Vauxhall drops Corsa diesel option after 35 years. The supermini continues with petrol and electric power in line with customer demand and electrification plans. The Corsa is now available exclusively with petrol and electric power, following the removal of the diesel variant from price lists.
The move brings to an end 35 years of diesel-engined Corsa models, which began with the introduction of a 1.5-litre Isuzu unit as an option for the first-generation car (called the Nova in the UK) in 1987.
Vauxhall removed the diesel option for the previous Corsa from sale around a year before production ended, with it accounting for just 2.5% of sales, but introduced a new diesel for the current car when it was launched in 2019.
The current Corsa’s diesel option was a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit producing 102bhp and capable of a claimed 88.3mpg. The surviving options are 1.2-litre petrols with 74bhp and 99bhp and a 134bhp battery-electric powertrain with a range of 222 miles.
The Vauxhall Mokka crossover, which uses the same CMP architecture as the Corsa, continues to be offered with the diesel option, as do the closely related Peugeot 208 supermini and Peugeot 2008 crossover.
The Vauxhall Crossland, Vauxhall Grandland and Vauxhall Insignia are also still offered with a diesel engine, as is the upcoming new Vauxhall Astra family hatchback.
Vauxhall has committed to offering an electrified version of each of its models by 2024 and will take all combustion-engined cars off sale in 2028. A Vauxhall spokesman told Autocar: “The Vauxhall Corsa is based on a multi-energy platform, giving consumers the choice of powertrain that best suits their needs.
“Vauxhall has committed to going fully electric from 2028 and in line with that commitment will review its ICE powertrain offering from time to time. In line with UK customer demand, Vauxhall decided to remove the diesel powertrain from Corsa, leaving the all-electric Corsa-e and petrol-powered Corsa, as part of our model year changes announced on 6 April 2022.”
