Nova face as Corsa stands test of time

Vauxhall's veteran supermini gets another facelift, writes Julie Marshall

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The Corsa, Vauxhall's incredibly popular supermini, has been around far longer than you may realise.

Although the name Corsa debuted in the UK in 1993, it had been known as the Nova in this country for the 10 years preceding its introduction. Elsewhere in Europe, it was known as the Corsa.

It proved popular, with 500,000 sold during the decade.

I owned one in the early 1990s and loved it, only relinquishing it when I needed something bigger.

According to figures from the industry's trade body, the Corsa is the fourth best selling car in the UK so far this year, with 23,486 units. The top three are Ford Puma (33,221), Kia Sportage (29,279) and Nissan Qashqai (25,571).

Since launch, there have been six generations of Corsa (including the Nova), with the most recent, as tested here, making its appearance in 2019. It was given a major upgrade in 2024.