Photo: original image by autoevolution
For today's comparison, we're going to take a quick look at two top contenders from the European supermini segment. From Germany, we have the new Opel Corsa E and from America… actually, it's from Spain, the Ford Fiesta.
Both cars are available with 3-door body styles which are cheaper and arguably better to look at. However, most buyers will go for the more practical 5-door body, which is what we're basing our analysis on.
Technically, the Fiesta is just a facelift of the model that's been on sale since 2009. However, it's the best selling car in the segment and the 1-liter EcoBoost engine that equips it has won more awards than we can actually count. The Corsa E is brand new, but shares its underpinnings with the old model. Opel has also introduced its very own 1-liter, 3-cylinder turbo engine now. We smell some competition in the air!
Opel's 1-liter engine is called ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo ecoFLEX Start/Stop, but we're just going to call it the Ecotec Turbo for short. It's available with either 90 or 115 PS and identical levels of torque to the Ford, 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) of torque from 1,800 rpm. However, the power comes in much sooner, at 3,700rpm, compared to 6,000rpm in the Fiesta. The top speed is identical at 180 km/h, though sprints take 11.9 seconds due to the long gearing in 1st and 2nd.
On paper at least, Ford has the advantage in the economy battle as well. Combined numbers show 4.3 l/100km (65.7 mpg UK) in the Fiesta and 4.5 (62.8 mpg) in the newer Corsa E. In the real world, you are never going to match any of these figures. A good rule of thumb is to add 50% on a supermini and 40% on a bigger compact. However, the fact that a Fiesta emits 99 g/km makes it cheaper to tax in some countries.
Which one looks the best? We'll let you decide and cast your vote in the comment section below. However, since the Fiesta has that Aston Martin grille, we think this isn't a fair competition.
As far as prices are concerned, the 5-door Corsa with a 1-liter turbo engine starts at €15,230 in Germany. This makes it a couple of hundred euros cheaper. But every few months, Ford dealers offer the EcoBoost engine for free or a higher level of trim at no extra cost. So if you wait, the Spanish-built car could be the better supermini bargain.
Technically, the Fiesta is just a facelift of the model that's been on sale since 2009. However, it's the best selling car in the segment and the 1-liter EcoBoost engine that equips it has won more awards than we can actually count. The Corsa E is brand new, but shares its underpinnings with the old model. Opel has also introduced its very own 1-liter, 3-cylinder turbo engine now. We smell some competition in the air!
The engines
The 1.0 EcoBoost is available in two stages of tune, 100 PS and 125 PS. Almost all buyers go for the base unit, which needs 11.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h and has a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph).Opel's 1-liter engine is called ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo ecoFLEX Start/Stop, but we're just going to call it the Ecotec Turbo for short. It's available with either 90 or 115 PS and identical levels of torque to the Ford, 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) of torque from 1,800 rpm. However, the power comes in much sooner, at 3,700rpm, compared to 6,000rpm in the Fiesta. The top speed is identical at 180 km/h, though sprints take 11.9 seconds due to the long gearing in 1st and 2nd.
On paper at least, Ford has the advantage in the economy battle as well. Combined numbers show 4.3 l/100km (65.7 mpg UK) in the Fiesta and 4.5 (62.8 mpg) in the newer Corsa E. In the real world, you are never going to match any of these figures. A good rule of thumb is to add 50% on a supermini and 40% on a bigger compact. However, the fact that a Fiesta emits 99 g/km makes it cheaper to tax in some countries.
Which one looks the best? We'll let you decide and cast your vote in the comment section below. However, since the Fiesta has that Aston Martin grille, we think this isn't a fair competition.
As far as prices are concerned, the 5-door Corsa with a 1-liter turbo engine starts at €15,230 in Germany. This makes it a couple of hundred euros cheaper. But every few months, Ford dealers offer the EcoBoost engine for free or a higher level of trim at no extra cost. So if you wait, the Spanish-built car could be the better supermini bargain.
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