THE SAIL, launched in May 2003, is the hatchback body style in the Corsa family, and aims to be the prestige choice in this segment. The base 1.4 model promises to offer good value as well.

DESIGN & ENGINEERING
BLAND STYLING, SUPERB BUILD
The Sail's rounded styling lacks the design flair of the Palio and the Indica and is pretty bland in comparison, a touch dated even. The bug-eyed lights and a stretched cut-out in the chin give it a bit of character.
You can't dispute the build quality though. The Corsa feels extremely tough, the paint has a nice gloss to it and it exudes an expensive feel. Under the curvy skin, it has a tough suspension too with anti-roll bars at both ends.

INTERIORS, SPACE & EQUIPMENT
WELL EQUIPPED BUT ERGONOMICS COULD BE BETTER
Like the Palio and Indica, the Corsa offers mid-size car passenger space in a hatchback, which is impressive. However, the interiors aren't as spacious or airy as the Indica or Palio and the rear seat is nowhere near as comfortable.
The driver's seat is the most generous of all, but the ergonomics are below par. The steering wheel is too large, the gear lever set too far back, but worst of all the driver's footwell is cramped and the pedals too close together, which can be quite alarming if you have large feet.
The interiors feel robust and built-to-last but the plastics are hard and lack the prestige feel Opels are supposed to have. Luggage space is the best though and the 60:40 rear seat split gives it unmatched load-carrying versatility. You can fold a seat down, making airport pick-ups and golf games with friends manageable.
Equipment levels on the 1.4 are reasonable with the recent inclusion of a better-looking instrument cluster with an electronic odometer as standard.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE
UNRESPONSIVE AND COARSE BUT STILL QUICK
The most powerful car by far, the 88bhp Corsa is, not surprisingly, pretty quick, but the performance figures don't tell the entire story. The engine doesn't seem eager or willing and you have to wring it by its neck to make it perform. It feels coarse when extended to the redline and the stiff feel of the throttle pedal doesn't help.
The gearshift though improved, still feels notchy and ponderous. For city driving, the short gearing is useful to take off from a standstill but the Corsa feels best on the highway where it can cruise quite effortlessly at three-digit speeds.

RIDE & HANDLING
NO FUN TO DRIVE BUT RIDE OUTSTANDING
The Corsa's ride quality is easily the best of this bunch. The suspension is amazingly quiet and glides over rough patches filtering out the disturbances with aplomb before they reach the passengers. This magic carpet ride is possibly the Corsa's biggest strength. The comfort-oriented dynamics of the Corsa compromise on its agility. The steering feels mushy and doesn't encourage quick steering inputs. Body roll is well contained but it changes direction slowly and the heavy controls makes it feel ponderous, especially in traffic. Straightline
stability is again exceptional, and the heavy steering feels reassuring at high speed.

FUEL EFFICIENCY
THIRSTIEST OF THE LOT
The Corsa is among the heavy-weights in this class and the laws of physics go against it. In addition, it also has what is among the largest of engines in this bunch.
We didn't expect great efficiency from the Sail, and we were right. The car recorded a thirsty 9.0kpl in the city and 13.8 on the highway put it at the bottom of the table.

BUYING & OWNING
RELIABLE BUT MAINTENANCE CAN BE EXPENSIVE
The 1.4 Sail is the most expensive of this bunch and only comes in one variant, but for Rs 4.58 lakh you get solid German engineering and a well-equipped car. Maintenance, however, is on the expensive side and spare parts are not cheap, especially when you compare them to the Marutis. The car is reliable and like most German cars has that built-to-last air about it.