Vauxhall Corsa VXR hatchback (2007-2015) - Reliability & safety

Despite the car having been on sale for many years, owners aren’t particularly satisfied with the standard Vauxhall Corsa.

Vauxhall Corsa VXR reliability

Although the Corsa VXR wasn’t specifically listed, the Vauxhall Corsa fared poorly in the Driver Power 2014 owner satisfaction survey. It finished 140th out of 150 cars. The only Vauxhall to finish behind it was the Vauxhall Antara SUV.

Performance was deemed the Corsa’s weakest suit, so assuming all things are equal, the fast VXR should have performed slightly better.

Vauxhall didn’t perform well in the Driver Power manufacturer survey, either. Despite finishing 13th in the 2012 survey, the firm slipped to 29th out of 33 carmakers in 2014. Owners’ biggest gripes concerned the car’s performance and ease of driving, but they were more complimentary about its reliability.

Vauxhall Corsa VXR safety

The standard Vauxhall Corsa received a full five-star rating when it was crash-tested back in 2006. Euro NCAP constantly raises the criteria required of a five-star car, so the car wouldn’t necessarily achieve the same result if tested today, but it should still perform fairly well in a crash nonetheless.

The Corsa VXR features driver, passenger and side airbags, as well as electronic stability control and other grip-enhancing features. The systems have been calibrated to allow a little more slip from the wheels, in order provide a sportier driving experience than the standard car.

Adaptive Forward Lighting is also fitted as standard. This allows the headlamp beam to ‘bend’ up to 15 degrees, providing a better view of the road ahead.

The Corsa VXR Clubsport also has more powerful brakes, designed to stop the car in a shorter distance than normal. Just remember that the car behind may not be able to pull up quite as sharply…