SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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Mostly French: 2021 Opel Corsa 1.2T Elegance 

But not quite

Posted: September 12, 2021


The numbers
Price:R386 900
Engine: 1199 cc, DOHC, 12-valve inline three-cylinder turbopetrol
Power: 96 kW at 5500 rpm
Torque: 230 Nm at 1750 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 8.5 seconds
Top speed: 208 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 7.3 l/100 km
Tank: 44 litres
Luggage: 309 – 1081 litres
Turning circle: 10.75 metres
Standard tyre:196/65R16 Continental Ecocontact 6
Warranty: Three years, 120 000 km with roadside assistance
Service plan: Three years, 45 000 km at annual or 15 000 km intervals
 
Perhaps we should begin with what this car no longer is? It’s no longer truly German although R&D is still centred in Rüsselsheim. And it’s built in Spain. GM underpinnings and framework made way for PSA’s common modular platform during last-minute changes in 2019 - when that company took over. Take-overs and mergers did not end there, however.

PSA Group entered a 50:50 partnership with the Italo-American FCA group in January 2021, forming Stellantis, headquartered in Amsterdam, the world’s sixth-biggest car company.

So, if the chassis had to go, why not the engine as well? GM’s 1.4-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-motor made way for PSA’s 1198 cc, turbocharged inline three. In its most powerful form, as the 2015 Corsa Sport, the 1400 had made 110 kilowatts and 220 Newton-metres. The new motor puts out just 96 kW but 230 Nm – swings and roundabouts.

Other choices in the local range use a 55-kW, naturally aspirated version of the PSA engine, a five-speed manual transmission and are offered in two grades; Corsa 1.2N and Corsa Edition 1.2N. These models offer manual air conditioning, cruise control, manually folding side mirrors, rear parking assistance, ESP, HSA, four airbags, automatic headlamps, daytime running lights, foglamps and electronic child-proof locks.
 
Entertainment centres progress through the range from a four-speaker, five-inch touchscreen unit to a 7” Intellilink set-up with six speakers and Smartphone mirroring.
Not all is new however; South Africa’s top Corsa, Elegance 1.2T automatic, soldiers on with what appears to be a six-speed GM unit carried over from the pre-PSA 1400. Other markets use an eight-speed box from Aisin-Warner.

Moving on: While it’s unmistakably still a Corsa, almost every detail is different; a little sharper, more sculpted, more modern, sleeker. That continues inside, with a new dash, vents, entertainment unit and instruments, although the steering wheel looks much as before.

Its new body is about 34 mm longer on a wheelbase extended by 30, similarly wider and 44 mm lower but, with all the modern ingredients, it weighs almost 50 kg more. No performance figures were harmed in the making of this vehicle, though. It leaps from zero to 100 km/h 1.1 seconds quicker than the 2015 Sport model did and tops out 4 km/h faster.

Living conditions: The boot loads at about tabletop height into a cavity that’s 17 cm deep. Two lashing rings, a light and a bag hook look after amenities while release catches for the 60:40 split seatback van be reached from behind. After you’ve released the cargo cover, of course. Seatbacks fold with a step and the spare is fully-sized.

Despite its added length, knee space for taller backseat riders is cramped and, thanks to reduced body height, headroom is restricted, although life is much comfier for those in front. Take your family along to the showroom to make sure. All three backseat riders have head restraints and individual belts although those demanding separate cup holders will be disappointed. Two map pockets and small door bins look after storage.

Parents of strap-in heirs will appreciate that both ISOFix sets have top tethers, but might be disappointed to note that only a single, front-mounted, courtesy lamp is provided. A third ISOFix set, in typical German fashion, can be found on the front passenger chair.

As mentioned earlier, those in front fare better. Headroom is generous, as is leg- and shoulder space. Both seats adjust (mechanically) for height, the steering wheel lifts and telescopes and the kid lock is controlled from the driver’s seat. Storage is fair with a small box under the armrest, two cupholders and a few oddments trays. The glovebox is typically French; read “narrow.”

But how did it make me feel? The car is solid, decently appointed, goes well and is worth looking into. But there was no excitement, no French-ness. I had expected some.

Test unit from Stellantis SA press fleet


What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

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