Volkswagen Corrado (89-96) - Review

The driver and front passenger should be more than comfortable in the Corrado, but rear space is tight and cramped. The interior quality is reasonable throughout the cabin; the dash is as tasteful as can be expected from a plastic design, and there are plenty of nice touches. The sporty ride is firm but fluent; giving a muscular hold into tight corners that can be a little bit unsettling. The cloth upholstery tends to look a little tatty in older Corrados, although the leather versions are much more durable and comfortable.

On open roads, the Corrado is brave and astute, with plenty of desire to overtake and progress, but has sufficient handling accuracy to remain lucid and self-controlled. The boot capacity is reasonable for this type of car, even though the rear seats are a little cramped – especially over lengthy journeys or when sitting behind taller drivers. The Corrado’s three-door design does make rear seat access a little tricky and inconvenient, though the likelihood of using them on a daily basis is rather slim.

The driving position is authoritative and fully adjustable, enabling the driver to gain a good viewpoint of the road. Furthermore, there are no major blind spots and rear-view visibility is adequate. Left-hand drive Corrados are naturally hampered a little by visibility issues, with overtaking manoeuvres proving very risky in particular. There are no big problems with the plastic dash layout either, it is thoughtfully laid out and fully functional, while the seats hug you well and look especially stylish in leather.