The Scirocco name might be a classic one in the annals of Volkswagen history, but the newest iteration of that car has about as much in common with the original as Volkswagen's Beetle does. Luckily the Scirocco has not the faintest whiff of retro pastiche about it and is thoroughly modern in every way, simply channelling the spirit of the iconic '70s hatchback-coupe.
The Scirocco is an imposing, aggressive car that demands your attention - whether you could quite say it's handsome or not is another thing, but it does at least demand that you consider the matter. It is positioned fairly oddly in the market - its obvious competition is the likes of the hot versions of the Renault Megane and Vauxhall Astra, but it is also something you might consider instead of a Mazda MX-5 or a Honda CR-Z.
The interior is strangely muted - at least it would be if it was made by anyone else except Volkswagen. The restrained sense of style at least works for the Scirocco, but something a little flashier wouldn't have gone amiss. It is of typically high quality from Volkswagen, though - the materials are all suitably plush and pleasant to touch.
There is much more room in the Scirocco than you would realise looking at it. Obviously the two up the front won't have any issues, but the car still fits two adults in the back with no problem (headroom isn't the issue you would think from the sweeping roofline) and the boot is of a decent size too, meaning the Scirocco would make a highly reasonable and practical day-to-day prospect as a car.
The driving experience is all a bit technological - there are buttons on the dashboard to adjust half the car, but it does mean that you can tweak the suspension settings to suit. The comfort setting is still fairly stiff, but you do get a good balance. The Scirocco has a nice blend of motorway cruising and B-road attack abilities.
Any of the engines are entirely capable units in the Scirocco - the 2.0-litre diesel is the sensible option, but the 2.0-litre TSI engine is indulgently quick and lots of fun. It all depends on your own personal preferences.
The Scirocco has a lot going for it - the name alone buys it some instant cachet, but it can stand scrutiny on its own merits and has turned out to be a big success for VW.