Vauxhall Corsa review

The range starts at £19,635 for the 74bhp nat-asp petrol. Upgrading to the 99bhp engine adds £900 and the automatic transmission £1,730 on top. The mild hybrid starts from £22,900 for the 99bhp powertrain.

Going up to the middle GS trim adds just shy of £2.5k to the 74bhp and 99bhp variants, but also allows you to step up to the 128bhp turbo and 134bhp mild hybrid powertrains, which start from £25,615 and £26,250 respectively.

On lease you’re looking at a starting monthly figure of £190, £200 and £245 for each of the petrol-only engines, or £230 and £260 for the mild hybrids. That's with a £5k down payment on a four-year lease.

Remind me of the trims again.

There are three trims on offer: Design, GS and Ultimate. As standard you get LED headlights, Apple/Android connectivity, cruise control, the 10in touchscreen infotainment set-up, air con, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers and auto lights, an electronic handbrake (autos only) remote central locking and 16in alloys.

GS adds LED lights front and rear, a rear-view camera, climate control, heated door mirrors, 17in wheels, wireless Apple/Android connectivity and blind spot monitoring.

Meanwhile, the top-spec Ultimate car offers adaptive cruise, front parking sensors and a rear-view camera, 10in touchscreen infotainment, heated front seats (with massage function) and steering wheel, and a bit of Alcantara trim.

What are the running costs like?

All of the petrol Corsas are rated for more than 50mpg (60mpg plus in the mild hybrids) and will easily manage that in mixed driving. With electric charging prices as high as they currently are, you’ll have to do some clever maths to see whether it’s really worth making the switch or just sticking with petrol.

All engines will cost £210 for the first year of VED, after that they’re all £165. The Corsa Electric is of course £0, but the purchase price is that much higher. If you’re getting the Corsa as a company car then the 28-30 per cent Benefit-in-Kind rate of the petrols is pricey next to the two per cent of the EVs. The hybrids - with their 25-26 per cent BiK - offer slightly better returns.

Which one should I go for? 

We reckon the 99bhp nat-asp engine in GS trim is the pick of the lot if you prefer a manual, otherwise the 99bhp mild hybrid is arguably the sweet spot in terms of useful performance combined with frugal running costs.

Now Vauxhall, any chance of a VXR version for old times’ sake?