The Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa are the two best-selling small cars in the UK so it’s an important comparison.
However before comparing the two it’s worth noting being a best-selling new car isn’t social proof of being the best small car. This is because new car sales include fleet sales and dealer ‘self’ registrations. Also tiny city cars are almost a different market sector.
When you take into account the used car market which is over three times the size of new then small cars like the Mini, Clio, Polo, Ka, Micra, Yaris, Ibiza, Fabia and 207 all become strong contenders.
Another point is the growth of small diesel car sales can be put down to fleet sales which means private buyers who don’t do high mileage should think twice about this option.
Two other important points are the rising costs of car fuel and car insurance which will emerge when comparing the Fiesta and Corsa.
The Fiesta and Corsa have very similar entry prices. Both are basic models with sluggish engine performance. You will find their salespeople will walk you up their model ranges with manufacturer’s marketing programmes offering discounts and low rate finance.
Both cars come in a similar wide range of trims and engine options. So it’s important to know which equipment level and price you’re looking for and then make comparisons. The Ford Zetec and Vauxhall SXi seem the ones to buy. You should find the Corsa and Fiesta so similar it’s worth buying the best deal subject to your taste in driver comfort and style.
The Fiesta is styled with a window sill line that sweeps up reducing the size of the side rear windows. The Corsa 2-door has a roof line which drops down reducing the size of the side rear windows. This may give a more dynamic appearance but in both cases it reduces all-round rear visibility. The Corsa 5-door is much better.
The Fiesta and Corsa are virtually the same length with very similar luggage capacities.
The Corsa’s 3-cylinder 1.0 petrol engine is slightly more economical and cleaner than the Fiesta’s 1.2 60 PS. The more powerful 1.2 options are very similar in efficiency. The 1.4 petrol engines are also very similar given the slight trade offs for economy vs acceleration.
The diesel engines are also similar for power output, fuel consumption, emissions and performance with both offering advanced fuel consumption options.
The DVLA make the point that fuel consumption figures are the result of lab’ tests and when cars rank closely there may be little or no difference on the road. I personally wouldn’t be swayed in any direction by these figures.
If you consider diesel compare it with a petrol engine with a similar performance and calculate at what total mileage savings in fuel costs cover the added cost of a diesel car. You should find you need to be a high mileage driver for diesel to be viable.
With car insurance premiums it’s also important to get in the quotes for the model you fancy. Car insurance groups have widened from 1 to 20 to 1 to 50 meaning a wider range of premiums can be charged. You may be able to get cheap car insurance quotes for the entry models but the premiums quickly climb as you walk up the model ranges. The Corsa 1.7 CDTi and VXR will be more expensive as will be the Fiesta 1.6 120.
Where you see car insurance advertising targeting young drivers or the over 50s do not assume it will automatically be a cheap quote. You can save hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds by shopping around and collecting as many online car insurance quotes as possible. It’s frustrating but definitely worth it.
It may be disappointing to make car comparisons and find no real difference to give one car a definite advantage, making the choice easy. However when size, engine efficiency and safety features are so similar it does mean you can focus on what you personally like in driver comfort and style.
You can also play one against the other to get the best deal for discount, finance, part-exchange and add-ons – all four – don’t be swayed by just one aspect of an offer. Go for the best discount plus the best finance deal plus the best part-exchange price plus discounted add-ons. There are some great sounding deals out there at the moment – just ask for more.
Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk car comparisons revealing differences and similarities to help you find the car to fit your lifestyle and budget
