The new Opel Corsa recently arrived in South Africa, with the Elegance being the highest trim option.
A R386,900 price tag means that it must meet higher expectations than its cheaper siblings, and that it competes against models from Toyota and VW.
Opel saw this coming, however, and packed the Corsa Elegance with several features – along with a 3-year/120,000km warranty and a 3-year/45,000km service plan.
Design
The sixth-generation Corsa has undergone a complete redesign to give it a unique look.
The bonnet is now longer and the windscreen steeper than in the fifth generation, and new bumpers with attractive styling lends the Corsa a refreshing look.
Front fog lights, LED headlamps, and a two-tone roof are fitted to every Elegance, and it also gets trim-specific 16-inch wheels.
At the rear there are functional twin exhaust outlets, new-look tail lights, and a roof spoiler that adds a nice touch.
Comforts
Getting into the cabin makes it clear as to why this car costs as much as it does.
Two 7-inch displays were installed, with one going on the dash and one behind the steering wheel.
The infotainment system enables Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone mirroring features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while a digital instrument cluster replaces analogue dials and shows critical car information.
The multifunction steering wheel and seats are then covered in leather for a more premium feel, and power-adjustable windows and mirrors were fitted as standard.
Practicality is taken care of with a luggage capacity of 309 litres – which can be extended to 1,081 when the rear seats are folded flat.
Additional features which make for a comfortable cabin include heated front seats, a smartphone charging pad, and cruise control with speed limiter and speed limit adaptation.
Safety
A recent trend in cars comes at the expense and benefit of the end user.
Safety features are being stuffed into every new vehicle – which causes a rise in price, but is ultimately done to benefit the customer.
The Corsa is no different, and the Elegance trim was on the receiving end of it all.
Hidden in the front fascia are sensors for lane-keeping assist, front pedestrian detection, and forward collision alert.
This is complemented by collision-mitigation braking, which will autonomously brake the vehicle if it recognises a hazard in the road that the driver isn’t responding to – or at least try to slow it down to make an accident less severe.
Once reverse gear is selected, front and rear parking sensors will help you guide the Corsa into a parking spot, and a rear view camera feed will fill up the infotainment display.
Additionally, every Corsa Elegance is fitted with hill-start assist – which will keep the vehicle stationary on an incline until the accelerator is touched – and all-round airbags.
This set of systems allowed the Opel Corsa to achieve a 4-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
Performance
The Opel Corsa range is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol motor that is either turbocharged or naturally aspirated.
The Elegance, as the most expensive option, is the only variant with the turbocharged engine – and produces 96kW and 230Nm of torque.
This is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that will see a 0-100km/h time of 8.7 seconds, and a claimed combined fuel consumption of 6.3l/100km.
The Opel Corsa Elegance stands at 4,055mm long, 1,970mm wide, and 1,435mm high.
It has a maximum towing capacity of 1,200kg, and weighs only 980kg in its lightest guise.
Opel Corsa Elegance – Photos
Keyword: Top-of-the-range Opel Corsa – What it offers