Car Review: Opel Corsa 1,4T Sport
Opel spent most of last year trying to crawl back in to the market after the 2008 financial crisis which nearly saw Opel left out in the cold. But with the launch of the likes of the Adam, the Mokka and the Corsa, Opel is once again in the game.
To round off the Corsa line-up, Opel launched the Corsa Sport last year. It sits in the stable just above the five-model line-up which includes the 1,0-litre turbocharged Cosmo, the 1,0T ecoFlex Enjoy, 1,0T Essentia and the 1,4-litre six-speed automatic.
The Corsa Sport is powered by a 1,4-litre turbocharged ecoTEC petrol engine and produces 110 kW of power and 110 N.m of torque. Now, the thing with cars such as the Corsa Sport, one needs to look at it for what it is; a pimped up Corsa. You know the whole, “Compare apples with apples” saying? Well this car, for what it is, in terms of performance, is great. It’s not supposed to rival the likes of a GTI or RS, obviously.
It’s punchy and it feels very peppy around the city. Even on the open road it sports a bit of punch and over taking is probably where you feel this the best. Out of the entire package, the engine was my favourite part.
I was handed an ice cream minty green car and my first thought was, “Oh no!” My second thought was, “Green cars are bad luck.” Which proved right when a truck took out the rear driver bumper and sped off. But anyway, those are merely my superstitions and should not be taken in to account when buying a car…unless you share my superstitions in which case, avoid green cars! The colour was not to my liking, but that’s a personal thing.
In terms of exterior looks, the Corsa Sport doesn’t fair too far off the looks of the Corsa and only adds subtle OPC_Line kit add-ons which includes front and rear bumper extensions, side rocker mouldings, sporty exhaust tip and carbon look outside rear view mirror covers. It also boasts 17-inch dark titanium wheels. And thankfully, there are 15 exterior colors to choose from (five solid and 10 metallic).
Inside you will find an all-new leather covered flat bottom sport steering wheel with silver bezel, alloy sports pedals, and the leather gear shift knob borrowed from the OPC. The cloth covered Moonray Sports seats were not as comfortable as I was hoping. I struggled to find a comfortable driving position and when I climbed in the back I found the seats to be far too firm and upright.
Where the Corsa Sport nails it is when it comes to safety. It is equipped with six airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Straight Line Stability and Brake Assist. Front and rear parking sensors are standard. You can also opt for Advanced Park Assist 2 and Side Blind Zone Alert for a cost of R5 000.
Another spot Opel impresses, is with the Sport’s standard features list. Are you ready for this? LED daytime running lights, electric mirrors and windows, auto lights and wipers, auto-dimming rear view mirror, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone navigation and app integration, air-conditioning, reverse camera with park assist, cruise control, and bi-xenon headlamps with cornering control.
I might not have been too sad to see this car go, if only because of the colour, but I will miss it’s nippy character and quick gear shifts. It is what it is and that’s a warmed up Corsa, so it may be a tad too subtle for some, but if it’s just that extra oomph you want, then this is your car!
The Opel Corsa Sport is priced at R270 700