Few would deny that the Vauxhall Corsa has been sold on its pert good looks. Even the very first 1993 versions still look neat to this day and it must have acted as a genuine temptation for the General Motors designers to come up with a car that was as good as it looked. Although steps in this direction were taken in 1997 with an overall revamp, it wasn't until 2000 that this aspiration was realised.

The late shape Vauxhall Corsa answers many of the criticisms of its predecessors and followed on from the Astra in presenting the company with a series of genuinely class competitive models. As a used proposition it is similarly appealing.

What You Pay Prices start at around £2,900 for a 2000 X plate 1.0-litre 3-door Expression, with the Club model little different. For another couple of hundred pounds it's really worth seeking out a 1.2-litre Club on a 2000 X plate. The 1.2-litre Easytronic in three-door Comfort guise starts at £3,500 and is a good choice if you plan on a lot of urban stop start stuff. A range-topping 1.2i Elegance five-door with air-conditioning retails at around £3,600 on a 2001 X plate.

The 1.4i models possess a useful additional zip, and a sporty SRi variant starts at £4,000 on a 2000 X plate, with a 2001 X plated five-door version commanding an extra £500. Diesels start at £3,500 for a 2001X GLS, with a similar vintage Elegance five-door with air-conditioning retailing at around £4,000.

What To Look For There have been no reported issues with the Second Generation Corsa so far. Check for the usual parking knocks and scrapes and make sure the alloys aren't kerbed. Anything without a full service history should be given the Spanish Archer and always go for the biggest engine your budget will allow.

As a used proposition the Second Generation Corsa is one of the best supermini buys available. It's certainly a more modern car than, say, a 2001 model Fiesta and is streets ahead of a Punto in terms of fit and finish. Best buy?

That would have to be a toss up between the 1.4SRi and the 1.2 Easytronic.

Whichever model you opt for, a used Corsa is difficult to get wrong.