Vauxhall Corsa Electric: interior, dashboard & infotainment
The electric Corsa's dashboard is a little drab, while the scratchy plastics on the doors aren't befitting of its price tag
Inside the Corsa Electric, you’d never know you were driving an electric car. It all feels reassuringly familiar, with a logical dashboard design and space for all your odds and ends. A recent facelift hasn’t changed all that much, although top-spec cars now get a glossier 10-inch touchscreen running the latest software, while the centre console has been decluttered and there’s also a new steering wheel.
The overall quality of materials and design isn’t hugely impressive, though, when you consider the size and price of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric – as of November 2023, entry-level cars start from over £32,000.
Vauxhall Corsa Electric dashboard
The inside of the latest Corsa is functional but uninspiring. It’s a sea of black plastic, centred around a seven or 10-inch touchscreen display (depending on spec), with myriad connectivity options. At least the separate climate controls are easy to operate – unlike on the Peugeot E-208 where they’re buried within the touchscreen.
There’s a set of fully digital dials, and while they don’t stretch the entire width of the instrument binnacle as they do in some high-end BMWs or Audis, it’s less noticeable than you might expect. You can use them to present the information you want right in front of you, framed by the chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Equipment, options & accessories
There are three trim levels to choose from at the moment: Design, GS and Ultimate. Even the base electric Corsa costs nearly £10k more than the range-topping petrol model, but you’ll be thankful to know that a plethora of equipment such as LED lights, 16-inch wheels, climate control, rear parking sensors and a seven-inch screen with sat-nav, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard.
Stepping up to GS trim costs around £1,600 and is the only way (at the time of writing) to get the larger 51kWh battery. This gives the Corsa Electric a sportier appearance with larger 17-inch alloys, a two-tone roof, power-folding mirrors and gloss black accents. On the inside, the Vauxhall Corsa Electric GS gets a larger 10-inch touchscreen, figure-hugging sports seats and a reversing camera. Considering the small price increase and the extra kit you get, we reckon this is the sweet spot in the range.
A top-spec Ultimate model is now also available, boasting luxuries like Matrix-LED headlights, wireless phone charging, Alcantara upholstery, and heated massage seats – the latter can be added on GS-spec cars for around £600 as part of the ‘Winter Pack’.
We’d also like to hold a moment of silence for the limited-run Anniversary Edition which was sold until recently to celebrate 40 years since the introduction of the original Vauxhall Nova (badged Corsa in other markets). The Corsa Anniversary undercut the next-cheapest Corsa on price and also benefited from red paint, heated front seats, tartan upholstery and even a matching pair of tartan socks.
Infotainment, apps & sat nav
Every version gets a touchscreen with built-in sat nav, but you’ll need to upgrade to the GS model to swap the standard seven-inch display for the glorious 10-inch version (above). The system itself is packed with features and the new software is much more responsive than the rather laggy setup of before – although it does take a while to start up.
If you’d rather not use Vauxhall’s software, the Corsa Electric comes as standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity – both are not only much easier to use, but more responsive, too. The Corsa, like many electric cars, is also available with a downloadable app that allows you to control charging times, as well as monitor range and remotely pre-condition the battery and cabin temperature.
