Vauxhall Corsa vs Renault 5
Figures updated
The Renault 5 is a new rival to the Vauxhall Corsa, one of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Corsa F (2019–) and the E-Tech (2024–) 5 on price, size, boot space, performance, safety, official economy and running costs.
The short answer
The Vauxhall Corsa comes out ahead, with the lower price; the Renault 5 is close on everything else.
- The Vauxhall Corsa is the cheapest to buy new: from £20,590, £2,405 less than the Renault 5.
- Their boots are much the same size: Vauxhall Corsa 309 litres, Renault 5 326 litres.
- No MOT reliability comparison yet: the Renault 5 is too new for MOT records (cars first take an MOT at three years old).
- Running costs are close: the electric, charged at home versions cost within £10 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Vauxhall Corsa: it fails on them 2.4 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Vauxhall CorsaCorsa F (2019–), 5-door hatchback | Renault 5E-Tech (2024–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £20,590 to £34,445July 2026 price list (best) | £22,995 to £30,695October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 309 litres / 1,118 | 326 litres / 1,106 (best) |
| Length | 4,060mm | 3,922mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,765mm | 1,808mm |
| Height | 1,433mm | 1,498mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 75–136 PS | 120–150 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 8.2–11.2 sec | 7.9–9.0 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2019) | ★★★★★ (2024) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Electric, Petrol | Electric |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 47.9–65.9 mpg | – |
| CO2 | 96–132 g/km | – |
| Electric range | 206–258 miles | 190–255 miles |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.8p a litre, today's UK average | £1,017 (57.6 mpg) | – |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | £548 (4 mi/kWh) | £548 (4 mi/kWh) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £548 (electric) | £548 (electric) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 80Well below average | Too new for MOT data |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 35.3% | – |
| Failed at 3 years old | 15.4% | – |
| Failed at 5 years old | 19.7% | – |
| Failed at 10 years old | 41.5% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (5.2% of tests) | – |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (2.4×), Exhaust and emissions (1.7×) | – |
| MOT tests analysed | 896,932 | – |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,800 | – |
| On sale | 2019 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault 5 more reliable?
It's too early to say from MOT records: the Renault 5 is too new, as cars take their first MOT at three years old. The Vauxhall Corsa has a reliability score of 80 (100 is average) from 896,932 MOT tests in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault 5?
The Vauxhall Corsa is 138mm longer (4,060mm against 3,922mm). Their boots are much the same: 309 and 326 litres.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault 5?
The Vauxhall Corsa: new prices start at £20,590, £2,405 less than the Renault 5 (from £22,995). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault 5?
Comparing electric versions, fuel costs are within £10 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault 5?
Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Corsa 4 stars (2019) and the Renault 5 4 stars (2024). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault 5?
The Vauxhall Corsa comes out ahead, with the lower price; the Renault 5 is close on everything else. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.