2000 km report on the Corsa 1.4 - with photos

balashome · 16th February 2006, 22:15

Let me start off with the photos

--Warning - Long post--

The Distance

It was a round trip from Chennai to Tanjore, Tamil Nadu and back. Counting forays into a few nearby towns and running errands, the whole trip was 950 kms long.

The Time

This detail is for people from Tamil Nadu: the trip to Tanjore was made via Dindivanam -> Vikravandi.., while coming back we came through Thiruvaiyaru -> Ariyalur -> Perambalur..

Time taken for the drive to Tanjore was a total of 6.5 hours with a lunch stop for half an hour, while the return trip took us about 6 hours (with no stops). The return route was about 75 to 100 kms longer than the drive to Tanjore.

Speeds

Average speed for the trip to Tanjore was 100 kmph. This includes some pretty impassable terrain that passed for highway roads.

Average speed on the return trip was 120 kmph (the roads were slightly better).

Top speed attained was 155 kmph (speedometer indicated) during the return trip on the NH45.

A Few Home Truths

The Corsa 1.4 does not have a good ratio for the second gear. I tried using the second gear for bumper to bumper traffic situations. It is not totally useless, but it definitely poses huge problems because of the lack of torque. I believe the 1.6 does not suffer from this problem. Though it is a pain for low rev driving, this gear is godsend for high revving and picking up speed. The revs go all the way through to 6500 rpm - producing a revitalizing roar!

On highways, your Corsa has to be pretty much stopped and slid over a bump. Otherwise your bottom is going to take a beating. This is not so much because of the ground clearance, but because of the oh-so-soft suspension - which at other times is a positive boon

The interiors are very useable and ergonomic, but it only takes a few months for the covers to lift from your eyes and to realize that the footwell space for the driver is pathetic. I keep scratching and dirtying the space just next to the footwell, adjoining the door - and it is a major irritation. Also there is no plushness, if you are the type that looks for it. There is only utility - without any silly compromise. Of course, the space is another point to gripe about. Front seat space is pretty good (except for the footwell), but rear seat space is a bit tight for three well built adults. In my mind, a sedan should accomodate three adults comfortably.

I did not buy this car for its road burning qualities or its mileage and nor should you. Frequent sortees within Chennai at peak hour confirmed that i am not going to get much more than 10 kmpl for in-city drives. My highway mileage was only slightly better at 12 kmpl. This is probably a combination of the bad roads (frequent downshifting) and my riding habits (revvvvving all the time!) I will try a sedate treatment next time round and see where that nets me.

The third, fourth and fifth gear on this car are fantastic. The vehicle can mollycoddle drivers and lull them into bad habits - as there is no knocking even at ridiculously low speeds on these higher cogs. I have personally done upto 10kmph on third gear without the engine protesting (though not intentionally!) That said, all your overtaking needs have to be handled by the third and fourth gears - the third is by far the better one for overtaking. The fifty gear pulls the car from 35 kmph to past 150 kmph in due course of time, i might add. Personally i think there is still more go within the engine and it could reach 165 or 170 (speedo indicated) easily.

Though many people have told me that the Corsa by its nature discourages aggressive, fun oriented driving, i have found it much to the contrary. The free revving engine (I am not sure if the Swift or the Getz or others in this price range let you rev right upto 6500 rpms) is a delight and with the right mix of attitude and patience you can have loads of fun and overtake most cars. During my trip, i had duels (friendly, of course) with a 2.0 litre Ambassador (on a very bad road, umm piece of terrain more like it), an OHC 1.5 Exi, NHC Gxi, couple of hell bent Indigos and variants of Accent. Believe it or not, i had the most trouble beating the Ambassador at its own game on that ghastly piece of terrain, though i must admit the driver on the OHC could have easily beaten the Corsa if he had tried hard enough. Anyway, overtaking in this car is huge fun and more importantly it can easily be done with good downshifting and precise revving.

The car had one minor accident where a motorcyclist scratched the driver's side door and put a dent and several scratches on it. Never stopped congratulating myself on the choice of colour (silver) as the scratches hardly show up unless you are looking closely.

Finally i am pleased with my purchase decision. After putting the machine through a pretty hard grind, there isnt a squeak or a niggle. Everything is right how it should be - neat, solid and chunky.

If you are still there with me, kudos, and have fun!

nitrous · 16th February 2006, 22:37

Nice report.
No ,it wasn't long at all.

sajo · 16th February 2006, 22:40

That was a nice review Balashome. I see the FE is at par with that of the petrol Indigo, with a similar sized engine. Thats a bit comforting to know

sAP · 3rd January 2008, 01:10

I stumbled on your review by accident. I am pleased to see someone who has gone to the Corsa's secret place. Not many people find it. I discovered her again, 2 days ago, over a 699km roadtrip. What a banshee!

sAP

Nitin · 3rd January 2008, 03:27

Nice report,balashome.
My dad used to have a 2002 Opel Corsa,and I must say the newer versions have come a long way in terms of refinement.

Way to go !

CrAzY dRiVeR · 3rd January 2008, 07:16

The oh-so soft suspension is one of the best traits of the Corsa. Nothing around that price level handles potholes better!

BUSA · 3rd January 2008, 11:55

Achtung Baby! Nice review and pics to support.

Is your HU aftermarket?

Also those who think that Corsa's are slow, need to check this out. It has the same engine as your cars, but this one flies.

gkrishn · 3rd January 2008, 12:59

What

??? A two year old thread? I never knew this review existed.

Regarding high revving, few days back for the first time hit the red line(and also the rev limiter i guess) after about 38k kms. Man... did it zoom. But what i felt was that engine noise is little coarse above3k rpm. Dosnt feel like a refined engine. Been on mobil1 for past 8k kms, and I didn't really notice any smoothness.

Also on fe part, i get consistently 10 in city traffic. And on my last trip to cbe I got 16.xx. No complaints really...

mobike008 · 3rd January 2008, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkrishn

What

??? A two year old thread? I never knew this review existed.

Until you mentioned, i never noticed that it was two years

. Thanks for pointing it out. I reckon the owner is not very active otherwise would love to hear what he has to say after two years.

CorsaLove · 3rd January 2008, 23:27

I agree. The Corsa is amazing. I've been a very happy camper with mine for the past year. Suspension gets full marks!!

Nitin · 3rd January 2008, 23:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobike008

Until you mentioned, i never noticed that it was two years

. Thanks for pointing it out. I reckon the owner is not very active otherwise would love to hear what he has to say after two years.

haha..that got all of us stumped! I didn't realize the thread was started in 2006.
True..2 years later,I wonder how the car's doing.

NIP · 4th January 2008, 10:14

is this car still in production ?

mobike008 · 4th January 2008, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIP

is this car still in production ?

I don't think Opel as a brand is present in India anymore leave alone production.

vasudeva · 5th January 2008, 11:59

I think you have given a very honest review with which I largely agree. I also have a 2003 1.4 Corsa with close to 38K kms. Pros are smoothness on almost all surfaces, pretty silent at high speeds, stability at 100-110 kmph, and overall decent steering abilities. Cons are primarily gearbox as mentioned, parts falling apart at unpredictable intervals, service quality. I used to get 9-10 kmpl consistently while commuting in city. Office shifted to Gurgaon and FE WENT UP TO 11-13 kmpl. I use System G, light foot, and keep revs not above 2600 rpm.

Resale is a killer with all GM cars with my 5 lakh Corsa now getting only 1-1.1 lakhs. No plans to sell it though for the next 2-3 yrs.

16th February 2006, 22:15	#1
balashome BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 2 Times	2000 km report on the Corsa 1.4 - with photos Let me start off with the photos --Warning - Long post-- The Distance It was a round trip from Chennai to Tanjore, Tamil Nadu and back. Counting forays into a few nearby towns and running errands, the whole trip was 950 kms long. The Time This detail is for people from Tamil Nadu: the trip to Tanjore was made via Dindivanam -> Vikravandi.., while coming back we came through Thiruvaiyaru -> Ariyalur -> Perambalur.. Time taken for the drive to Tanjore was a total of 6.5 hours with a lunch stop for half an hour, while the return trip took us about 6 hours (with no stops). The return route was about 75 to 100 kms longer than the drive to Tanjore. Speeds Average speed for the trip to Tanjore was 100 kmph. This includes some pretty impassable terrain that passed for highway roads. Average speed on the return trip was 120 kmph (the roads were slightly better). Top speed attained was 155 kmph (speedometer indicated) during the return trip on the NH45. A Few Home Truths The Corsa 1.4 does not have a good ratio for the second gear. I tried using the second gear for bumper to bumper traffic situations. It is not totally useless, but it definitely poses huge problems because of the lack of torque. I believe the 1.6 does not suffer from this problem. Though it is a pain for low rev driving, this gear is godsend for high revving and picking up speed. The revs go all the way through to 6500 rpm - producing a revitalizing roar! On highways, your Corsa has to be pretty much stopped and slid over a bump. Otherwise your bottom is going to take a beating. This is not so much because of the ground clearance, but because of the oh-so-soft suspension - which at other times is a positive boon The interiors are very useable and ergonomic, but it only takes a few months for the covers to lift from your eyes and to realize that the footwell space for the driver is pathetic. I keep scratching and dirtying the space just next to the footwell, adjoining the door - and it is a major irritation. Also there is no plushness, if you are the type that looks for it. There is only utility - without any silly compromise. Of course, the space is another point to gripe about. Front seat space is pretty good (except for the footwell), but rear seat space is a bit tight for three well built adults. In my mind, a sedan should accomodate three adults comfortably. I did not buy this car for its road burning qualities or its mileage and nor should you. Frequent sortees within Chennai at peak hour confirmed that i am not going to get much more than 10 kmpl for in-city drives. My highway mileage was only slightly better at 12 kmpl. This is probably a combination of the bad roads (frequent downshifting) and my riding habits (revvvvving all the time!) I will try a sedate treatment next time round and see where that nets me. The third, fourth and fifth gear on this car are fantastic. The vehicle can mollycoddle drivers and lull them into bad habits - as there is no knocking even at ridiculously low speeds on these higher cogs. I have personally done upto 10kmph on third gear without the engine protesting (though not intentionally!) That said, all your overtaking needs have to be handled by the third and fourth gears - the third is by far the better one for overtaking. The fifty gear pulls the car from 35 kmph to past 150 kmph in due course of time, i might add. Personally i think there is still more go within the engine and it could reach 165 or 170 (speedo indicated) easily. Though many people have told me that the Corsa by its nature discourages aggressive, fun oriented driving, i have found it much to the contrary. The free revving engine (I am not sure if the Swift or the Getz or others in this price range let you rev right upto 6500 rpms) is a delight and with the right mix of attitude and patience you can have loads of fun and overtake most cars. During my trip, i had duels (friendly, of course) with a 2.0 litre Ambassador (on a very bad road, umm piece of terrain more like it), an OHC 1.5 Exi, NHC Gxi, couple of hell bent Indigos and variants of Accent. Believe it or not, i had the most trouble beating the Ambassador at its own game on that ghastly piece of terrain, though i must admit the driver on the OHC could have easily beaten the Corsa if he had tried hard enough. Anyway, overtaking in this car is huge fun and more importantly it can easily be done with good downshifting and precise revving. The car had one minor accident where a motorcyclist scratched the driver's side door and put a dent and several scratches on it. Never stopped congratulating myself on the choice of colour (silver) as the scratches hardly show up unless you are looking closely. Finally i am pleased with my purchase decision. After putting the machine through a pretty hard grind, there isnt a squeak or a niggle. Everything is right how it should be - neat, solid and chunky. If you are still there with me, kudos, and have fun!
	() Thanks

16th February 2006, 22:37	#2
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	Nice report. No ,it wasn't long at all.
	() Thanks

16th February 2006, 22:40	#3
sajo Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 2,625 Thanked: 1,153 Times	That was a nice review Balashome. I see the FE is at par with that of the petrol Indigo, with a similar sized engine. Thats a bit comforting to know
	() Thanks

3rd January 2008, 01:10	#4
sAP BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: 10000 Lakes Posts: 283 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	I stumbled on your review by accident. I am pleased to see someone who has gone to the Corsa's secret place. Not many people find it. I discovered her again, 2 days ago, over a 699km roadtrip. What a banshee! sAP
	() Thanks

3rd January 2008, 03:27	#5
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Nice report,balashome. My dad used to have a 2002 Opel Corsa,and I must say the newer versions have come a long way in terms of refinement. Way to go !
	() Thanks

3rd January 2008, 07:16	#6
CrAzY dRiVeR Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore / TVM Posts: 17,174 Thanked: 73,464 Times View My Garage	The oh-so soft suspension is one of the best traits of the Corsa. Nothing around that price level handles potholes better!
	() Thanks

3rd January 2008, 11:55	#7
BUSA Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,130 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Achtung Baby! Nice review and pics to support. Is your HU aftermarket? Also those who think that Corsa's are slow, need to check this out. It has the same engine as your cars, but this one flies.
	() Thanks

3rd January 2008, 12:59	#8
gkrishn BHPian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 623 Thanked: 91 Times View My Garage	What??? A two year old thread? I never knew this review existed. Regarding high revving, few days back for the first time hit the red line(and also the rev limiter i guess) after about 38k kms. Man... did it zoom. But what i felt was that engine noise is little coarse above3k rpm. Dosnt feel like a refined engine. Been on mobil1 for past 8k kms, and I didn't really notice any smoothness. Also on fe part, i get consistently 10 in city traffic. And on my last trip to cbe I got 16.xx. No complaints really...
	() Thanks

3rd January 2008, 23:27	#10
CorsaLove BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 392 Thanked: 18 Times View My Garage	I agree. The Corsa is amazing. I've been a very happy camper with mine for the past year. Suspension gets full marks!!
	() Thanks

4th January 2008, 10:14	#12
NIP Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,180 Thanked: 152 Times View My Garage	is this car still in production ?
	() Thanks

5th January 2008, 11:59	#14
vasudeva Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 2,221 Thanked: 212 Times	I think you have given a very honest review with which I largely agree. I also have a 2003 1.4 Corsa with close to 38K kms. Pros are smoothness on almost all surfaces, pretty silent at high speeds, stability at 100-110 kmph, and overall decent steering abilities. Cons are primarily gearbox as mentioned, parts falling apart at unpredictable intervals, service quality. I used to get 9-10 kmpl consistently while commuting in city. Office shifted to Gurgaon and FE WENT UP TO 11-13 kmpl. I use System G, light foot, and keep revs not above 2600 rpm. Resale is a killer with all GM cars with my 5 lakh Corsa now getting only 1-1.1 lakhs. No plans to sell it though for the next 2-3 yrs.
	() Thanks