First Drive: Vauxhall Corsa GSi

Vauxhall reckon they've successfully navigated the careful line between performance and cost with their new Corsa GSi. The GSi is a 150PS (148bhp) warm hatch that manages a Combined 47.1mpg, has the underpinnings of the hardcore (and now defunct) Corsa VXR but, crucially, stays in a low insurance band – six to eight bands lower in fact than the likes of the Fiesta ST or the Polo GTI.

The GSi may not be the ultimate hot hatch then, but it does have a few tricks up its sleeve. While the 1.4-litre motor under the bonnet screams mid-level small hatch, Vauxhall say they have been fiddling and allowed it to breathe a bit more. They haven’t gone too far though, 62mph arrives in a not massively stirring 8.4 seconds and the GSi has a top speed of 129mph. However the GSi not only gets the VXR’s chassis, but also its trick Koni Frequency Selective Damping tech, which should allow for a calm ride through town, but a more spirited one when called for – without the need for an adaptive system (which would have increased the price and weight).

Outside the Corsa has been pleasingly renovated for a more aggressive look. In comes a more furious chin, (fake) nose scoop, blended sills, big (17-inch standard) diamond-cut alloys, a single chrome-tipped exhaust and a rear wing that they say does add downforce. The extras work too, making the GSi seem a lot more of performance a car than it is, perfect for a young buyer looking to get into the market without breaking the bank. As standard the GSi comes with the aforementioned alloys, tinted rear windows, carbon effect exterior mirrors and grille bar, and LED daytime running lights. Inside, sports-style front seats, a leather-covered flat-bottom steering wheel and IntelliLink infotainment, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard.

We drove the GSi with the Plus Pack – featuring frankly splendid Recaro leather seats as well as bi-xenon headlights, for an additional £1,900. Our car also had the larger 18-inch diamond cut alloys, the expanded R4.0 infotainment system and double-layered metallic paint.

Behind the wheel the GSi is a fun enough car to drive without ever feeling in danger – perhaps the key goal for that first time performance buyer. That 150PS motor has 220Nm (162lb ft) of torque available from 2,750rpm, with top power coming at 5,000rpm, which means there is some pep if you’re prepared to use the short ratio ‘box, just don’t expect to be beating many people off the line. While you’re never going to spend your time doing heart stopping launches, get onto some flowing country lanes and you can feel the benefit of those Koni dampers and the rest of the kit borrowed from VXR. The GSi can be flung through the twisty bits with abandon. There’s a whiff of safety understeer creeping in but the big Michelin Pilot 4s grip well and should you really push you can find the faintest hint of the tail joining in on lift-off. Sadly the steering has Vauxhall’s common level of vagary, which is a shame given the chunky flat-bottomed wheel itself feels great in the hand.

The trick damping is enough to make the Corsa a fun prospect when flying through the open roads, but it doesn’t quite manage to reign itself in when the going gets a bit bumpier. Around town the ride can become crashy, and when the dampers are accompanied by the huge 18-inchers it can veer toward the unpleasant.

But the Corsa GSi’s biggest issue may be its price. The base car will set you back £18,995 – just £250 shy of a Fiesta ST. Add in the extras and our car was up at over £22,000, which makes its impressively low insurance costs seem not quite so much of a selling point. The big factor will be whether lower running costs (parts are cheap, which has helped bring the insurance cost down) can outweigh an initial outlay and entice a younger buying audience into the Vauxhall range. 

Stat Attack

Engine: 1.4-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Power/torque: 150PS (148bhp)/229Nm (162lb ft)

0-62mph: 8.4 secs

Top speed: 129mph

Price: £18,995OTR (our car £22,400 inc extras)