Vauxhall Corsa Electric review
The evergreen Vauxhall Corsa is available with an electric powertrain, but you’ll pay a big premium over the equivalent petrol version
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 Corsa Electric verdict
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 the 200-mile real-world range and 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. A facelifted version is due soon too, so it might be worth holding off for the new look and bigger battery.
Range details, specs and alternatives
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.
Previously called the Vauxhall Corsa-e, its closest rival however is the Peugeot e-208, which shares its platform and myriad of parts with the Corsa Electric, as well as Vauxhall's – larger, but not much more expensive – 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. Maximum range, depending on exact spec, stands at 222 miles.
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 £35,000 for the top-spec version. In comparison, the larger, more practical MG4 EV starts from under £27,000.
The lineup currently consists of three trims: GS, Anniversary Edition and Ultimate. As you’d hope for the high list price, even basic cars come well equipped, with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, climate control and a seven-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Anniversary Edition is, in theory, a temporary fixture in the range, but buyers might be swayed by the eye-catching red paint, limited edition sports seats, gloss black alloy wheels and black styling pack. These cars get all the kit featured on GS cars, plus a panoramic rear-view camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, plus a pair of themed socks! All for a couple of hundred pounds less than the GS. This is our current pick of the range.
Ultimate cars get all the bells and whistles, with a larger 10-inch screen, matrix-LED lights, Alcantara-trimmed massage seats and adaptive cruise control. At the time of writing (March 2023), if you’re able to stump up a 30% deposit, Vauxhall will offer you a Corsa Electric on 0% PCP finance – not something to be sniffed at, at a time when good deals are rather hard to come by.
For a more detailed look at the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, read on for the rest of our in-depth review…
