When was the last time you saw a Mitsubishi Cordia? A decade ago? Two decades ago? Never? We’ve only seen one here on Barn Finds, and it was almost a decade ago. This 1988 Mitsubishi Cordia L is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Hartford, Wisconsin, and they’re asking $4,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Lothar… of the Hill People for the tip!
Back when you may have had your bleached hair spiked and you pushed up your jacket sleeves to the elbow, Mitsubishi offered customers the two-door hatchback Cordia. From 1982 through 1990, you could get one in this exact body style and nothing else, no four-door sedans, no wagons, no convertibles. This was it. It looks like a classic 1980s car, as if it were designed on Autocad more than with free-flowing pen and ink, clay models, and lots of sleepless nights trying to get every sweeping line just perfect.
That isn’t to say that it isn’t a pleasing design, or that those who poured their hearts and souls into turning them out, both in the studio and the factory, weren’t on top of their game. It was just a different era. I really like the crisp, sharp angles and especially the flat-topped rear wheel arches, or what were actually arch-shaped on many other vehicles. It reminds me of a video game come to life. Even the tiered rear bumper is unique. This is my favorite angle of this car. Jeff Lavery showed us a nice ’84 Cordia Turbo almost a decade ago here on Barn Finds, and it had a buy-it-now price of $3,750 listed, ouch.
Summit White, Ascot Silver, Selbia Black, Rio Red, and Geneva Green were the colors for 1988, and the interior is decidedly stylish in this checked pattern. A five-speed manual makes this car fun to drive, despite it not being the Cordia Turbo model. As expected, the rear seat looks great, but we don’t get a peek at the rear cargo area or any underside photos. The seller says it’s “excellent,” and the price is hard to argue with, even with 154,000 miles.
The engine should be Mitsubishi’s 2.0-liter SOHC inline-four with 88 horsepower and 108 lb-ft of torque. The non-turbo had a two-barrel carb, and it isn’t a lot of power. The turbo only had 116 horsepower, but that’s a noticeable difference in a 2,400-pound car. Backed by the five-speed manual sending power to the front wheels, the seller says it’s a winner and they just have too many cars. Have any of you heard of this model?
Thanks Gilbertson.
Rare as hens teeth
This is a great find Scotty. I forgot about these until seeing this one. My parents friends had a Mitsubishi Tredia ( early 80’s) it was a great rereliable car. It makes you wonder where has thing been hidden and kept this nice all these years it seems like a good price too.
I believe these were basically Mitsubishi Gallants, in two-door guise. I had almost forgotten about these.
It was a size smaller than the Galant, the sedan was the Tredia. Both were the first cars Mitsubishi sold in America under their own name.
Wow, this one dusted off the cobwebs. Mitsubishi built a decent and reliable car. Sad that they are barely around anymore.
Mitsubishi made some stylish and dependable cars, admittedly I forgot about this one. Great write up.
Many years ago, I worked at Mitsubishi Motors, and my corporate lease car was exactly like this one. In fact – it could be this very example it’s so close. I never liked the looks of it – I think the designers were trying to mimic the new front grille of the current Mustang, and I hated the “fender skirt” look of the rear quarter panels. But, the Cordia did have its charms. I remember thinking how cool it was that there were these little pop out vents in the B-pillar for rear seat ventilation, a very Japanese, over-engineered solution to simple pop-out rear quarter windows. And I joked that the car’s name was “Cordial” as after all the back said “CORDIA L.” Thanks for this little trip down memory lane with this awesome Barn Find.
In 1983 my Dad bought a new Tredia (the 4-door version of this) with an Automatic trans. A couple years later I had an ’84 Colt Turbo that Dodge appropriately called the “Pocket Rocket”, and I remember Dad saying “There’s one thing I can do with MY car, that you CAN’T do with yours.”
Okay, what’s that, Dad?
“I can floor it at the edge of town and go 4 miles to Highway 7 without ever exceeding the speed limit!!”
My Dad was the king of sarcasm – but he was RIGHT!!
They had the same 1.6L engine IIRC so even with even induction and transmissions the lighter Colt would be faster.
Great comments! I wasn’t sure if this one would go over or not.
Ha, “Cordial”, now I can’t help but think of that whenever I see a Cordia L.
I had completely forgotten about this model. That’s why it’s nice when someone preserves obscure models. If someone doesn’t, they will be forgotten.
The Tredia, Cordia, Gallant, Colt, and the Sigma. It was a great lineup of cars. This is going to make someone a great conversation item at Cars & Coffee. I had a couple of Starions, what a blast they were to drive. The cars I mentioned all seem to be exceptionally rare cars, and to that point, I wonder about parts.