MANY will have learned to drive in a Vauxhall Corsa and that is no great surprise.

It has been around since 1993 and over 13.5 million of them have been sold in Europe and the UK market takes a large chunk of them.

The latest model arrived in December and it is neatly styled and features a modern interior and all the latest technology.

Vauxhall is now owned by the French PSA Group so the new Corsa shares quite a lot with the latest Peugeot 208.

There are four trim levels called SE, SRi, Elite and Ultimate Nav with prices ranging from £15,500 to £25,990.

Engines are mainly 1.2-litre petrol units with a choice of power outputs of 75ps or 100ps, or a 1.5-litre 102ps diesel.

There is also a choice of a five or six-speed manual gearboxes, along with an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

The SRi Nav model powered by the 1.2-litre petrol engine with 100ps and 205Nm of torque will be the most popular and that is the car I have been sampling for the past week.

It is capable of 121mph and tackles the sprint to 62mph in just 9.3 seconds. It is quiet and smooth and always feels punchy and willing. It can also return up to 52.3mpg.

The new Corsa sits lower than the old model and this helps the SRi look sporty.

Design cues include sweeping light clusters, a black roof and A pillars, sports front and rear body styling, chrome-effect exhaust pipes, tinted rear windows, high gloss black door pillars and roof spoiler with 16-inch silver four-twin-spoke alloy wheels.

The sporty theme continues inside the cabin with fabric sports seats with red and white stripes.

Red and white facia accents on the dashboard, chrome-effect interior door handles and contrast stitching all add to the look, while the flat-bottomed, multi-function steering wheel is leather trimmed.

Metal sports pedals complete the look but I found them too close together for comfort when wearing winter boots.

The SRi Nav features a seven-inch touchscreen that is angled towards the driver, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for smartphone connection, Bluetooth, sat nav, a six-speaker sound system and lots more.

There is room for four adults to travel in comfort but back seat passengers may struggle for legroom if they are taller than average.

The boot space is good for 309 litres and that can be increased to 1,081 litres with the 60:40 split rear seats folded flat.

It is easy to find a comfortable driving position in this new fifth generation Corsa and then you can really enjoy the drive.

Acceleration is smooth and the six-speed manual gearbox allows you to enjoy the power of the responsive three-pot turbo engine.

Considerably lighter than the previous model having shed 108kg, the Corsa is well balanced and enjoys being pushed on country roads. It is also at home around town where it is easy to park and it is just as happy cruising at motorway speeds.

The steering is sharp and accurate and the handling agile with bags of grip.

As you would expect this latest version is crammed with all the latest safety equipment to keep you and your passengers safe.

The new Corsa is fun to drive, well-equipped and a great all-rounder with all the latest technology but some rivals that are just as good are considerably cheaper.