Electric power has proven itself in everything from family cars to luxury SUVs – the Vauxhall Corsa GSE now demonstrates it can do fun as well, taking the most petrolhead of formats and reinventing it for the zero-emissions age. Yes, we’re now at the point hot-hatches can do electric, the Corsa GSE reviving fond memories of hot Novas and Corsas those of a certain driving age grew up with and reinventing the same for a new generation of drivers. Like the Mokka GSE, the Corsa GSE swerves pointless horsepower and 0-62mph bragging rights for an emphasis on fun at the wheel, and is the better for it, though it faces stiff competition from the likes of the Alpine A290 and pending Peugeot E-208 GTi.
As a small car with a compact battery the regular Corsa Electric on which this GSE version is based scores well on sustainability, and it scores the lower of the two grant levels on the Electric Car Grant. At a corporate level parent company Stellantis’s early adoption of a fully blown internal circular economy with a well thought-out revenue plan attached to it made sure it wasn’t ditched when times got commercially tough. We’d like a higher waste water reduction per vehicle than the current 17 per cent but we salute the company for surpassing the minimum 85 per cent requirement of recycled materials from each car by weight by an extra four per cent. But we’ll dock half a star over the regular Corsa Electric for the fact this GSE is unashamedly more about high-speed thrills than sustainability.
Running costs for a Vauxhall Corsa GSE
The GSE sits at the top of the Corsa Electric range, so it’s more expensive to buy upfront. But whether you’re comparing bottom-line price or monthly finance or lease rates it’s a useful chunk cheaper than the related Mokka GSE, and good value given the depth of engineering lavished on making it faster and more fun to drive. The key comparison will be with the closely related Peugeot E-208 GTi when that hits showrooms later in the year but, in the context of others built on the same foundations from Abarth and Alfa Romeo as well as other similar cars like the Alpine A290 the Vauxhall is keenly priced. Beyond that it’s the usual story for electric cars, so if you can charge at home you’ll save on fuel and, while the net is closing, there are still tax and other incentives for making the switch. At the time of writing the Corsa GSE qualifies for the £1,500 Electric Car Grant, too.
Expert rating: 4/5
Reliability of a Vauxhall Corsa GSE
“The go-faster bits on the GSE have also been proven on the race track and in rallying”
Vauxhall benefits from being part of the wider Stellantis family alongside Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep, Fiat and many others, the shared development costs and economies of scale working to the Corsa’s advantage. The go-faster bits on the GSE have also been proven on the race track and in rallying, and come from respected motorsport suppliers, so we have every confidence in the engineering.
Expert rating: 4/5
Safety for a Vauxhall Corsa GSE
“We admire Vauxhall’s dedication to improving the brakes, tyres and suspension to handle the extra power”
Per the regular Corsa on the expected stuff like driver aids and airbags, so we’ll focus instead on the tangible upgrades ensuring the GSE is as safe as it is fun. These go hand-in-hand, and we admire Vauxhall’s dedication to improving the brakes, tyres and suspension to handle the extra power, which is welcome when rivals like the MG4 XPower and others like it offer little more than big numbers on the spec sheet. Brakes from motorsport supplier Alcon and hydraulic bump stops on the suspension arms will be appreciated by the car geeks and (reformed) petrolheads but you don’t have to understand what a limited-slip differential is to appreciate how effectively the Corsa GSE puts its extra power to the road.
Expert rating: 4/5
How comfortable is the Vauxhall Corsa GSE
“You’ll forgive all that if you can get the Corsa GSE in its comfort zone on twisty backroads”
An Alpine A290 does the surprise and delight features more effectively and the Peugeot E-208 GTi is snazzier inside but Vauxhall has done its best to make the interior of the Corsa GSE look and feel fancier than the regular version. Checked cloth on the seats references Vauxhall hot-hatches of old, the chunky side bolsters hugging you tightly in the corners and reminding you this is no ordinary Corsa. True, comfort and refinement have been sacrificed in the name of speed and the novelty of the stiff suspension wears off in town while the increased tyre noise can intrude on the motorway. But you’ll forgive all that if you can get the Corsa GSE in its comfort zone on twisty backroads or even – as we were lucky enough to experience – out on a circuit.
Expert rating: 3/5
Features of the Vauxhall Corsa GSE
“Taking the top Ultimate trim as its base, the GSE adds its own bodykit with sportier looking bumpers”
Just like hot hatches of old, the Corsa GSE wears its performance upgrades with pride. Taking the top Ultimate trim as its base, the GSE adds its own bodykit with sportier looking bumpers, contrasting black wheelarch extensions, distinctive three-spoke wheels, flashes of fluorescent yellow trimmings and a set of branded graphics to really hammer the point home. A contrasting black roof and spoiler complete the look. Yellow seatbelts and suede-style trim to the steering wheel continue the sporty theme on the inside and there are further GSE-specific features like a noise generator to simulate the effect of the noisy exhausts owners of previous Vauxhall hot hatches took such delight in fitting to their cars. If the novelty of the synthetic drone wears thin you can always switch this off, as you see fit.
Expert rating: 5/5
Power for a Vauxhall Corsa GSE
“The Corsa fixates on the things that matter to the driving experience, like more responsive steering”
We’ve become conditioned to high-performance electric cars having crazy power outputs and daft acceleration stats, and in that context the Corsa GSE’s 281 horsepower looks relatively modest. We’re totally fine with that, given the rest of the car has been engineered to make the most of it and the performance and handling – just like hot hatches of old – is way more appropriate to what you can sensibly enjoy on the road than rivals with apparently more impressive numbers. Instead, the Corsa fixates on the things that matter to the driving experience, like more responsive steering, sharper brakes and suspension able to deal with the harshest of lumps, bumps and cambers. Engine noise apart, the Corsa GSE does exactly what hot hatches have always done. Which is to say put the fun back into driving!
