Opel Corsa OPC 1.6 Turbo 192 hp, road test (Exterior design, interior and finishes)

Our protagonist these days is the Opel Corsa OPC, that is, the most sporty and radical variant of the small German. Small not in terms of power, since under the bonnet it has a 1.6-litre turbo engine capable of delivering 192 hp.

Everything related to the engine and how much fun it is on the road we discussed in the first part of the test. Now it’s time to talk about the design, and on the outside it’s immediately obvious that this is not a conventional Corsa, but it also surprises us with the interior finish, and that is precisely what we are going to tell you about today.

Exterior design

Every OPC model (Opel Performance Center) has a look that matches those initials, from the smallest in the range to the powerful 300 hp Insignia OPC. The Corsa OPC differs from the rest of the range by being available only as a three-door body and with a sporty finish.

Larger bumpers with air intakes in the form of fins on the sides, on both the front and rear bumpers. At the front the new headlights of the Corsa range stand out, which incorporate daytime running lights (bulb-type) and a cornering function, as well as a specific design for the more sporty fog lights.

On the sides, the sill extensions and the 18-inch alloy wheels catch the eye (the standard fitment is 17-inch), with the darkened wheel design especially emphasising the car’s sportiness.

At the rear, the triangular exhaust outlet is a feature that gives the Corsa OPC its personality and distinguishes it unmistakably from any other Corsa. The rear bumper design and the darkened rear lights, together with the spoiler, complete the look.

Overall, on the outside we identify the model, besides all of the above, by its OPC blue colour, another hallmark, with the interior matching in blue as well.

Interior design, roominess and quality of finishes

When we get inside, our eyes go straight to the “RECARO” sport seats, which come as standard. They also include side airbags (sportiness need not be at odds with safety). For fans of sporty city cars, they are among the best seats for support and comfort at the wheel.

They hold the body perfectly and the driving position is very comfortable, and few sporty city cars come with seats this good as standard. The other details that catch the eye are the various OPC logos on the steering wheel and gear lever, as well as the blue trim on the air vent edges, matching the exterior colour.

The steering wheel is large; a slightly smaller, more specific one for this OPC version would not go amiss. Even so, it features OPC logo inserts and blue stitching on the upper section, once again adding a racing touch to the 192 hp city car.

It also has instrumentation that is slightly different from the conventional Corsa, with blue accents and a few nods to sportiness, but a water or oil temperature gauge would not hurt in a car with sporting character like this one.

Once we set aside the elements specific to an OPC model, the dashboard is identical to that of the Opel conventional Corsa, with average materials and plenty of plastic, but with correct fit and finish given that we are talking about a city car.

The monotony of the dashboard is broken by the new navigation system, introduced with the Corsa facelift, and frankly it surprised us with its ease of use, simplicity and good performance (it also integrates Bluetooth for your phone).

The only thing that is poorly resolved is the two screens, on one hand we have the navigation system that integrates the radio, phone and navigation, and on the other the upper screen that controls the climate and on-board computer functions. That upper screen is very large and is a legacy from the Corsa; it could be smaller and make the climate control a little more intuitive.

When we review the interior we cannot forget the space, which in the front seats is adequate and we can travel comfortably, but the rear seats are somewhat tighter. Also, in the case of the OPC only the three-door body is available, which makes access to the rear seats more difficult, and on top of that they have no rear support element, making them uncomfortable on a more spirited drive.

Storage and boot

The storage is well resolved in the Corsa: it has door pockets of a reasonable size, and the main glovebox is not huge but does its job well. There are also storage spaces in the centre console for a phone or house keys.

Finally we have the boot, with a capacity of 285 litres. It has a regular shape, so we can make full use of its capacity without problems, which is greater than that of a Mini, for example.

We close our review of the second part of the test of the Opel Corsa OPC, but we will return with the third part, where we will focus on equipment, safety, prices and our overall assessment of this small sporty city car.

Photos | David Taboada