We foretold the Corrado’s classic status 30 years ago. We take a look at how this hot hatch holds up today
The car feels lively and engaging, no matter the engine fitted. Sure, its straight-line performance ranges only from Up GTI to Polo GTI by today’s standards, but get it on a good, winding country road and the Corrado is a real blast.325i Coupé in 1992, we called its handling “extraordinarily good” – citing its sophisticated, capable chassis as a particular standout – and crowned the mighty VW the winner. It really is that good to drive.
In the verdict of that very test, we had already dubbed it a ‘classic’. We also spoke about how we wouldn’t be surprised if, in 20 years, it were being referred to as “one of the all-time greats”. A couple of accurate predictions, we think you’d agree – ones that ring true even more clearly today than they did 10 years ago.“Perhaps the Corrado’s strongest value is its balance. The ‘passive’ rear-wheel steer works superbly, and the car combines great chuckability with fail-safe stability.