The Corsa is Vauxhall’s second bestselling model after the Astra, and almost always in the UK’s top-three best sellers’ list.

It’s never been in mine, however, and although it was a great drive at times, if a little firm, I’m still not sold on the Corsa, but if you’re a big hot hatch fan then you’ll probably find it’s a lot of fun. Feisty even.

Agile, with loads of grip from the front wheels in tight corners (especially helpful in a particularly wet August) it feels sturdy yet is still an entertaining drive.

For me though, the fun disappears if I have to make frequent trips to the petrol station, which I did with this rather thirsty little car, and its high emissions mean you’ll pay £210 tax a year. There was also a lot of wind and road noise once you built up speed.

However, the turbocharged 1.6-litre engine produces 202bhp and it has even more power than the Nurburgring special model that was released last year.

Framing the Corsa’s new face are ‘Eagle-Eye’ headlamps, which also feature on the Meriva. The units have a chrome finish and include daytime running lights as standard.

Inside is Vauxhall’s new optional Touch & Connect multimedia system, which uses a five-inch touch screen display featuring both 2D and 3D maps for the navigation system, as well as a CD/tuner, aux-in, USB and Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity.

You can also opt to choose the most ecological route, helping to save fuel. Points of interest can also be downloaded and traffic problems can be monitored by the TMC information system.

A unique feature is the optional steering wheel heating, which quickly warms drivers’ hands. The temperature reaches around 34 degrees to provide ideal steering wheel warmth on cold days.

Hill Start Assist holds the car on grades of three per cent or steeper for 1.5 seconds after the brake pedal is released, which eliminates ‘roll-back’ on hills.

The new Corsa also benefits from new 18-inch alloy wheels. For added flexibility, it has Vauxhall’s FlexFix carrier system – which requires no installation or removal – and simply pulls out of the rear bumper like a drawer. The FlexFix bike carrier, which features additional rear lights, can carry up to two bicycles.

All new Vauxhalls are eligible for a lifetime 100,000 mile warranty.

Factfile
Car:
Vauxhall Corsa VXR ClubSport
On the road: £22,390
Top speed: 143mph
0-60mph: 6.5 seconds
Fuel: 37.2mpg (combined)
CO2 emissions: 178g/km