Vauxhall Corsa Electric review
The evergreen Vauxhall Corsa is these days available with an electric powertrain, making it one of the most affordable ways into zero-emissions motoring
Pros
- Practical five-door body
- Good real-world range
- Drives quite well
Cons
- No cable storage
- Interior quality
- £29,000 starting price
| Car type | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | 222 miles | 7hrs 45mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 28mins (10-80%, 100kW) |
Vauxhall has big plans when it comes to electric cars, with four new EVs just around the corner, before the brand ditches the combustion engine altogether by 2028. But it all started with this, the Vauxhall Corsa Electric: the zero-emissions version of Britain's best-selling car and rival to the likes of the Renault ZOE, MINI Electric and Honda e.
It's closest rival however is the Peugeot e-208, which shares it underpinnings with the Corsa Electric, as well as Vauxhall's Mokka Electric crossover. They all use the same 134bhp electric motor, drawing power from a 50kWh battery, which you can top up at speeds of up to 100kW from the right rapid charger.
Of course, being electric, the Corsa Electric isn't as affordable as its petrol-powered counterpart, with the entry-level model now starting at over £31,000 and the price tag rising to nearly £34,000 for the top-spec version. In comparison, the larger, more practical MG4 EV starts from under £26,000.
Vauxhall says, in ideal conditions the Corsa Electric can cover 222 miles on a charge. In warm weather, we found the car's range predictions to be relatively good, so more than 200 miles on a full charge should be possible – which is much better than some of the Corsa Electric’s more style-centric rivals. Performance is sprightly and it handles well, plus refinement is excellent.
When it comes to practicality, there's a fair amount of room in the back of the electric Corsa, but you do only get 267 litres of boot space and no underfloor storage for the charging cable. The on-board tech is good at least, however, the cabin quality and design is less impressive.
The Vauxhall Corsa Electric is a great small electric car. In fact, once you’ve got over the high purchase price (or nailed down a good finance deal), it’s hard to argue with that real-world range and the rock-bottom running costs. But ultimately, there are cheaper, more capable models on the market, while larger, plusher rivals aren’t that much more expensive, either. For a more detailed look at the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, read on for the rest of our in-depth review...
