Vauxhall Corsa VXR (2007 - 2014) 1.6T VXR Blue 3d Owner Review

I had very specific criteria for looking for my new used car. After owning a 2011 2.0 CDTi Astra GTC, I wanted a petrol car which was slightly cheaper to buy (under £6,000), quicker (preferably under 7.0 secs), not stupidly expensive to run (insurance, mpg, tax, etc.), still practical with 5 seats (it would occasionally need to carry 3-5 adults), and one that appealed to me aesthetically, both externally and internally. After much researching, I narrowed it down to the Renaultsport Clio 197 or 200, Ford Fiesta ST and Vauxhall Corsa VXR. The Clio wasn't as cheap to run, was smaller inside and you needed to rev it like crazy to get performance from its engine, as it has no turbo. The ST was cheaper to run but felt even smaller inside, wasn't as quick and didn't have the same 'wow' factor in my opinion. So, in the end I went for the Corsa VXR - and I'm not disappointed one bit! I managed to get a 2010 Arden Blue VXR with 47,500 miles for £5,800 in July 2017. The car is everything I expected! Well, eventually... within a week of owning it, the gearbox was whining and I noticed two shock absorbers had been leaking for some time. Thankfully, the garage took the car back and repaired these faults within a few weeks, and I also had a new LUK clutch fitted whilst the gearbox was off. Since getting the car back I have had new discs and pads fitted all-round, and 4 new Dunlop SportMaxx RT2 tyres fitted (which I knew it needed when I bought it). It's also had a full service and wheel alignment done. Having had all this work done, the car now feels like new and I can really feel the performance starting to come through. My one has full Vauxhall service history and is completely stock with no modifications, and that's exactly what I wanted. I've seen plenty of Corsa VXRs which have been ruined with crazy wheels, de-badged, remapped and lowered and modified far too much. No wonder they have been on Autotrader and Ebay for a few months, and are still on! The engine is fantastic! 0-60 in 6.8 seconds, and you can definitely tell! Once warmed up, you can give it some beans and you can really feel the turbo kick in, but there is no real turbo lag followed by a kick in the back like you get in a fast diesel. It's relatively smooth, but still which a whosh of power as the turbo kicks in, and it keeps going throughout the whole rev range. There is a fantastic exhaust tone kicking in louder at around 4,000rpm. It handles fantastically as well! I thought my previous Astra GTC handled amazingly with its wide stance and Insignia VXR front suspension, but the Corsa easily out handles it. Maybe this is to do with its smaller size giving you more confidence to throw it into tight bends, but, nevertheless, the fun-factor is so high and it puts a small on your face every time you drive down a country lane. I have read that the Clio 197 has a better chassis and is unmatched in the handling department, but the Corsa feels pretty perfect. On public roads, the difference between the two is probably unnoticeable! I love the looks of my Corsa. It is Arden Blue and has the 17" wheels which are gun metal grey. I have made a few slight additions to the looks of the VXR (VXR decals on the glass of the wing mirrors, a few red trim touches inside, etc.). The car does turn heads and stands out above every other Corsa out there. The bumper grills, wing mirrors, read diffuser and exhaust all make this car stand out and, in my opinion, look fantastic! Interior is lovely as well. The dashboard is typical Corsa, however, there are a few features which make it stand out. The VXR steering wheel is really nice, feels high quality and looks lovely, and the Recaro bucket seats are just amazing, if a little hard to fold down to access the rear. I have added a Sat Nav since owning it, just a fairly cheap one from eBay, but it's another really nice feature and makes the interior that little bit nicer a place to be. One gripe I have, after owning an Astra GTC, is the lack of storage compartments. The glovebox is small and is the only place you can store items out of sight. The only other options are the side door bins and in the cup holders underneath the centre console, although this is the same for all Corsas. Overall, I am extremely happy with my car and am delighted I chose the VXR and found the one I did. I am really looking forward to getting the brake discs fully bedded in and giving the tyres a few hundred miles so I can start to push it and really feel the performance of this fantastic car. Engine, handling, looks, practicality - it has it all!