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Used Volkswagen Scirocco for sale: everything you need to know

The third-generation Volkswagen Scirocco went on sale in 2008 and finally disappeared in 2018 - a fairly long run that highlights the model’s popularity. Like earlier Sciroccos of the 1970s and 1980s, it was based on the VW Golf of the era, but gave buyers a racier, most stylish option without having to compromise too much in terms of practicality.

It remains a popular used car. There are always plenty for sale, with a wide range of engines and trim levels that suit most budgets and performance requirements. The styling hasn’t really dated either - helped by Volkswagen never releasing a replacement for the Scirocco which might otherwise steal its thunder. As customers increasingly favour SUVs, why not go the other way and put a stylish - and now very affordable - coupe like the Scirocco on your driveway?

Should you buy a Volkswagen Scirocco? 

The Scirocco is the car to buy if you want to trade the practicality of the contemporary Mk5 and Mk6 Volkswagen Golfs for a little more style. You wouldn’t be alone - while it never sold in Golf volumes, the Scirocco was very popular when new, and that hasn’t changed with a few years under its belt as a used car.

Having said you’re sacrificing some practicality with the Scirocco, we should clarify, as it’s maybe not as impractical as you might expect. Despite that low roofline, adults can fit in the rear seats quite comfortably and there’s even a reasonable boot, so the Scirocco is far from being too compromised for day to day use. The cabin is comfortable too, with a great, low-slung seating position (most models get sports seats), and the usual VW standards of build quality and materials. The infotainment systems are starting to look a little dated but that’s to be expected - they’re still very easy to use.

And the Scirocco is good fun to drive, right up there with the Golf GTIs of the period. The low, sleek body and fairly wide track for its size mean the Scirocco is agile and has enormous grip, but doesn’t punish you with an overly firm ride, even on larger wheel options - most models had adaptive dampers, which in their softer setting really help smooth over lumpy roads. All perform well too, even the entry-level 125PS 1.4-litre.

Back when the Scirocco was on sale, coupes were still fairly popular, and most of the car’s contemporary rivals are still worth considering today. The Audi TT is mechanically similar to the Scirocco but offers all-wheel drive and its own distinctive shape, though it’s strictly a 2+2 rather than a full four-seater. Same goes for the stylish Peugeot RCZ, and indeed its anagram, Honda’s hybrid CR-Z. The BMW 1 Series Coupe is another great drive, and the only rear-wheel drive car in the class at the time.

What’s the best used Volkswagen Scirocco model to buy?

Going for the 160PS version of the 1.4 might seem like an obvious choice over the later 125PS car, but the more powerful twincharged 1.4-litre engine has a shaky reputation for durability, so the lower-powered car may be the more shrewd purchase if you want to keep not just fuel costs but maintenance costs low too. In a sporty coupe like this though, opting for one of the 2-litre petrol TSIs or 2-litre TDIs is probably the answer for most buyers - all perform well and the diesels can be incredibly economical on a cruise. And now the Scirocco R has had a few years to depreciate, it makes a great alternative to a hot hatch.

Used Volkswagen Scirocco fuel economy and performance

• Volkswagen Scirocco 1.4 TSI 125: This 125PS 1.4-litre turbocharged engine replaced an earlier 160PS ‘twincharged’ (turbocharged and supercharged) 1.4, and while power and performance went down - 0-62mph takes 9.3 seconds, to the earlier engine’s 8 seconds - economy climbed quite significantly, to 52.3mpg from 42.8mpg.
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TSI 180: Fitted with a 2-litre engine power jumps to 180PS, and 0-62mph falls to 7.4 seconds, with a DSG automatic gearbox optionally available when new. Combined economy was quoted at 46mpg.
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TSI 200: The core engine for much of the Scirocco’s time on sale was a 2-litre, 200PS turbocharged petrol carried over from the contemporary Golf GTI. It was good for 0-62mph in seven seconds flat, and a combined 37mpg.
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TSI 220: The 200PS engine was later replaced with this 220PS version in GT and GTS trims. 0-62mph dropped further to 6.5 seconds, and economy was 46.3mpg as a manual, and 44.1mpg in automatic form.
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TSI 280: In the Volkswagen Scirocco R an even more powerful 280PS 2-litre was available, cutting the 0-62mph time down to 5.7 seconds as a manual, or only 5.5 seconds for the DSG auto. Economy was 35mpg combined.
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TDI 150: The Scirocco’s diesel engines were offered in various forms, with an early 140PS unit later replaced by this 150PS engine, often badged Bluemotion Tech. Combined economy was an impressive 67.3mpg, while performance was still brisk, at 8.6 seconds from 0-62mph.
• Volkswagen Scirocco 2.0 TDI 184: The most powerful diesel in the Scirocco had a quoted power output of 184PS, delivering a 7.5-second 0-62mph time and 60.1mpg combined.

What used Volkswagen Scirocco trim levels are available?

• The Volkswagen Scirocco is the entry-level car and features 17-inch alloy wheels, and air conditioning, among other kit.
• The Volkswagen Scirocco GT was the core model on the Scirocco’s launch and stuck around for most of its time on sale. It came with larger alloy wheels (often in a turbine blade style) plus climate control and front and rear parking sensors on later cars.
• The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Line has sportier styling than the models below it, inspired by the full Scirocco R model we’ve covered below.
• The Volkswagen Scirocco GTS was offered for a few years with a distinctive look that included exterior stripes and matching striped trim, plus the standard fitment of a three-dial gauge pod on top of the dashboard.
• The Volkswagen Scirocco R is a more serious performance car, coming with the most powerful engine and upgrades to its suspension, plus 19-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, and chrome door mirror caps, plus a deeper bodykit than other Sciroccos.

Used Volkswagen Scirocco dimensions and boot size

The Volkswagen Scirocco’s exterior dimensions are:

• Length: 4,256mm
• Width: 1,810mm
• Height: 1,406mm
• Ground clearance: 130mm

The Volkswagen Scirocco’s boot space is:

• 312 litres
• 1,006 litres with rear seats folded

Used Volkswagen Scirocco road tax

Sciroccos registered after April 1, 2017 get a flat VED rate of £190 per year, but with sales running from 2008 to 2018, the vast majority are taxed on CO2 emissions instead. This makes the 150PS diesel models, with their 110g/km emissions rating, the cheapest to tax at only £20 per year, while the slightly earlier 140PS diesel is only a little more at £35 per year. The popular 200PS petrol GT will currently set you back £335 per year, while the Scirocco R will cost up to £385.

How much is it to insure a Volkswagen Scirocco?

The regular Scirocco range spans insurance groups 18-36, while the Scirocco R is group 34-39 depending on equipment levels. Cheapest to insure should be the 120PS 1.4-litre TSI in standard trim, while the majority of the range, meaning most of the 2-litre petrol and diesels, can be found in groups 21-22. For comparison, a contemporary coupe rival like the Honda CR-Z is in groups 16-20, and the Hyundai Veloster in groups 16-21, so the Scirocco’s insurance costs should be similar.