Renault 5 E-Tech vs Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo: 5-year cost to own (UK)
Over 5 years in the UK (12,000 mi/yr), as of August 6, 2026, the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo stays the cheaper car to own — about £27,778 vs £32,084 for the Renault 5 E-Tech, a £4,306 difference over 5 years. The UK Electric Car Grant is shown separately, not in these totals.
UK Electric Car Grant: up to £3,750 off the price of an eligible new EV (RRP ≤ £37,000, applied by the dealer). Shown for reference; not included in the totals above. Source: GOV.UK Electric Car Grant.
Cheaper to own over 5 years · UKVauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo · £27,778 total · £4,306 less than the Renault 5 E-Tech
Renault 5 E-Tech vs Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo — where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · Renault 5 E-Tech | Petrol · Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | £16,737 (52%) | £11,132 (40%) |
| Charging / fuel | £5,554 (17%) | £7,699 (28%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~£666) | — |
| Maintenance | £1,500 (5%) | £2,250 (8%) |
| Insurance | £2,780 (9%) | £2,455 (9%) |
| Financing interest | £4,513 (14%) | £3,242 (12%) |
| Registration & fees | £1,000 (3%) | £1,000 (4%) |
| Total cost of ownership | £32,084 | £27,778 |
When does the Renault 5 E-Tech win?
The Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo wins decisively here — £4,306 cheaper over 5 years; at typical assumptions this isn't a close call.
Only heavy drivers flip this one: the Renault 5 E-Tech needs more than about 30,000 mi/yr to beat the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo. Cheaper home power is the other lever: below 5.87p/kWh at the same driving, the Renault 5 E-Tech comes out ahead (this page uses 26.11p/kWh). A longer hold also changes it: keep the car past 12 years and the Renault 5 E-Tech comes out ahead.
What decides the Renault 5 E-Tech vs Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo verdict
One line outweighs everything else here: depreciation. It costs £16,737 on the Renault 5 E-Tech against £11,132 on the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo — a £5,605 swing to the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo, bigger than the £4,306 that separates the two 5-year totals. On the Renault 5 E-Tech, depreciation alone is 52% of its £32,084 total; on the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo it is 40% of £27,778.
- Energy: £5,554 of charging for the Renault 5 E-Tech vs £7,699 of petrol for the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo — £2,145 the other way, to the Renault 5 E-Tech.
- Financing interest: Renault 5 E-Tech £4,513, Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo £3,242 — £1,271 more in the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo's favor.
- Maintenance: Renault 5 E-Tech £1,500, Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo £2,250 — £750 the other way, to the Renault 5 E-Tech.
Energy is the Renault 5 E-Tech's strong suit: £2,145 back, 50% of the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo's lead — just not enough to turn it. At the dealer the Renault 5 E-Tech starts £6,755 behind the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo; running costs claw back £2,449 of that, but the Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo still ends £4,306 ahead. The Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo is ahead by £1,824 after the first year and more than doubles that lead — £4,306 by year 5.
Renault 5 E-Tech vs Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo, side by side
Renault 5 E-Tech
- 5-yr total cost
- £32,084
- Cost / month
- £535
- Cost / mile
- £0.54
- RRP
- £26,995
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 24 kWh/100mi
Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo
- 5-yr total cost
- £27,778
- Cost / month
- £463
- Cost / mile
- £0.46
- RRP
- £20,240
- Powertrain
- Petrol
- Efficiency
- 54.3 mpg
- UK electricity
- 26.11p/kWh Ofgem
- UK petrol
- £1.53/litre GOV.UK