Say hello to…
…the updated Vauxhall Corsa-e, the all-electric supermini which has just been facelifted and now uses a new battery pack with 51kWh storage and a new 156hp motor. While the battery is only up by 1kWh, Vauxhall has upgraded the car’s overall technology so that the official range is now 246 miles, up from 225.
The facelifted Vauxhall Corsa-e is available in three trim levels:
- Design
- GS Line
- Ultimate
All electric Corsas are well equipped. Entry level Design trim includes LED headlights, cruise control with speed limiter, 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, keyless start, 16-inch alloys and rear parking sensors.
GS Line adds 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, 10-inch touchscreen, keyless entry, climate control, front parking sensors, rear-view camera and wireless phone charging.
Ultimate adds adaptive LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, blind spot alert and driver’s seat massage function.
Is The Vauxhall Corsa Suitable For My Fleet
When we drove the previous Corsa-e a little under two years ago in the same, Ultimate, specification the P11D was just over £30,000. This has now leapt to just over £37,000. And while the range has officially improved, we found the newer version to be fractionally less efficient with a real-world range of 178 miles. However, this was in cooler weather than our original review.
Leasing A Vauxhall Corsa
The significant hike in list price and the recent deterioration in residual values for electric cars has resulted in a monthly lease rate of £684 from Intelligent Car Leasing on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Two years ago this figure was below £400.
Gensen Reports forecasts a monthly maintenance figure of £25 and the Class 1A NIC comes in at £8.
Driving A Vauxhall Corsa
Dynamically the Corsa is still as good as it was before the larger battery, which is a good thing. The car is still a fun and competent hatchback. The electric motor with its instant shove means the car feels usefully nippy round town. And the Corsa is perfectly happy on the motorway too, although the real-world range may be an issue if you’re looking at regular long journeys.
While the exterior facelift is pretty obvious, with the Corsa gaining the Vauxhall visor look first introduced on the Mokka, the interior changes are more subtle. The biggest improvements are to the infotainment system which is simple to use and navigate, if not quite the best in the business for usability.
For a supermini, the Vauxhall Corsa is middle-ranking for space both in terms of rear-seat passengers and boot space. You’ll get small kids in the back seats, but if you’re a taller driver, adults will struggle for leg room.
There’s no under bonnet cable storage area, so while the 309 litre boot space is fine, with a charge cable on board the boot is quickly cluttered.
While the overall impression of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric is a positive one, when you factor in either the P11D value or the monthly lease rates, the supermini suddenly comes up against some other, larger, and more capable cars. Prime among which is the MG 4, which has a better range, costs less and drives as well.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Vauxhall Corsa
A likeable electric car which is fun to drive and appealing to fleets, provided range isn’t a priority and a deal can be struck on the price.
Vauxhall Corsa
- Model: Corsa Electric Ultimate
- Power: 156 hp
- Torque: 300Nm
- Max speed: 93mph
- 0-62mph: 8.1 s
- Official range: 246 miles
- Test range: 178 miles
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2024/25: 2%
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
Why not join the conversation on SME fleets – visit our LinkedIn SME Fleet Discussion page