temperatures from a 100% to 0% state of charge." Let us put that into common folk speak. If you drive the cheaper car IN (MID) EUROPEAN SUMMER WEATHER from fully charged to dead at 28.8 mph.. Yup, I repeat; TWENTY EIGHT POINT EIGHT MILES PER HOUR you will be stuck needing assistance to get home after 222 miles. If you drive at 70 mph (on a motorway for e.g.) in 'EUROPEAN' SUMMER weather its gonna be more like 170 miles. (cos atmospheric drag cuts in notably ~ upper 30's and double the speed requires 4x the energy) FULL BATTERY TO EMPTY. If you do that in freezing conditions its going to be more like 125 miles, .. Aand if you follow known methods and likely the advice from the manufacturer to give the battery a long service life, like not charge it past 80% or discharge it below 40%, that in winter gives you a range of about call it 60 miles. Let us give more benefit of doubt, call it 75 miles. ~(cos you bend the rules) Unless you want to wear the battery out by the year 8 battery warranty end and pay ~ £6k to have a new battery fitted, assuming they are still available. If the car has been even lightly crunched at this point its a write-off. (grounding the battery box its likely a write off, repairs are a price joke if even do-able and so on) But its a bargain at only 32,000 Great British Pounds... Ho Ho Ho is it fxkc. In a ulez zone Spend ~19k on a new 1.4-1.6 petrol kia, polo, Peugeot or similar and do away with all that innovative battery range deceptive snake oil b/s that will bite you on the 4rse yr 8 like sitting on a funnel web. In the sticks buy a diesel. Keep the 13k change, look after the car and 10 years later (or 100k+ miles) it might cost you a kilo 300 for serious engine work or a refurb lump but its still good for £4k or 50k miles. (check the price of 2013 used cars) The next climb down from the U.K. gubbemint (e.v. targets and fines for U.K. car retailers which can already be bypassed by ordering a Right.Hand.Drive grey import) will end the volume production of e.v.'s and spares, training of technicians , the existing e.v.'s will become oddities like a betamax movie video tape in Blockbusters.. which store was ended by streaming.. Until safer more energy dense battery tech becomes available (like Nuclear Fusion, always 20 years away) and we have a nuclear powered grid, E.V.'s will always be an expensive fringe Hobby. Teslas became popular amongst the very wealthy cos they were 0-60 incredibly FAST. Not because they were anything near practical transport.

[@bronson7279]

Spend just a little bit more and get the Tesla Model 3. That’s a lot more car for your money.

[@AlanSmith-xu3lo]

Spend a lot less and get a petrol

[@octarinehk]

50 or 51 kWh. Wtf?

[@bernardcharlesworth9860]

Prefer mg4