In the eastern block we used to call it eastern BMW - Bakelite Motor Vehicle (although bakelite wasn't exactly the composite used as it seems). Or that repair set for it comprised of just carpet tape. It didn't have that great reputation, at least not in 80s.
I think the Trabant was just fine when you compare it to the cars designed in its era - the 50s and 60s, I think it stands up to the Bug pretty well, its just they didn't bother updating the design for decades, and by the 80s, it looked like a relic out of time.
