FIRST DRIVE | Updated Opel Corsa is meh rather than marvellous

One often feels left with more questions than forthright answers when it comes to Stellantis South Africa.

Globally, the group is a giant of motoring, but locally it flounders along towards the bottom of the monthly sales charts.

It should fare better — being home to many storied brands and a number of compelling products.

But how its handlers plan to achieve mainstream success for the portfolio comprising Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Opel and Peugeot is a mystery.

Perhaps the big boost for the collective will come when production of the Landtrek pickup starts in Gqeberha, on the back of a R3bn investment in a new manufacturing facility at the Coega Special Economic Zone. The first vehicle is expected to roll off the production line in December 2025.

In the interim, the firm needs to develop shrewd approaches to get Mzansi buyers through its dealerships' doors, especially with the onslaught of competitive, well-priced Chinese brands shaking up the market.

Last week Stellantis invited us to drive the latest addition to the Opel brand, the updated Corsa.

It is a nameplate that motorists need no introduction to. In the glory days of Opel, when it was owned by General Motors (GM) and had serious local manufacturing operations, the Corsa was a major player.

The cheeky compact represented affordable mobility at its core — but there were also sporting versions and slightly more executive guises, even sold in sedan form during its lifetime.

Today, the B-segment market is not as popular as it once was. Buyers are more partial to crossovers and sport-utility vehicles.

Moreover, the remaining hatchbacks that contend in the country have to battle against the home-grown Volkswagen Polo, whose status as a top-three seller seems unbeatable.

Still, there are shoppers who do not want a Polo. They have alternatives such as the Hyundai i20, Mazda 2, Renault Clio and Peugeot 208 to consider.

For more budget-sensitive consumers, the twins from Suzuki and Toyota — Baleno and Starlet — are options.

Our fairly lengthy day route through Gauteng afforded ample seat time in the new Corsa. It took us across bustling freeways and through slow urban traffic.

Two stops on the itinerary included a brief tour of the Stellantis parts warehouse in Tshwane, followed by a quick visit to see one of the humanitarian efforts the company supports.

Visually — from the front-end — the refreshed Corsa is sufficiently distinguished from its predecessor.

It adopts the latest “Vizor” familial signature deployed across contemporary Opel products, with a glossy black insert serving where the old grille used to be.

New alloy wheels are part of the mix, LED headlights are standard across the board, as are fog lamps. The rear and side profile of the model remains unaltered. This is a facelift, after all.

Inside, a new 10" Intellilink infotainment system is on duty. The base model has a 3.5" instrument cluster display, while the middle- and high-tier models benefit from a 7" unit. Look out for the new steering wheel design.

There are three levels to the grade walk. The entry-level Lite comes in at R374,900 and the next step up, the Edition, goes for R394,900. The flagship GS Line goes for R459,900. Pricing includes a five-year/100,000km warranty and a three-year/45,000km service plan.

All are powered by the same 1.2l engine. We drove the GS Line version, which is a six-speed automatic. The other two are fitted with six-speed manuals.

From drivetrain and chassis perspectives, there are no changes to the new vehicle vs the model introduced in 2021.

While you would not describe it as a game-changer in refinement and comfort, it remains a pleasant enough car to drive.

Manoeuvre its old-school automatic shifter into D and set off. The 96kW/230Nm output of the model provides suitable poke, with the characteristic three-cylinder thrum. Note the Lite and Edition are in lower states of tune with 74kW/205Nm.

There were disappointments to report. Though labelled as a GS Line, the range-topping Corsa does not have the requisite level of sparkle you might expect in trim. The seats, for example, are a forgettable dark fabric with leatherette on the outer edges.

Though highlights such as heated seats were punted, we could not seem to find the switches to activate them.

Though nimble, with a light steering feel, the Corsa does not offer the same level of polish and solidity as a Polo. Nor does it offer the dynamic factor of the Peugeot 208 on which it shares a platform — this French connection also has a far more charismatic look inside and out.

Mindful of its rivals in the arena, “just OK” or middle-of-the-road, is how you might describe the refreshed Corsa.