Used Vauxhall Corsa-e 2020-present review

For a few years now, the Vauxhall Corsa-e has sat alongside the petrol-powered Vauxhall Corsa as the Corsa's electric car (EV) counterpart. That's right, the car you probably passed your driving test in has a zero-emissions twin.

Vauxhall's parent company – Stellantis – is largely to thank for its existence. Seeing as Stellantis also owns Peugeot, the Peugeot e-208 made perfect sense as the basis for the Corsa-e. It and the e-208 share lots of major parts, and that's no bad thing because the e-208 is a car we rate highly.

Performance & Range: The Corsa-e is fitted with a 50kWh battery and an electric motor allowing for 134bhp to be sent to the front wheels. During What Car? testing, it managed 0-60mph in a 8.0sec, which is more than respectable for a small car.

From miles per hour to miles of range: the Corsa-e's official figure is 222 miles on a full charge. That's similar to the e-208's 217 miles and we know that car is capable of more that 160 miles in real-world driving conditions.

In 2024, the Corsa-e saw a facelift, ushering in a new battery and electric motor option (to sit alongside the 50kWh one). It's comprised of a 51kWh battery and 154bhp electric motor (still driving the front wheels only). The official range of this version is 246 miles. The facelifted e-208 also received this battery and motor.

Ride & Handling: Whichever trim you choose, the Corsa-e falls short of being truly sporty to drive, despite its zippy performance. It leans more through corners than petrol-powered Corsas – a side-effect of lugging around the extra weight of its 50kWh battery.

The steering has been given a weightier feel than the non-electric version, but it's still rather vague. The e-208 feels better sorted on the road, bordering on good fun to drive.

The ride of the Corsa-e edges towards the firm side, and the car feels a little fidgety over abrasive surfaces. Unlike the more supple e-208, it struggles to take the sting out of sharper intrusions, such as potholes and expansion joints. That said, its ride never becomes outright uncomfortable.

Interior & Practicality: While this is a small car, even tall drivers should find enough space up front. Head and leg room are good, and the interior is wide enough to not risk an elbow fight between front-seat occupants.

In the back, meanwhile, there’s enough space for children and those of modest stature, but a pair of larger adults won't want to spend too long in the back. To add a third would be a real squeeze, although the middle seat is at least softly cushioned. Every Corsa-e has five doors, so access to the rear seats is no problem.

The Corsa-e doesn’t compromise on interior or boot space compared with its petrol-powered stablemate, even though it has to accommodate a sizeable battery. The only concessions are that it can’t carry a spare wheel.

Trims & Equipment: Every Corsa-e is pretty well equipped. SE Nav trim gets you sat-nav and smartphone integration features, plus rain-sensing wipers, automatic LED headlights, high-beam assist, keyless start and climate control. Elite Nav adds larger 17in alloy wheels, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a rear-view camera, LED front fog lights, tinted rear windows and a 10in colour touchscreen infotainment system.

Interested in buying a used Vauxhall Corsa-e? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Used Vauxhall Corsa-e prices begin at roughly £10,000 and, for that, you'll be getting a 2020 SE Nav or Elite Nav car, often with a mileage of around 30,000. Spend around £13,000 on a 2021 or 2022 car, while 2023 models go for around £15,000.

After a nearly new, facelifted Corsa-e? Well, as of writing, that'll be around £20,000.

Check the value of a used Vauxhall Corsa-e with What Car? Valuations

Find a used Vauxhall Corsa-e for sale here

Charging: Charging up from 0-100% using a wall box at home takes seven hours and 30 minutes, which is fine for an overnight charge. The car is capable of charging at 100kW, so if you can find a rapid charger in the UK it can be charged from 0-80% in 30 minutes. You can charge it from a domestic three-pin socket, but that takes more than 24 hours, and you have to pay extra for that cable.

Insurance and servicing: Insurance costs are low and servicing costs should be reasonable.

Reliability

The feedback we've gathered for our annual What Car? Reliability Survey suggests that the Corsa-e generally has good reliability. Most owners have few complaints, with some minor electrical issues like sensor glitches and software bugs reported, which are usually quickly fixed by dealers. Dealer service has garnered mixed reactions: many applaud the efficient and friendly service, while a few have been dissatisfied with long waits for appointments and repairs.

Discover more about used Vauxhall Corsa-e reliability and common problems on our dedicated reliability page.

Looking solely at pre-facelift cars (because they're much cheaper to buy), the Vauxhall Corsa-e only has one 'engine' setup: a 50kWh battery and one electric motor that drives the front wheels.

Currently, the best way to access a saving over new is to look at 2020 Elite Nav or SE Nav cars. As Elite Nav is the higher spec and is available for similar money, we recommend that one.

Our favourite Vauxhall Corsa-e: 50kWh Elite Nav

The Vauxhall Corsa-e's closest rival is its Stellantis 'twin', the Peugeot e-208. The two cars are near-identical mechanically, differentiating themselves with their exterior and interior designs. The e-208 has more flair but sacrifices some ease of use, and its i-Cockpit digital instrument display doesn't work for everyone.

If you'd like a cheaper (and/or slightly older) electric car of a similar size, there's the Renault Zoe or the larger Nissan Leaf family car. Those likely to do mainly urban driving, could also consider smaller city cars, including the Seat Mii Electric, Skoda Citigo e iV and Volkswagen e-Up – although they have much shorter ranges.

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Interested in buying a used Vauxhall Corsa-e? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.