05/11/08

• Price20,940
• We like...Engine, steering, ride, looks
• We don't...Cabin is too sober-looking

After a generation away, the Scirocco's back - with an all-new look and attitude. Find out here what it's likeFor similar money, you can buy one of these – or a Golf GTi. They’re both cracking cars although there’s no doubt that, if you regularly need to ferry round four adults, that the Golf’s the more sensible of the two.

But, that aside, for us it would be Scirocco all the way. First, it looks fantastic – low and mean-looking at the front, with double lamps that make the merest of nods back to the last Scirocco, sold in the 1990s. The back is original and swoopily pretty, though from some angles it also has the look of a 15-year-old Honda. That’s no disgrace, though, because the Civic we’re thinking of was a handsome car.

Inside, you sit low, as you should in a sports coupe and the seats feel great – thick-bolstered, deeply padded, firm but comfy. The dash is usual VW, sober black, enlivened with splashes of chrome around the air vents and textured metal across the passenger’s side. It looks well finished and built to last, but also dull for this car.

 

Still, the leather-wrapped shift and wheel are a pleasure to hold, while the wheel’s squared-off lower rim is a marked visual link to sporting cars from sister-brand Audi: think R8 supercar, and RS6 performance saloon.

It’s a terrific thing to drive. The 198bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo is a great engine, one that’s already earned its spurs in the Golf and variously in other quick Seats, Audis and Skodas. It’s flexible, so you can trickle around town gently and easily but once away from 30mph limit signs and into thinly-trafficked lanes, it comes into its own. The steering is finely judged and well weighted, lending confidence as you push across a string of bends that you’ll place the Scirocco just where you want it. There’s a sense that the grip from the tyres will far outlast normal courage through a turn. It rides firmly, whether you set the dash switch controlling the dampers to ‘comfort’ or ‘sport’, but in whichever setting it remains comfortable and well constrained.

Pile on a few revs and the engine’ll emit a throaty blare but the power comes in evenly and is always controllable. It’s a lot of fun to pilot but, for such a sporty car, very relaxed, too.

It’s also an easy car to live with, day-on-day. The boot is generous and sensibly shaped, although a high lip and relatively small opening mean that you’ll need muscles to heave a week’s groceries into it. The Scirocco’s strictly a four seater and each of the individual chairs in the back tips its back to extend load space. There’s sufficient space back there for modestly sized grown-ups but , as we said, it’s not a car to fill with people for a long jaunt.

A high window line and a sloping tail makes reversing a challenge, so it’s not a good choice for edging into tight city parking spaces.

As it’s a new model, second-hand ones are as yet scarce and pricey. And, considering its looks and the way VWs maintain high prices when used, don’t expect bargains anytime soon.

We love the Scirocco. It’s great to drive, good-looking, sensibly priced, un-flashy but definitely very, very cool. Good enough to draw a ‘cult’ following? We think so. Only time, though, will find that out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To view new and used Volkswagen Sciroccos, go to motors.co.uk

 

 

• Engines2.0 TSI
• Power198bhp
• 0-60 mph
• Economy37.2mpg
• CO2g/km179
• Insurance groups16
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats4

Motors.co.uk value verdict: