Coming soon: updated Vauxhall Corsa Electric

With nearly three million sales in the UK over four decades the Vauxhall Corsa is a firm favourite of British drivers, as celebrated by Rory's special anniversary video. Even if you’ve never owned one personally chances are you will know someone who has and, as its Ford Fiesta arch rival departs the stage, Vauxhall has confirmed its commitment to the Corsa with this updated version.
Most obviously it gains a new, and possibly Daft Punk inspired, front end with Vauxhall’s latest ‘Vizor’ grille. It is a design language we first saw on the Mokka and Erin enjoyed on the electric version she had on long-term test. The corporate nose job also brings the Corsa into line with the new Astra, completing Vauxhall’s wide-ranging update to its range. Inside there’s a similar styling refresh and new tech. Notable features like over-the-air updates are available, along with a voice-activated assistant that will react to the command ‘Hey Vauxhall’ for those comfortable talking to their gadgets.

Building on the no-nonsense success of the fully electric Corsa-e the more exciting developments for this new model focus on the rebranded Corsa Electric. While the existing battery and motor remain available Vauxhall will also offer an upgraded ‘next-generation’ battery pack that both delivers more power to the wheels (now 156 horsepower) and an official 255 miles between charges, an improvement of over 30 miles compared with the existing version.
If you’re not yet ready for full electric more conventional petrol options will be available too. Vauxhall is also promising a new hybrid will be available by the end of this year, though it’s not revealing what level of electrification this will feature, beyond confirming it won’t be a full plug-in option like that available on the bigger Astra.

With the Fiesta’s departure you might think the new Vauxhall Corsa will have little competition. However, with the move to electrification the field is becoming increasingly crowded. Peugeot has the e-208, the Corsa Electric’s closest relative and rival, and emerging brands like GWM ORA with its quirky Funky Cat are keen to have a slice of the action. With the ID.2all Volkswagen is also working on a more affordable entry to its range of electric models. As such Vauxhall clearly has its work cut out, the existing Corsa providing a solid base to build on for this refreshed and improved version.