7 reasons to buy a Volkswagen Scirocco

The Volkswagen Scirocco coupé offers many qualities of the Golf hatchback, but with a sporting flair. It doesn't have a huge number of rivals, because the sports car segment isn’t doing so well at the moment. However, you can count the Ford Focus ST, Audi TT and BMW 2 Series as its competition.

The Scirocco is the smallest coupé in the Volkswagen line-up, below the Passat-based CC. While the Scirocco been praised for its handsome styling and typical Volkswagen styling, its practicality drawbacks mean it’s a niche purchase.

So, why should you buy a Volkswagen Scirocco? Here’s why we think it’s a good shout:

7 reasons to buy a Volkswagen Scirocco

7. Reliability

There have been very few reported issues with the Scirocco. If you want additional peace of mind you can opt for an extended, 90,000 mile/five year warranty, but it’s quite expensive, so is only advisable on complex diesels or a model that's going to be hard-worked performance-wise.

6. Ride

The suspension across the Scirocco range, even the more racy R model, is comfortable over all but the most gnarled roads; so you’ll never need a post-drive visit to the chiropractor like other sporting models.

5. Equipment

There’s a decent amount of equipment on offer across the Scirocco range, although sat-nav is only available on GT trim and above. That’s the spec we’d go for, with its dual-zone climate control, parking sensors, large alloy wheels and upgraded interior trim.

4. Quality

The Scirocco has typical Volkswagen solidity; there’s well-built, quality materials aplenty, lots of nice little details and high quality switches. The additional dials on top of the dashboard are a nice touch, and make the car feel more special than its Golf sibling.

3. Front space

There might not be all that much room in the back, but the space in the front of the Scirocco is all you could possibly ask for. Large doors make getting in and out easy, and it's spacious enough that larger drivers won’t have to practice human origami to fit inside, which is unusual for a more sporting car.

2. Costs

The Scirocco is a low-running-costs gem, with strong resale values, frugal petrol and diesel engines and low company car tax rates. However, the hotter Scirocco R version rather predictably requires you to sacrifice those low running costs in exchange for its projectile performance.

1. Performance

All engines across the Scirocco range provide abundant bang for your buck; even the lower-powered petrol and diesels. Unlike a few sports cars on the market, the Scirocco certainly lives up to its muscular appearance.

What about buying used?

The previous Scirocco was on sale from 2008 to 2014. There are plenty of engine options to choose from, and we'd say the 1.4-litre TSI is worth test driving. If you're looking for more speed, then there's also a 2.0-litre petrol with 208bhp. If you're doing enough mileage to justify a diesel model, then take a look at the various 2.0-litre TDI diesel options.

All previous-generation Sciroccos came with air conditioning, stability control, a CD multichanger and automatic lights and wipers, but GT trim is worth looking at because it adds climate control, foglights and various styling and equipment upgrades.

The old Scirocco has a fairly good record for reliability, with most reports from customers concerning rattles from the interior trim, boot and windows. There was also an issue with the boot mechanism on early cars, but dealers should have replaced this under warranty.

You can get a three-year-old Scirocco in 2.0 TDI Bluemtion Tech GT spec, which has sat-nav and leather upholstery, for around £14,500. Expect such an example to have around 18,000 miles on the clock.

Click here to read our full used car review on the VW Scirocco

What next?

Click here to find out more about the Volkswagen Scirocco, or to take a look at used examples, click here to browse the What Car? Classifieds