Vauxhall Corsa GSE review: an electric hot hatch tested

Woah! A rapid Corsa?

It certainly is. Vauxhall has not offered a genuine Corsa hot hatch since the previous VXR bowed out in 2018. That car departed with a wonderfully old-fashioned approach to ride, handling and performance, using a 1.6-litre petrol engine to drive the front wheels via a manual gearbox and a tough little differential.

The new Corsa GSE follows a more modern formula. Its name means Grand Sport Electric, and all of its propulsion comes from the plug. One electric motor sends 277bhp and 344Nm to the front axle, while a 54kWh battery supplies an official range of 354km – or 373km if you choose the less grippy, more efficiency-minded tyres.

It reaches 100km/h in 5.5 seconds and tops out at 200km/h. That acceleration time puts it at least half a second ahead of its clearest rivals: the lower-powered Mini John Cooper Works Electric and Alpine A290.

Some of that sounds familiar…

Those headline figures are shared with several Stellantis relatives, among them the Abarth 600e, Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and forthcoming Peugeot E-208 GTI, as well as its Mokka GSE showroom stablemate.

The Corsa is cheaper than all of them, however, starting at £34,495, or £32,995 after the government Electric Car Grant. That is nearly double the price of a Corsa VXR from 10 years ago, yet it remains highly appealing within the expanding electric hot hatch market. It also costs almost precisely the same as the lesser 154bhp electric Corsa in similarly equipped Ultimate trim. Matrix headlights are a particularly notable inclusion at this level. Vauxhall’s margin must surely be tiny.

Do the mechanical upgrades match the extra power?

Absolutely. Its fundamental alterations mirror those of the Mokka, as well as the Abarth and Alfa, with powerful new Alcon brakes, a faster steering rack, a Torsen limited-slip differential and two superbly supportive sports seats. The suspension has received still greater attention: it is substantially firmer and sits 25mm lower, gains hydraulic bump stops, much wider tracks and some rather aggressive-looking negative camber at the front, plus a little Nürburgring tuition.

GSE is Vauxhall’s fourth hot hatch label since the Nova GTE of the Eighties – a car referenced by this Corsa’s three-spoke alloy wheels. That suggests the firm has never entirely settled on a performance-car philosophy in the way Ford, Renault and Volkswagen have. Nevertheless, the Corsa looks like a serious undertaking on paper, regardless of your view of electric propulsion.

Any gimmicks to tempt me?

There is no simulated gearbox, although Vauxhall has added a synthesised soundtrack to accompany acceleration. Three driving modes are available; in the most sporting setting, stability control is relaxed, though it cannot be switched off, and brake regeneration is removed unless you opt to restore it. That is detrimental to range but excellent for delivering a more natural sensation through the brake pedal.

You sit immediately lower than in the Mokka, tucked closer to the floor in the same sports seat, though here it wears a smart retro-inspired chequered pattern. From the outset, it feels considerably more appealing to an enthusiast. Its controls are refreshingly straightforward as well, and easy to understand while driving, largely because the Corsa is now well established in the market.

Other than its vivid yellow accents and Alcantara steering-wheel inserts, this does not feel like an especially new cabin – but that can easily be seen as a benefit. There is a physical volume control, proper climate switches and ADAS that can be quickly disabled. Bliss.

Is it really as quick as claimed?

It appears to be. It feels more urgent than the Mokka by a wider margin than its 43kg weight advantage would suggest; the Corsa GSE weighs 1,554kg. As an EV, it can deploy its power instantly, even in the less aggressive driving modes if you push the accelerator into kickdown. In spite of the substantial Torsen differential at the front, it will still dart about and tug at the steering – enough to feel lively and hectic, but never to suggest that control is being lost.

The tension coursing through its steering and damping imbue the Corsa with some welcome hot hatch mischief

Our first kilometres in performance EVs tend to be spent searching for signs of character: evidence that there is something to enjoy after the novelty of relentless single-speed acceleration has faded. And it soon does. Its persuasive artificial soundtrack, together with the tension in its steering and damping, gives the Corsa a welcome dose of hot hatch mischief.

‘Tension’. Is it firm?

Very. The Mokka GSE is no shrunken Cullinan, yet this smaller alternative feels another level firmer again. Many Nürburgring-developed hot hatches actually ride impressively well on UK roads, because the Nordschleife demands compliance, but the Corsa seems determined to revive old assumptions about what the Green Hell does to road cars. You will need a test drive to establish whether you can live with the way it thumps over even smooth, velvety tarmac.

The upside is that it does an impressive job of eliminating the Mokka’s pitch and roll. Alongside it, the Corsa feels more focused and serious, creating meaningful separation between the pair beyond their prices and badge prestige. There is an unshakeable quality to the way it makes progress, allowing you to cover ground at a genuinely breathtaking rate.

Just not necessarily with a broad grin. Rather than feeling essential to the process, the driver can feel as though they are simply holding on. One of the chief engineers says simulated gear changes were never considered: GSE is proudly an electric sub-brand, and copying older combustion-engined cars would not truly suit it. Yet, with the Nova GTE so overtly referenced by the upholstery and wheels, a touch of retro technology would not seem out of place.

Its principal hot hatch opponents do not offer that feature yet, it should be noted. Still, greater interaction in the GSE could better justify how stiff and uncompromising it feels, even on urban roads.

What’s the verdict?

Much of what the Corsa GSE offers is entertaining, frantic and nearly fantastic. It is also unexpectedly capable on a circuit. Vauxhall and Opel probably had no idea this car would exist when the Corsa F arrived in 2019, but their apparently hurried efforts to transform its styling and dynamics in time for Peugeot’s returning GTI deserve praise.

Quite a lot of what the Corsa GSE does is fun, frenzied and close to fabulous

That they chose to create it now, rather than wait for the next-generation, Vision Gran Turismo-inspired Corsa, is something to welcome – particularly as the GSE looks good value next to some highly talented rivals, including those in its own showroom. It is simply difficult not to want a little more interaction to excuse its harsh ride and limited range when driven with commitment. Expect around 160km if you are enjoying yourself…