You may well already be familiar with Vauxhall’s Corsa EV. One of the mainstays of European car rental and car-sharing systems, this compact electric vehicle is an automotive appliance, a functional piece of industrial machinery that’s designed to be hard-wearing and economically efficient, giving the best returns when it’s in constant operation. In this respect, it’s more like a bus or an airliner than a conventional passenger car.
Over six generations, the expectations of car owners have been significantly elevated, as has the proportion of people eschewing having their own car altogether. These shifting demographics have given the Corsa a fillip as the model has become a popular choice for car-sharing systems. For the undiscriminating driver, the Corsa is a conveniently located four-wheeled object and nothing more.
The good news is that the Corsa feels convincingly solid and well put together. It’s a car that has gradually ascended the automotive class ladder over the years, forever chasing the kudos of, the car that captured and defined the idea of compact luxury. With a range of up to 246 miles, plenty of zip and compact proportions, the Corsa EV hits a crucial sweet spot, a city car you’d be happy and confident to take on the occasional long journey. Equipment is first rate.
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