Corsa 1.4T: good bang for the buck

ROAD TEST:

Opel Corsa 1.4 Turbo Sport

By: Denis Droppa

Johannesburg - While we keenly await the arrival of the sabre-toothed Opel Corsa OPC, the new 1.4T Sport recently slotted in as the flagship of the fifth-generation Corsa.

It’s not quite a fire-spitting performer in the OPC, Ford Fiesta ST or VW Polo GTi realm, but it trundles along with more zest than bread-and-butter Corsa versions.

Its 1.4 petrol turbo engine serves up 110kW and 220Nm, which is merely warm by hot-hatch standards but still a lively leap over the 85kW/170Nm offered by the next-best Corsa, the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo.

The 1.4T is offered with five doors and a six-speed manual gearbox, and comes standard with stability control and ABS brakes. It’s visually spiced-up with an ‘I’m-a-little-faster-than-usual’ body kit comprising front and rear bumper lips, deeper sills, carbon-look mirror caps, smart-looking Dark Titanium 17” alloy wheels, and an exhaust tip finisher. The inner makeover includes a flat-bottomed steering wheel covered in leather, alloy pedals and an OPC gearknob. The cloth seat upholstery is in a ‘Moonray’ chequered pattern unique to this derivative.

A fairly bountiful spec sheet accompanies the Corsa 1.4T Sport’s R255 200 pricetag, including bi-xenon lights with cornering function, cruise control, six airbags, automatic wipers and headlamps, and a 7” touchscreen infotainment system that lets you access your cellphone’s apps. Available optionally is park assist, which identifies a suitable parking space and automatically parks the vehicle, without the driver touching the steering wheel.

QUICKER THAN YOU THINK

Get behind the wheel and this semi-sporty Corsa feels punchier than the numbers suggest, with a peppy delivery that’s matched to a smooth and soft-spoken nature. No sign of any cheeky growl here. Along with a 204km/h top speed Opel claims a sea-level 9.6 second 0-100km/h figure and we went even quicker in our Gauteng altitude tests with a time of 9.25 seconds.

Well-spaced gearing allows this Corsa to comfortably pull up steep hills in fifth, while sixth is a cruising gear that helped our test car sip a respectably economical 7.6 litres per 100km (though far shy of Opel’s 5.9 litre claim).

Opel hasn’t hardened up the suspension to boy-racer levels, and the 1.4T Sport finds a sweet spot between good ride and handling, just as we’ve come to like in other versions of the new-generation Corsa we’ve driven.

The front-wheel-drive car has very tidy handling along with a plush ride for a small car, without feeling too choppy over bumps. It’s a very solid package too, with the refinement and body rigidity that was once reserved for larger, larnier cars.

Guiding it through the traffic gridlock requires little effort as the power steering is light, and pressing a button activates an even lighter City steering mode for those with frail arms. It all rolls up into a great little hatch that’s very pleasant to drive.

SMARTER INTERIOR

The cabin’s taken a big step forward in look and feel compared to the previous Corsa, including a soft-touch dashboard with a swoopy style. The enlarged cabin’s acceptably spacious for a B-segment hatchback, with rear legroom that won’t scare away full-sized adults.

Cargo space is also decent and the rear seats fold down to accept bulky toys like bicycles. A serious quibble is that there’s no spare wheel, just a repair kit for minor punctures, so if the tyre’s badly damaged you have to rely on GM’s 24 hour roadside assistance to come and rescue you.

The IntelliLink infotainment system is easy to use. Download the BringGo navigation app (Android and iPhone) onto your smartphone and you can navigate – using the car’s 7” screen – without chomping any data as BringGo solely uses the smartphone’s GPS to locate the car. BringGo also provides functionality for live traffic updates, accident information, and Points of Interest (POIs). There are a few ergonomic niggles in the Corsa. To activate the auto up/down function of the electric windows you have to hold the button for an extended period rather than it being a simple one-touch method. Also, you have to jab a button to adjust the audio volume, instead of a convenient twist knob.

Like other Corsas the 1.4T Sport comes standard with a five-year/120 000km warranty and three-year/60 000km service plan.

VERDICT

The Opel Corsa Sport competes in a sub-category below fiery little hot hatches like the Corsa OPC, Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTI and VW Polo GTI. Unless you’re fixated on being the king of the traffic-lights dices, this warmed-up Corsa offers respectably perky performance at a decent price.

FACTS

Opel Corsa 1.4 Turbo Sport

Engine: 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder turbopetrol

Gearbox: 6-speed manual

Power: 110kW @ 5000rpm

Torque: 220Nm @ 3000-4500rpm

0-100km/h (tested, Gauteng): 9.25 seconds

Top speed (claimed): 204km/h

Consumption (claimed): 5.9 litres per 100km

Consumption (road test): 7.6 litres per 100km

Price: R255 200

Warranty: 5-year/120 000km