1990 Volkswagen Corrado Reviews, Pricing & Specs

I love the car, hate that it is always broken down, not running, or not running because I'm waiting on parts that I had to order. Not for the amateur VW owner...you must know electrical systems and automotive electronics...and you must have the bible (a Bentley manual). Super fun to drive, the supercharger really makes it worthwhile to have a 4 cylinder, but if you really have to get a Corrado, get a VR6.Sep 04, 2010

the engine i swapped into it is breathtaking, despite the fact it draws plenty of attention from its sleek design to the fire blasting out of the exhaust on hard down shifts. the handling is unsurpassed and its actually the 2nd best handling front wheel drive ever produced. from its automatic spoiler to the feel of the cockpit, theres nothing quite like the feeling of driving one.Aug 25, 2008

I've always wanted a Corrado. Back when they were new, and the prices started at $20,000, I wanted one badly but wasn't in a position to afford a new sports car just yet. I decided I WILL HAVE ONE and laid out a plan to pay some things off in a few years and buy a new Corrado. As time went on and the Corrado got better, I got more excited knowing that soon I would be able to buy my own new Corrado and also afford the insurance [I was kinda young back then]. Then, it all came crashing down. Sales of the very expensive Corrado were way off, and VW was dropping the guillotine's blade on it. My dream was squashed, and so was I. But I digress...many years later, in 2007, I happened upon what would become my Corrado. It was the first-year model [not my first choice] and it was a G60 [also not my first choice] and lastly it was tweety-bird yellow [definitely not my first choice]. Knowing I would stand a greater chance of hitting the lottery or getting struck by lighting, or possibly both, before finding another Corrado in as-good of shape as this one and at this give-away price, I quickly got over my apprehensions and bought the thing. So far, I'm not sorry about it. The Corrado isn't a car for everyone; it's not easy to get into or out of, and working on it can be a royal PITA. It's also not inexpensive when parts are needed. What the Corrado does do is offer you handling that is sublime and an incredibly comfortable cockpit once you're belted in place. I've only had the car for a few months now, and I'm forever being approached by folks that either want to ooh & aah over it or gawk at it and ask what it is. One of those folks was a gentleman that buys & sells Porsches. He told me he had a Corrado once, and that he felt it was more capable than any Porsche he'd had when it came to all-out handling. I'm not sure if I believe that tale exactly, but I can attest that the handling is likely the best of any car I've ever driven in my 40 years. It's razor-sharp and responds to your input immediately. The ride is firm without being punishing, and the controls are very much driver-oriented. This is not your father's Oldsmobile. The manual 5-speed shifter works well but is far from the best I've used. If I understand correctly, it was the first year that VW used a cable shifter instead of a linkage shifter. It is notchy and the throws seem long to me and the clutch pedal is very stiff, but when you're "driving" the car, all of that seems to melt away. The aforementioned steering is very responsive and returns a great amount of road feel, typical VW actually. You never have to wonder what the tires are encountering down there as there's an open line of communication to your fingers. The view out isn't so great, but it never is in a sports car. There are large blind spots and you have to be certain when you're backing up. The seats are VW-great and also adjust for height which is a good thing in this low-slung car. Getting in and out is tricky, again typical for this type of auto. The rear buckets are a bit snug and tall people won't be happy back there for very long. On the technology side, I'm impressed that this car has auto-down front windows [from the driver's buttons] and you can also close the windows and the sunroof from outside the car by turning & holding the key in the lock position, handy if you're already outside the car and want to lock it up. Mine also has seat warmers which are great on cold mornings. One peculiarity is the perplexing glove box light; it's manually operated by a switch inside the glove box. If you leave it in the "on" position, it will turn off when you shut the car off. I have a VW that is 7 years older and much less technologically advanced, and it has a glove box with an automatic light and a proper switch. The Corrado new in 1990 was $20k +, the equivalent of about $35,000 seventeen years later in a car today. I would expect a small detail like that to not be overlooked in that price range. Go figure. The car also features another techno device - a speed-sensitive rear spoiler that deploys at 45 mph in the US and retracts at 20 mph. This reduces lift at highway speeds and helps to keep the rear end of the car in-check and the tires properly planted back there. The engine is coarse but instantly responsive. The supercharger doesn't have "lag" like a turbo might, so when you get on the throttle the car reacts immediately. Even though it is a four cylinder, it is a heavy sports car and it still manages 27 mph on the highway. Aside from the noise from the engine compartment, the car is surprisingly quiet. Road and wind noise are kept to a minimum and the stock exhaust is also quiet. There is also a multi-function trip computer that displays useful information such as trip time, average mpg, average mph, oil temp, outside temp, and the current time of day. It's a bit of a pain to have to cycle through all of those items to display the time, but I'd still rather have that information than be without it. The 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS help stop you with authority. Cars weren't yet required to have airbags when this one was made, so those pesky "motor-mouse" shoulder belts had to be fitted when an airbag wasn't installed. They're incredibly annoying and after the 7th time you've hit your head on them, you will rue their existence. At the end of the day, if you are in the market for an unusual sports car that is great fun to drive and you don't mind a few quirks, find a decent example of the Corrado and take it for a spin. I'll just bet you'll smile. A lot. :DNov 11, 2007