Volkswagen Corrado: which version to buy and why
The Volkswagen Corrado was sold in one generation (1988–1995) as a Hatchback 3-door with ten versions. There is no later generation to “step up to,” so the buying choice is entirely among those ten: two 1.8 MT / 1.8 AT pairs that are not the same car, two 2.0 MT / 2.0 AT pairs that are not the same car, and one 2.9 MT / 2.9 AT pair.
The Volkswagen Corrado was sold in one generation (1988–1995) as a Hatchback 3-door with ten versions. There is no later generation to “step up to,” so the buying choice is entirely among those ten: two 1.8 MT / 1.8 AT pairs that are not the same car, two 2.0 MT / 2.0 AT pairs that are not the same car, and one 2.9 MT / 2.9 AT pair. Same badge, different power, different 0–100, different kerb weight. The numbers below are from the catalogue data only; CO2, eco class, engine location and wheel size are not measured on any version.
Specs snapshot: all ten versions
| Version | hp | Nm | cc | Fuel | Cylinders / layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 MT (160 hp) | 160 | 220 | 1781 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | Compressor | Manual 5 | FWD |
| 1.8 AT (160 hp) | 160 | 220 | 1781 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | Compressor | Automatic 4 | FWD |
| 2.0 MT (115 hp) | 115 | 172 | 1984 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | No | Manual 5 | FWD |
| 2.0 AT (115 hp) | 115 | 172 | 1984 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | No | Automatic 4 | FWD |
| 2.0 MT (136 hp) | 136 | 180 | 1984 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | No | Manual 5 | FWD |
| 2.0 AT (136 hp) | 136 | 180 | 1984 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | No | Automatic 4 | FWD |
| 2.9 MT (190 hp) | 190 | 245 | 2861 | Gasoline | 6 / V-shaped | No | Manual 5 | FWD |
| 2.9 AT (190 hp) | 190 | 245 | 2861 | Gasoline | 6 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | FWD |
| 1.8 MT (136 hp) | 136 | 180 | 1781 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | No | Manual 5 | FWD |
| 1.8 AT (136 hp) | 136 | 180 | 1781 | Gasoline | 4 / Inline | No | Automatic 4 | FWD |
Every version is FWD. Manuals are 5-speed; automatics are 4-speed. Fuel is 95. Front brakes are Ventilated disc, rear Disc. Front suspension Independent, spring; rear Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem. Ground clearance is 110 mm and the tank is 55 L on all ten.
Same name, different engine: do not mix the pairs
1.8 MT appears twice. The 160 hp car uses a Compressor, 2 valves per cylinder, 220 Nm at 3800 rpm, compression 8, 8.5 s to 100 km/h, 225 km/h, kerb 1215 kg. The 136 hp 1.8 MT has No boost, 4 valves per cylinder, 180 Nm at 4400 rpm, compression 8, 9.3 s, 210 km/h, kerb 1175 kg. That is 24 hp and 40 Nm less, 0.8 s slower, 15 km/h slower on top, and 40 kg lighter. Specific output: 160 / 1.781 ≈ 89.8 hp/L versus 136 / 1.781 ≈ 76.4 hp/L. The Compressor 1.8 is the densest engine in the range.
1.8 AT splits the same way: 160 hp Automatic is 9.1 s / 222 km/h / mixed 9.3 L/100 km / kerb 1118 kg; 136 hp Automatic is 9.9 s / 208 km/h / mixed 6.7 L/100 km / kerb 1175 kg. Buying “a 1.8 automatic” without the horsepower figure is buying the wrong car.
2.0 MT and 2.0 AT also split. The 115 hp pair: 2 valves, 172 Nm at 3200 rpm, compression 10.3, 10.6 s (MT) or 11.5 s (AT), 200 or 196 km/h, kerb 1135 or 1114 kg, gross 1505 kg. The 136 hp pair: 4 valves, 180 Nm at 4400 rpm, compression 10.8, 9.3 s (MT) or 9.9 s (AT), 210 km/h both, kerb 1175 kg, gross 1545 kg. Extra 21 hp and 8 Nm buy 1.3 s (MT) or 1.6 s (AT) to 100 km/h and 10–14 km/h of top speed, at +40 kg (MT) or +61 kg (AT) kerb versus the 115 hp cars. Specific output: 115 / 1.984 ≈ 58.0 hp/L versus 136 / 1.984 ≈ 68.5 hp/L.
The 2.9 pair is unique: 190 hp, 245 Nm, 2861 cc, 6 cylinders V-shaped, No boost. There is no second 2.9 to confuse it with.
Performance: what the extra displacement actually buys
Fastest 0–100 is 2.9 MT at 6.9 s; slowest is 2.0 AT (115 hp) at 11.5 s — a 4.6 s gap inside one body. Highest top speed is 2.9 MT at 235 km/h; lowest is 2.0 AT (115 hp) at 196 km/h — 39 km/h.
Against the Compressor 1.8 MT (160 hp, 8.5 s, 225 km/h), 2.9 MT is 1.6 s quicker and 10 km/h faster, with +30 hp and +25 Nm, at +55 kg kerb (1270 vs 1215). Weight per horsepower: 1270 / 190 ≈ 6.68 kg/hp versus 1215 / 160 ≈ 7.59 kg/hp. The 2.9 is the lightest car per horsepower in the range on a Manual; the lightest Automatic per horsepower is 1.8 AT (160 hp) at 1118 / 160 ≈ 6.99 kg/hp.
2.9 AT (7.7 s, 225 km/h) matches the Compressor 1.8 MT on top speed and beats it by 0.8 s to 100, but uses Automatic 4 instead of Manual 5. Versus 2.9 MT, the Automatic costs 0.8 s and 10 km/h.
The naturally aspirated 1.8 MT (136 hp) and 2.0 MT (136 hp) share 136 hp, 180 Nm, 9.3 s and 210 km/h. They are not interchangeable on economy or mass: mixed consumption is 6.0 vs 7.6 L/100 km; highway 7.6 vs 6.0; city both 12.3. Same 1175 kg kerb and 1545 kg gross. The 2.0 is 203 cc larger (1984 vs 1781) and uses 4 valves like the 1.8 136 hp pair. Specific output favours the smaller engine: 76.4 hp/L vs 68.5 hp/L.
2.0 MT (115 hp) at 10.6 s / 200 km/h is 2.1 s and 25 km/h behind Compressor 1.8 MT, and 3.7 s / 35 km/h behind 2.9 MT. It is the slowest Manual. 2.0 AT (115 hp) is the slowest car in the catalogue.
Economy (mpg in catalogue terms: L/100 km)
City, highway, mixed — all measured on every version.
Lowest city: 2.0 AT (115 hp) at 10.0 L/100 km. Highest city: 2.9 AT at 14.3 — 4.3 L/100 km more. Lowest highway: 2.0 MT (136 hp) at 6.0. Highest highway: 2.9 AT at 9.4.
Mixed is not a simple ranking by power. Compressor 1.8 MT lists mixed 6.4 with city 12.4 and highway 8.4. 1.8 MT (136 hp) lists mixed 6.0 — 0.4 lower mixed than the 160 hp Manual, with the same city 12.3 and highway 7.6. 2.9 MT mixed 7.2 sits between those and the 115 hp 2.0 MT mixed 7.8. Compressor 1.8 AT mixed 9.3 is the thirstiest mixed figure in the range, above 2.9 AT mixed 7.9, even though the 2.9 Automatic is 30 hp stronger. Do not assume “bigger engine = higher mixed”; the data does not rank that way.
Tank 55 L on all. Range is not measured as a catalogue field; only the three consumption figures and tank volume are given.
Dimensions and weight: the 97 kg trap on 1.8 160 hp
Kerb weight is not “the 1.8 is light, the 2.9 is heavy” as a clean ladder.
- Lightest kerb: 2.0 AT (115 hp) 1114 kg
- Then 1.8 AT (160 hp) 1118 kg
- 2.0 MT (115 hp) 1135 kg
- 2.0 136 hp both gearboxes and both 136 hp 1.8 cars: 1175 kg
- Compressor 1.8 MT (160 hp): 1215 kg
- Both 2.9: 1270 kg
Gross: 1505 kg on both 115 hp 2.0; 1525 kg on both 160 hp 1.8; 1545 kg on both 136 hp 2.0 and both 136 hp 1.8; 1580 kg on both 2.9. Payload (gross minus kerb): 1525 − 1215 = 310 kg on Compressor 1.8 MT; 1525 − 1118 = 407 kg on Compressor 1.8 AT; 1505 − 1135 = 370 kg on 2.0 MT 115 hp; 1505 − 1114 = 391 kg on 2.0 AT 115 hp; 1545 − 1175 = 370 kg on the 136 hp fours; 1580 − 1270 = 310 kg on both 2.9. The Automatic Compressor 1.8 carries the most payload on paper; the Manual Compressor 1.8 and both 2.9s carry the least (310 kg).
Ground clearance 110 mm all. Wheel sizes not measured. That 110 mm is the only ride-height figure; there is no generation-to-generation change because there is only one generation.
Which version to choose
If the goal is the shortest 0–100 and the highest top speed: 2.9 MT. 190 hp, 245 Nm, 6.9 s, 235 km/h, 6.68 kg/hp. Cost in the data: highest kerb (1270 kg), city 12.8, highway 8.8, mixed 7.2. 2.9 AT if an Automatic is required: 7.7 s, 225 km/h, city 14.3 — the highest city figure in the range.
If the goal is the most power from the smallest engine: Compressor 1.8 MT (160 hp). 89.8 hp/L, 220 Nm, 8.5 s, 225 km/h — top speed equal to 2.9 AT, 10 km/h short of 2.9 MT, 1.6 s slower than 2.9 MT. Mixed 6.4 is lower than 2.9 MT mixed 7.2. Compressor 1.8 AT (160 hp) if Automatic: 9.1 s, 222 km/h, but mixed 9.3 is the worst mixed number here, and kerb 1118 kg is 97 kg below the matching Manual — use that mass figure as printed, not as a “typical automatic penalty.”
If the goal is 136 hp without a Compressor: the 136 hp 2.0 MT and 136 hp 1.8 MT are tied on 9.3 s and 210 km/h. Choose 1.8 MT (136 hp) if mixed 6.0 matters more than highway 6.0; choose 2.0 MT (136 hp) if highway 6.0 matters more than mixed 7.6. Automatic twins: 2.0 AT (136 hp) 9.9 s / 210 km/h / mixed 8.1; 1.8 AT (136 hp) 9.9 s / 208 km/h / mixed 6.7. Same 0–100, 2 km/h and 1.4 L/100 km mixed apart.
If the goal is the lowest city figure and the lowest peak speed is acceptable: 2.0 AT (115 hp) — 10.0 city, 11.5 s, 196 km/h, 1114 kg. 2.0 MT (115 hp) is the Manual equivalent: 10.6 s, 200 km/h, city 10.6, mixed 7.8, 1135 kg. These two have the lowest specific output (≈58 hp/L) and the highest kg/hp (about 9.7–9.9). They are the versions where you give up 75 hp versus the 2.9 and 45 hp versus the Compressor 1.8.
Manual vs Automatic on the same engine (arithmetic):
- 160 hp 1.8: Automatic +0.6 s, −3 km/h, mixed 9.3 vs 6.4.
- 115 hp 2.0: Automatic +0.9 s, −4 km/h, mixed 8.7 vs 7.8.
- 136 hp 2.0: Automatic +0.6 s, 0 km/h top speed, mixed 8.1 vs 7.6.
- 190 hp 2.9: Automatic +0.8 s, −10 km/h, mixed 7.9 vs 7.2.
- 136 hp 1.8: Automatic +0.6 s, −2 km/h, mixed 6.7 vs 6.0.
Across the range the Automatic is 0.6–0.9 s slower to 100 km/h; the largest top-speed loss is 10 km/h on the 2.9.
There is no second generation, so “which generation” is not a choice. Reliability and typical faults are not measured in this dataset. Wheel sizes, CO2, eco class and engine location are not measured. Use the horsepower in parentheses whenever two versions share 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 2.0 MT or 2.0 AT — those four names each cover two different engines.