Volkswagen Scirocco Review and Prices

For the Scirocco, Volkswagen offers a range of petrol engines but just one diesel. With petrol, you get a choice of 1.4 or 2.0-litres, with diesel it’s a 2.0-litre or nothing. All engines come with a six-speed manual that isn’t bad, but for £1,500 you can specify VW’s excellent DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The lowest power petrol – a 123hp version of the 1.4-litre TSI – won’t be breaking any land speed records, but it still cracks 60mph in less than 10 seconds and offers a decent 52mpg combined fuel economy. The 178hp 2.0-litre TSI is more about refinement and smoothness rather than performance, but still provides the Scirocco with a turn of speed to match the attractive exterior.

With 148hp and 181hp versions of the 2.0 TDI, the diesels, naturally, get the best fuel economy and aren’t short on pace, but they’re perhaps a little grumbly compared to the smooth petrols. We’d go for the 148hp version because it’s decently quick and a fair few quid cheaper to buy than the 181hp, which isn’t that much faster.

In 2016 Volkswagen introduced the Scirocco GTS special edition. As well as adding black wheels and racing stripes it also brings the 2.0-litre, 217hp petrol engine to the range. It’ll get from 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds while returning 46.3mpg with the manual gearbox and 44.1mpg with the DSG. Top speeds for the GTS are 153mph and 152mph for the manual and automatic respectively.

The Scirocco gets universal praise for its prowess on the road, but this should come as no surprise as this car is based on the previous Golf – a car with no handling issues whatsoever. It doesn’t quite go like one, though, offering a sportier driving experience to match the looks. If you’re fond of threading your way down rat runs, you’ll find the Scirocco most rewarding.

That doesn’t come at the expense of ride comfort, though. You’ll find that the all-new Golf’s ride is a little better if you drive the two back-to-back, but the Scirocco is never uncomfortable, even if it’s somewhat firmer. Larger wheels can make the ride a little unpleasant, though.