Faults:

Lots of wear and tear rather than actual faults or breakdowns, the car was very reliable. In my long ownership I think I replaced the exhaust and suspension parts entirely. Ditto for brakes.

Battery + alternator failed. Its one and only breakdown. But I should have changed the battery sooner as it was old.

Had a small oil and coolant leak in its final years also. Never bothered to investigate, just topped up now and then, it was its final year or so. But generally I looked after car well, it got all services.

Suspension sub-frame rust caused it to fail an MOT when it was 15 years old and higher mileage so it was scrapped.

General Comments:

A very basic and boring Corsa, however my first car served me well for many years.

Actually better to drive than you might think - very, very quiet and refined. I had no problems with long or short journeys in this car.

It was black with wheel trims, very basic model. The 1.2 petrol was not very fast, but always did around or more than 40 mpg. Cheap insurance also and repairs.

The Corsa is a popular first car for a reason - easy to drive, cheap to run, and comfortable. I recommend this car to anyone that has recently learned to drive. Plenty out there on the market - pick a nice one with history, avoid the rough cars, there is always much to choose from.

Faults:

Not much, minor rattles in the interior and a rough idle sometimes when cold that I never really bothered investigating myself; just got it all fixed under warranty when new.

General Comments:

A very modern small car that is generations ahead of its predecessor, this Corsa felt much more refined. Only got this car as a stop gap and had to downsize from a Vectra due to economy reasons. At first I thought I would hate it after driving mostly larger cars for years, but this was surprisingly comfortable, so long as you are not carrying too much luggage or passengers.

Well equipped enough and nicely designed interior. Fiddly indicators were a pain to use though, I think Vauxhall realised their mistake with this feature and gave you the option to use the indicators normally in future cars.

Handling of the car is fine, but performance was poor. I know it was only a 1.2 petrol, but I was expecting a bit better. Dread to think what the 1.0 must be like! If recommending this car to anyone I'd say go for a 1.4 and upwards. Not in a boy racer way, just wanted a bit more power as you really appreciate it overtaking on country roads; to be fair though I think cars of this size are called "city" cars for a reason - they are really out of their depth on longer drives out of town, that's when you appreciate a larger car. Also wasn't quite as good on fuel for a 1.2 - yes it done over 40 MPG, but my previous Vectras with 1.8 and 2.0 engines did around 40 as well on long drives. Would have liked a bit more for such a small car.

Still, for a smaller car the Corsa surprised me - it wasn't as unrefined as I thought it would be and was generally comfortable and reliable for the time I had it, and from what I hear they hold up well long term if you look after them. So if you are looking for a reliable small car, get a Corsa with a bigger engine, pick a nice color and alloy wheels, and happy economical motoring. Not got much more to say, it is what it is, just an ordinary honest little car.