Volkswagen Corrado 53l 1.8 16V (136 Hp) Automatic


Overall Rating

6 / 10
Safety N/A / 5
Not Rated
Engine N/A / 5
Not Rated
Value N/A / 5
Not Rated
Performance N/A / 5
Not Rated
Comfort N/A / 5
Not Rated
People\'s Opinion 3.0 / 5

Volkswagen Corrado:

The Volkswagen Corrado is a sport compact car which was marketed by Volkswagen from 1988 until 1995. It was manufactured by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany. The Corrado is a three-door coupé with two side passenger doors and a rear liftback that seats four passengers in a 2+2 seating arrangement. It has a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout and was based on the Volkswagen Group A2 platform used in the Volkswagen Golf Mk2.
Designed by Herbert Schäfer, the Corrado overlapped and eventually superseded Volkswagen's Scirocco model. 97,521 Corrados were manufactured over the seven year production run; about 50,000 of them were sold in the United States....(Read more on Wikipedia)

53l Overview:

Volkswagen Corrado (53l). With 180 Nm of torque, it offers ample pulling power. Weighing only 1175 kg, it’s quite light. Front‑wheel drive delivers efficiency and easy handling. Acceleration is relatively slow (0–100 km/h in 9.9 s). The top speed reaches 208 km/h. A two-door car with a fixed roof, known for its sporty design and dynamic performance. Seating for 4 makes it ideal for daily use.

Safety Rating
Not rated
Euro NCAP Year N/A
Adult Occupant N/A
Stars N/A
Expert Note:
The Volkswagen Corrado (53l) was produced before Euro NCAP testing began in 1997, so no official rating is available. Safety features were typical for its era.

1.8 16V (136 Hp) Automatic Verdict:

Rating 7 stars

Performance Verdict

Offers adequate performance for daily driving, though the automatic transmission slightly dulls the 16V engine's potential compared to the manual.

Fuel Economy

Fuel consumption is moderate for a sporty coupe of its era, with the automatic contributing to slightly higher figures than the manual.

Best Use Case: City / Commuting

reddit Community Verdict

This rating is based on comments found on Reddit, scanned using artificial intelligence, and may not accurately reflect reality.

Allowed: 36% Neutral: 29% Issues: 36%
rating
3 / 5

Based on AI analysis of 14 discussions

Read What Owners Say
👍 POSITIVE
The JD power reviews and bullshit and bought out VW's are reliable. Their 2.0T engines are nearly bullet proof. Granted they have been having issues with their tiguans but overall great cars!
👍 POSITIVE
Yes. I had a 2013 Jetta S, put 160k on it with zero issues and nothing but basic maintenance and traded it in for a new Jetta.
👎 NEGATIVE
A lot of people conflate cost of maintenance with reliability. The people bashing brands like VW, Audi, and BMW will turn around and praise Porsches for being reliable. Yes, Porsches are reliable, but maintenance costs are high. Being reliable means that the car won't break down on you unexpectedly. Unless you're buying a VW that is well known to fail (for example, 1st and 2nd gen EA888 engines),
👎 NEGATIVE
I’m at 105k miles and had to replace two emissions systems valves ($1800) and the 21’s have shit brakes. I’ve spent more money on brakes and rotors than anything. Almost never have to change them on a Yota or a Honda. Facts
👍 POSITIVE
Take care of the car and it'll take care of you for a long while.
👍 POSITIVE
Every 5,000 miles change the oil using the Volkswagen standard 502 synthetic, and you should have many years of hassle-free driving. I'm driving a 25-year-old Passat wagon with 190,000 mi on the clock. So I guess what I'm saying is they're reliable as long as you do the maintenance.
👎 NEGATIVE
Reliable? Yes but not as good as they used to be (built wise). They used to be better but VW cut corners since Diesel gate.
👍 POSITIVE
They are reliable. I only have to top off my coolant reservoir in 4 months.
😐 NEUTRAL
Effectively every vehicle is reliable if you maintain it. And sometimes things break. On any vehicle.
😐 NEUTRAL
It depends a little on the model. I had a 2013 Jetta that never gave me shit except for a few little things (evap solenoid, wheel bearing). She always started. I recently bought a B6 Passat for a project that wasn’t running, now that I’ve gotten it going it’s having a few little problems but nothing substantially wrong with it. I think it depends on how well you’re willing to maintain your car


Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • • Distinctive and timeless design
  • • Engaging driving dynamics and handling
  • • Potent G60 supercharged engine option
  • • Practical hatchback-style boot
  • • Good build quality for its era

Cons:

  • • G60 supercharger requires regular maintenance
  • • Rear seating is cramped
  • • Automatic transmissions dull performance
  • • Parts availability can be challenging for some components
  • • Fuel economy can be high, especially for G60

Specifications:

Specifications are compared to those of the previous generation(53l: 1988 - 1991).

General:
Brand:Volkswagen
Model:Corrado
Generation:53l
Modification (Engine):1.8 16V (136 Hp) Automatic
Start of production:1989
End of production:1991
Powertrain Architecture:Internal Combustion engine
Body type:Coupe
Seats:4
Doors:2
Engine:
Power:136 Hp @ 5800 rpm. Same horsepower
Power per litre:76.4 Hp/l [Same length.]
Torque:180 Nm @ 4400 rpm.
Engine Model/Code:KR More details about the engine KR
Engine displacement:1781
Number of cylinders:4
Engine configuration:Inline
Number of valves per cylinder:4
Fuel injection system:Multi-port manifold injection
Engine aspiration:Naturally aspirated engine
Engine oil capacity:4 l
Coolant:5.5 l
Engine layout:Front, Transverse
Cylinder Bore:81 mm mm
Piston Stroke:86.4 mm mm
Compression ratio:8:1
Performance:
Fuel Type:Petrol (Gasoline)
Fuel consumption (economy) - urban:12.7 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (economy) - extra urban:6.7 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (economy) - combined:8.1 l/100 km
Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h:9.9 sec
Acceleration 0 - 62 mph:9.9 sec
Maximum speed:208 km/h
Weight-to-power ratio:8.6 kg/Hp, 115.7 Hp/tonne
Weight-to-torque ratio:6.5 kg/Nm, 153.2 Nm/tonne
Acceleration 0 - 60 mph:9.4 sec
Space:
Kerb Weight:1175
Max. weight:1545
Max load:370
Trunk (boot) space - maximum:810 l
Trunk (boot) space - minimum:235 l
Fuel tank capacity:70 l
Size:
Length:4050 mm mm [Same length.]
Width:1690 mm mm [Same width.]
Height:1310 mm mm [Same height.]
Wheelbase:2470 mm mm [Same wheelbase.]
Front track:1435 mm
Rear (Back) track:1430 mm
Powertrain:
Drivetrain ArchitectureThe Internal combustion engine (ICE) drives the front wheels of the vehicle.
Drive wheelFront wheel drive
Number of gears4
Transmission typeAutomatic
Front brakesVentilated discs [Best for performance and cooling.]
Rear brakesDisc
Assisting systemsABS (Anti-lock braking system)
Steering typeSteering rack and pinion
Power steeringHydraulic Steering
Tires size195/50 R15
Wheel rims size6.5J x 15
Front suspensionWishbone
Rear suspensionSuspension with traction connecting levers

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