STYLISH

But now, almost as quickly as it started, the morning traffic has died and left us to tackle the spaghetti of lanes that snake through Brighton's off-front centre. And if at first the maze of one-way streets seems distinctly anti-car, the New Corsa's agility all make short work of tight spaces. As well as looking dynamic, it feels dynamic - with the sporty SXi's bespoke suspension set-up subtly re-tuned to deliver a grin-inducing driving experience.

Our version's 1.4-litre ECOTEC engine is an engaging powerplant. Delivering 90PS at 5600rpm and 125Nm of torque from only 4000rpm, the SXi, given a bit more elbow room, sprints to 60mph in 10.5 seconds and would go on to a 111mph maximum, law permitting.

But even on-paper figures as good as those do little to illustrate its zesty nature and keenness to deliver.

To understand that you really need to drive it. The five-speed manual gearbox has shorter ratios to keep the 1.4-litre engine deep in its power band more of the time. That unique suspension set-up is unashamedly sporty - lowered by 20mm, with springs and dampers stiffened and honed to further rein in unwanted body movement and tie it onto the road.

And it gets an intelligent steering system. All of which are significant dynamic changes for a single supermini model, particularly for budget-conscious drivers. But for Vauxhall, the driver comes first. And for all the SXi's sparky performance, its economy is also excellent; a 45.6mpg official combined figure gives a 450-mile range, while a low Group 4