Published:
25 May 2012No truly great hot hatch can be referred to as such without sporting a suitably tasty interior. With the Corsa VXR, Vauxhall has constructed a cabin as good in some areas as it is bad in others.
We like the clarity of the dashboard, think the standard-fit Recaro seats (complete with side airbags) are superb, and appreciate the strong basic packaging of the three-door bodyshell, including its rear seats and boot.
But some of the minor details, most of which have been applied in the same VXR branding, are less successful. Such as the deeply naff VXR-logoed gear lever and the gimmicky flat-bottomed steering wheel, which neither looks nor feels anything like the steering wheel of a Golf GTI.
The Recaros are excellent and the basic driving position is sound, but some testers found the seats don't adjust low enough. The rest of the ergonomics are very good: the instruments are clear to read day and night and the controls are sensibly positioned. The gearlever however, is truly awful.
Then again, you can’t really argue against the VXR’s showroom appeal. But incremental price rises means that, despite the decent level of standard equipment it provides it is becoming a pricey alternative.
