It's one thing enjoying the medley of a new car launch selection, and quite another to drive a fairly modest version on your home ground. I was impressed by Vauxhall's new Corsa on its international launch and predicted great things for the arrival - so I was more than a little curious when I took delivery of a 1.2-litre 16-valve Club three-door test vehicle.First impressions were not good. Launch doubts about some of the interior plastics were confirmed; the well-designed dash is finished in hard and unyielding plastic skins which do this promising little star no favours. With something as good at its disposal Vauxhall needed to push the boat out and improve plastic trim, but my modest 1.2 Club was no better than the launch vehicles. Where are the soft-touch surfaces of the competition, the warm feel of modern plastics you find in Japanese cars? Certainly not here.Vauxhall has missed an opportunity, and it's an important one. First impressions are vital. Showroom opinions can seal a deal but anyone turned off by hard plastic trim is unlikely to let the Corsa get past step one. What a pity. Virtually everything else about this roomy and well-constructed supermini is exemplary. Why spoil the picture with Lucky Bag trim?But plastics were not my only concern. Initial impressions on the performance front came as I drove away with the 1.2-litre heart doing its level best to live up to the Corsa's fine chassis. But it's a bit of a dog. Smooth enough and willing round town, the four-cylinder unit gets stretched in the cruise and needs to be worked hard to hustle the Club along at any reasonable pace.It's not a poor engine, but in this excellent little hatchback it falls into the "can't pull the skin off a rice pudding" category. There's every reason to save up your pennies and opt for the fine 89bhp 1.4-litre petrol as an alternative power plant. Acceleration is adequate through the gears and overtaking manoeuvres are not too fraught. But the combination of relatively low power, maximum torque of just 81lb/ft at a high 4000rpm and a sticky five-speed manual change initially blunted the Corsa Club's appeal.However, this car has a thick silver lining. Not only is it spacious, with brilliant ride and handling along with superb comfort for the driver and passengers, but in Club guise it represents great value with high levels of equipment. In addition to a good MP3-compatible CD sound system with excellent steering wheel mounted audio controls, the Club gets twin dual-stage front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with Emergency Brake Assist, electrically-adjustable door mirrors, body-coloured bumpers, doorhandles and side mouldings, central locking and power steering that feels a little too light at speed.The package also includes welcome lighting, remote central locking and electric front windows and a useful DualLoad boot floor that adds flexibility to cargo carrying.In essence, for a little over £9300, the 1.2 Club represents outstanding technology and breathtaking value. Little wonder Corsa has already grabbed some significant awards and is selling like hotcakes in the UK.Interior space is league-leading. At 3.99 metres it is much longer than the old model and access to the rear seats of my three-door test car was easy thanks to wide doors and front seat backs that move well forward to maximise space.Supermini drivers are not used to refinement, but that's what they get with this Corsa. Setting aside the sometimes thrashy engine, it's a relaxed place for occupants. Road noise is well tamed, wind rush impressively low and visibility excellent despite the Corsa's rather high-set rear quarters.Driving the car over a long hilly country route showed up its fine handling - very predictable, very sure and compliant. Having to constantly stir the gearbox to coax best performance was a low point, but in fairness the small-capacity engine was willing enough to rev and still managed to return a reasonable 47mpg average during my time with the Club.I was never a great fan of the previous models - dull and lightly constructed. But the replacement is more of a scaled-down Astra than a scaled-up old-model Corsa. It gains everything its excellent new big brother has to offer and more.Here's a car that gets admiring glances from pedestrians and other motorists. Its architecture is clever, blesses the hatchback with real character and offers a feast of design sweeps and curves that have been developed from the seductively sleek Astra Sport Hatch.Boot space is great - 285 litres with the parcel shelf and rear seats in place and 700 litres with everything behind the front seats folded. Fill it to the roof and you can squeeze an incredible 1100 litres of load in the back.I'm convinced the Corsa is a star in the making. Its style is revolutionary, but sufficiently sober to ensure it will not age quickly. The 1.2 Club is well appointed, but I'd be cautious about putting my money down on this engine if I planned longer drives with reasonable loads. The 80bhp unit is willing but needs a lot of revs, and that can be wearing. Far better to shell out another £500 for the same model with the 1.4 litre 16-valve engine. Another 9bhp may not sound a lot, but the extra smoothness and 11lb/ft of torque make a world of difference. Engine 1229cc, 4 cylinders Power 80bhp Fuel/CO2 48.7mpg / 139 g/km Acceleration 0-60mph: 13.0 seconds Top speed 104mph Price £9370 Details correct at publication date
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