Volkswagen Derby 86 1.3 (60 Hp)


Overall Rating

7.2 / 10
Safety N/A / 5
Not Rated
Engine 3.5 / 5
Value 4.0 / 5
Performance 2.5 / 5
Comfort 3.0 / 5
People\'s Opinion 3.7 / 5

Volkswagen Derby:

Volkswagen Derby was the name first given by German automaker Volkswagen for the commercialization of the booted saloon version of its Volkswagen Polo Mk1 supermini, between 1977 and 1981 in Europe. Later, the Derby name was used by the Mexican Volkswagen subsidiary for the Polo Classic Mk3 saloon on its domestic market in the mid-1990s.
With 72,412 sold in 1977 alone the car was initially popular, outselling the Polo sister model in that year, but sales quickly tailed off in subsequent years....(Read more on Wikipedia)

86 Overview:

Volkswagen Derby (86). With 95 Nm of torque, it offers ample pulling power. It has moderate fuel consumption (~10.2 l/100km). Weighing only 700 kg, it’s quite light. Front‑wheel drive delivers efficiency and easy handling. The top speed reaches 153 km/h. A four-door car with a separate trunk, ideal for families and daily commuting. Seating for 5 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 Derby (86) was produced before modern safety testing standards like Euro NCAP were established. Safety features were basic by contemporary standards, focusing on fundamental structural integrity rather than advanced occupant protection systems.

1.3 (60 Hp) Verdict:

Rating 4 stars

Performance Verdict

The 1.3-liter engine offers adequate performance for its era, providing sufficient power for daily driving and a reasonable 0-60 mph time for a compact car of the late 70s.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy is respectable for a carburetted engine from this period, offering a good balance between urban and extra-urban consumption for cost-effective motoring.

Best Use Case: Mixed driving (City & Highway)

reddit Community Verdict

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

Allowed: 58% Neutral: 17% Issues: 25%
rating
3.7 / 5

Based on AI analysis of 12 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.
👍 POSITIVE
We have a 22 year old Golf with 200 k, got a new battery and egr valve, a 13 year old polo with a new battery and 75k. And an ID.3 with 20k and 4 years old.
👎 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.
👍 POSITIVE
116k on my stage two mk7 1.8 tsi . Besides water pump and a leaky drain pain , it’s been great and still have fun driving it .


Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • • Economical to run (fuel, maintenance)
  • • Compact and easy to maneuver
  • • Reliable and simple mechanics
  • • Practical sedan body style
  • • Good for urban environments

Cons:

  • • Limited performance, especially with smaller engines
  • • Basic safety features by modern standards
  • • Dated interior and comfort features
  • • Rust can be an issue on older models
  • • Lack of modern amenities

Specifications:

General:
Brand:Volkswagen
Model:Derby
Generation:86
Modification (Engine):1.3 (60 Hp)
Start of production:1977
End of production:1981
Powertrain Architecture:Internal Combustion engine
Body type:Sedan
Seats:5
Doors:2
Engine:
Power:60 Hp @ 5600 rpm.
Power per litre:47.2 Hp/l
Torque:95 Nm @ 3400 rpm.
Engine Model/Code:HH
Engine displacement:1272
Number of cylinders:4
Engine configuration:Inline
Number of valves per cylinder:2
Fuel injection system:Carburettor
Engine aspiration:Naturally aspirated engine
Valvetrain:SOHC
Engine oil capacity:3.5 l
Engine layout:Front, Transverse
Cylinder Bore:75 mm mm
Piston Stroke:72 mm mm
Compression ratio:8.2:1
Performance:
Fuel Type:Petrol (Gasoline)
Fuel consumption (economy) - urban:10.2 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (economy) - extra urban:6.6 l/100 km
Maximum speed:153 km/h
Weight-to-power ratio:11.7 kg/Hp, 85.7 Hp/tonne
Weight-to-torque ratio:7.4 kg/Nm, 135.7 Nm/tonne
Acceleration 0 - 60 mph:12.9 sec
Space:
Kerb Weight:700
Max. weight:1130
Max load:430
Permitted trailer load with brakes (12%):650 kg
Fuel tank capacity:36 l
Permitted trailer load without brakes:380 kg
Size:
Length:3914 mm mm
Width:1557 mm mm
Height:1351 mm mm
Wheelbase:2329 mm mm
Front track:1295 mm
Rear (Back) track:1313 mm
Ride height (ground clearance):97 mm
Minimum turning circle (turning diameter):9.6 m
Powertrain:
Drivetrain ArchitectureThe Internal combustion engine (ICE) drives the front wheels of the vehicle.
Drive wheelFront wheel drive
Number of gears4
Transmission typeManual
Front brakesDisc
Rear brakesDrum
Steering typeSteering rack and pinion
Wheel rims sizeFront wheel rims: 4.5J x 13
Front suspensionWishbone, Transverse stabilizer
Rear suspensionTrailing arm, Torsion

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