Vauxhall Corsa facelift revealed

Vauxhall's Corsa supermini has been given a mid-life makeover. The 2011 model has brought the popular small car's styling into line with its Insignia saloon and Astra stablemates – and the new nose is dominated by the Luton-based company’s distinctive ‘eagle eye’ headlight design.

The revamp is the work of chief exterior designer Niels Loeb. As well as the new headlamps – which incorporate a set of LED daytime running lights, and are similar to those debuted on the latest Meriva – Loeb has given the Ford Fiesta rival a fresh chrome grille and restyled front bumper with a wider air intake.

There are also five new exterior colour options to choose from, including striking Lime Green and Chilli Orange pearlescent paint. Completing the visual changes are fresh 16-inch alloys on SE and SXi models, while the range-topping VXR performance version now gets 18-inch wheels inspired by the 20-inch alloys on the larger Insignia VXR.

The interior cabin has been lifted too, with new upholstery shades and different colour door trims, centre console and handles. Vauxhall will also offer its new Touch and Connect multimedia system, which features a CD player, USB and auxiliary inputs, as well as Bluetooth compatibility and a five-inch touchscreen display for the sat-nav.

The cosmetic upgrades complement the numerous mechanical changes already introduced to the Corsa range earlier this year, which include the addition of stop-start technology to the latest fuel efficient ecoFLEX engines.

The bargain of the facelifted range is the £9,995 entry-level three-door 1.0 ecoFLEX, which is effectively £200 cheaper than its predecessor when you take into consideration the 4 January VAT increase. Prices for all other models rise by 2.5 per cent courtesy of the Treasury, but Vauxhall’s own increases are only between around £60 and £75. The first cars are due to be delivered in February.