VW Scirocco
The coupé with the windy name came back from the dead in 2008 and was a whole lot more than a lame retro retread. Here was a proper sporty little number that may have been a frocked-up Golf, but it was all the better for it.
The Scirocco still strikes a nice compromise between a hard-charging sportster and a smooth motorway cruiser. It is marginally less practical than a cooking hatchback but that only adds to its credibility.
Driving a Scirocco is fun. It really does feel decently fast, with bags of grip, hardly any body roll at all and precise responses. Go for the GT models, which have uprated suspension with variable settings, if you want a more performance orientated package.
Living with one is easy enough, but that’s when you realise it isn’t a Golf. In the back there is enough room for luggage and two passengers, but not a lot else. Running costs are higher than the Golf’s when it comes to insurance, although servicing costs can be spread out with two-year, 20,000-mile intervals.
The car was refreshed in 2014 and from late that year is the point where there will be a price hike to take into account the fresh engines and natty restyle, which made it look more purposeful. The specs are simple enough – just standard and GT – but when it is a used buy, you may as well aim for the GT. Leather trim, panoramic roof and sat-nav are all going to help when you sell it on later.
One of the baffling decisions you have to make when buying a Scirocco is choosing an engine. There have been several updates over the years and we could bore you to death about them, but stick to post-2009 models for the better buys. All of them pull the coupé along at a fair rate and most are pretty frugal as well. There is a lot to be said for the TSI petrol engines and we really like the smallest 1.4, which got a mild power boost in 2014. Otherwise, there is an enthusiastic 2.0 petrol for Gti-sized thrills and a couple of TDI diesels that would suit a higher-mileage driver well.
It is tough not to like the Scirocco. Sorting out the trims and the engines that best suit you is by far the hardest part. Pick a good solid body colour to set off the appealing design and you won’t be disappointed.
It strikes a nice compromise between sportster and cruiser