Second-hand sense

Going for a used Opel Corsa

Going for a used Opel Corsa

Compared to cars such as the Honda Jazz and the Citroën C3, the Opel Corsa has the look of a car that has been around just a little too long. Years of conservative styling and updating have seen the Corsa often forgotten about when people come to making their supermini choices. However, the looks shouldn't always put one off, because the reason the Corsa has been around for so long is that it sold in huge numbers.

More solid and well built than many other small cars, the Corsa has always had reasonably good abilities when it came to ride and handling, but fun is not a word that comes to mind. Small and nippy engines allow it to do its job without much complaint - the smallest 1-litre engine is supplied by ever dependable Suzuki.

The Corsa is by no means the roomiest car in the class. Again, compared to the competition, it's cramped in the front and a little gloomy inside. Unimaginative use of plastics doesn't help.

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Even if the Corsa has lost much of its appeal, driving instructors and the like continue to value it because it's easy and cheap to run, doesn't usually give problems and its solidity is probably its best asset.

It was not always thus. The car was reported in early EuroNCAP crash tests as posing a serious threat to the passenger's head which, in a real crash, would have caused serious injury or even death because the head would have slammed into the dashboard. By 2003 the Corsa had improved to achieve four out of a possible five stars with the only major criticism being the driver's airbag reaching its limit in terms of protection.

The Corsa has had its troubles despite its solid reputation. There have been problems with catalytic converters, timing belts and cambelts - and risks of static sparking during refuelling. Many cars were not affected by these recalls but a large number had to be recalled between 2000 and 2001 to reinforce front seat rails and replace fatigued or worn-out front seat belt buckles. There were further recalls for similar problems. The exhaust on the 1-litre 12-valve version is also prone to failure from metal fatigue due to vibration.

There is a good selection of Corsas on the forecourts. Carzone.ie features a 2001 model with a 1-litre petrol engine and 17,500 on the clock at €9,500. A 2003 model with the same engine and 32,000 on the clock asks €10,499. It's wise to shop around. Don't expect a great deal of standard equipment on basic models - a pair of airbags and power steering is as good as it gets with most.

The Corsa is no source of excitement, but is a fairly solid all-rounder and generally dependable. It does, however, suffer by comparison with almost all of its competitors nowadays. ... -DONAL BYRNE