The Volkswagen Scirocco->ke1517 is undoubtedly one of those models that American customers would love to have come to the U.S. Judging by how much frustration we've seen and heard from some of our readers, there's a decent chance that their opinions reflect that of a majority of VW->ke94 fans. But the Scirocco still doesn't have a timetable to make its US debut, and it probably won't have one until the big bosses in Germany->ke2091 say so.

For now, all we can do is sit back and enjoy (from afar) what the 2014 Volkswagen Scirocco has to offer. It's still one of the better-looking models in VW->ke94's lineup, that much we can tell you. Even then, the updated styling on the front and rear sections definitely did their jobs in giving the Scirocco a more distinctive look.

Combine that with new exterior lighting and some new retro touches to the interior, like the auxiliary instruments and you have the makings of a car that will once again leave a lot of U.S. customers pining for the day Volkswagen brings the Scirocco across the pond.

Maybe it's going to be sooner than we think, or maybe it won't happen at all, but we all can still hope, right?

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Volkswagen Scirocco.

2014 Volkswagen Scirocco

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Volkswagen Scirocco
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 122
  • Transmission: six-speed manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Now in the middle of its third design incarnation, the spiffy Scirocco soldiers on with a dynamic design that clearly has a lot of American customers scratching their heads on why the Scirocco hasn't made its way in the U.S. The noticeable changes to the 2014 model will probably lead to more of that, now that the Scirocco has been refreshed with a cadre of new features.

The front section looks pretty much the same, but look closer and you'll see a new light signature on the headlights and new aerodynamic blades just to the side of the bumper. Together, these two new details create a more pronounced appearance, wider and more contoured than last year's model. Going back to those headlights, a closer look shows narrow, convex LED contour underneath the xenon module, functioning as daytime running lights and creating a sense of class and refined function.

Newly designed LED rear lights and a new hatch design are the most pronounced changes on the rear of the 2014 Scirocco. The former now looks a little bigger, extending further into the hatch, where it meets with a horizontal light-refracting edge just below the window. Finally, a plethora of new wheels are set to become available for the Scirocco, including the standard 17-inch "Long Beach" alloy wheels.

2014 Volkswagen Scirocco - Exterior Dimensions

Length

4256 mm (167.55 inches)

Width

1810 mm (71.25 inches)

Height

1404 mm (55.27 inches)

Wheel Base

2578 mm (101.49 inches)


Interior

The 2014 Scirocco doesn't veer too much away from its standard design and the same can be said for the interior. That being said, you can still find a bevy of upgrades to make the cabin look fresher and more neatly arranged. One of the first that you might notice is the instrument panel trim on the passenger side, which now looks cleaner to the eye, thanks to its more streamlined appearance. Likewise, the air nozzle panels and the central panel have been flush-mounted in the instrument panel with a new aluminum look, creating a more luxurious vibe to the cabin.

Look just above the center console and you'll see three auxiliary instruments that are now standard, each providing information on the car's boost pressure, chronometer and engine oil temperature. This new design is particularly noticeable because of how it has modern functionality, while also paying homage to the first Scirocco, which also had these auxiliary instruments inside its cabin.

Another pair of new interior features for the 2014 Scirocco are the storage compartment close to the handbrake lever and the redesigned seats that are made from new materials. The "Matthew" material (a tartan design with titanium black seat surfaces) really caught my eye for the way it blends the colors nicely. There's also a new "Greg" Alcantara material that is available in "Ceramique", "Deep Mocca" and "Titanium Black" finishes.

Drivetrain

The 2014 Volkswagen Scirocco comes with a wide range of options, beginning with the small 1.4 TSI that produces 122 PS, all while returning an impressive 42 mpg. From there, the rest of the Scirocco's engine lineup features a 2.0-liter TSI that develops 210 PS.

Diesel options are also available in the form of two 2.0 TDI engines that develop 140 PS (BlueMotion engine) horsepower and 177 PS. Both diesel engines also offer healthy fuel returns, ranging from 54 to 57 mpg.

Performance numbers aren't out yet, but we expect the most powerful iteration to hit 60 mph in a little over seven seconds to go with a top speed of close to 140 mph.

UK Engine lineup:

Engine Type

Output level

Fuel consumption

CO2 emissions

1.4 TSI

122 PS

5.4 l/100 km (43 mpg)

125 g/km CO2

1.4 TSI

160 PS

5.4 l/100 km (43 mpg)

125 g/km CO2

2.0 TSI

210 PS

6.0 l/100 km (39 mpg)

139 g/km CO2

2.0 TDI BlueMotion Technology

140 PS

4.1 l/100 km (57 mpg)

107 g/km CO2

2.0 TDI

177 PS

4.3 l/100 km (54 mpg)

111 g/km CO2


Prices

There are about a zillion trims and engines to choose from in the Scirocco lineup, and the on-the-road price ranged from £20,530 for the base model with a 1.4-liter TSI engine to £30,240 for the top-of-the-line GTS model with the 2.0-liter TDI engine and the six-speed DSG transmission.

UK Pricing

Trim

Engine

Transmission

Output (PS)

CO2 Emissions (G/KM)

MSRP (£)

VAT (£)

Total Price (£)

OTR Price (£)

SCIROCCO

1.4 ltr TSI

6-speed manual

122

149

16,483.33

3,296.67

19,780.00

20,530.00

1.4 ltr TSI

6-speed manual

160

154

17,850.00

3,570.00

21,420.00

22,205.00

1.4 ltr TSI

7-speed auto DSG

160

147

19,037.50

3,807.50

22,845.00

23,595.00

2.0 ltr TDI BlueMotion Technology

6 speed manual

140

118

18,637.50

3,727.50

22,365.00

22,970.00

2.0 ltr TDI BlueMotion Technology

6 speed auto DSG

140

129

19,804.17

3,960.83

23,765.00

24,370.00

GT

2.0 ltr TSI

6 speed manual

210

172

21,558.33

4,311.67

25,870.00

26,765.00

2.0 ltr TSI

6 speed auto DSG

210

174

22,725.00

4,545.00

27,270.00

28,165.00

2.0 ltr TDI BlueMotion Technology

6 speed manual

140

118

20,987.50

4,197.50

25,185.00

25,790.00

2.0 ltr TDI BlueMotion Technology

6 speed auto DSG

140

129

22,154.17

4,430.83

26,585.00

27,190.00

2.0 ltr TDI

6 speed manual

177

134

21,716.67

4,343.33

26,060.00

26,795.00

2.0 ltr TDI

6 speed auto DSG

177

144

22,883.33

4,576.67

27,460.00

28,210.00

R-LINE

2.0 ltr TSI

6 speed manual

210

172

22,862.50

4,572.50

27,435.00

28,330.00

2.0 ltr TSI

6 speed auto DSG

210

174

24,029.17

4,805.83

28,835.00

29,730.00

2.0 ltr TDI BlueMotion Technology

6 speed manual

140

118

22,291.67

4,458.33

26,750.00

27,355.00

2.0 ltr TDI BlueMotion Technology

6 speed auto DSG

140

129

23,458.33

4,691.67

28,150.00

28,755.00

2.0 ltr TDI

6 speed manual

177

134

23,020.83

4,604.17

27,625.00

28,360.00

2.0 ltr TDI

6 speed auto DSG

177

144

24,187.50

4,837.50

29,025.00

29,775.00

GTS

2.0 ltr TSI

6 speed manual

210

172

23,250.00

4,650.00

27,900.00

28,795.00

2.0 ltr TSI

6 speed auto DSG

210

174

24,416.67

4,883.33

29,300.00

30,195.00

2.0 ltr TDI

6 speed manual

177

134

23,408.33

4,681.67

28,090.00

28,825.00

2.0 ltr TDI

6 speed auto DSG

177

144

24,575.00

4,915.00

29,490.00

30,240.00


Competitors

BMW 1 Series 3-Door

The BMW 1 Series 3-Door looks pretty pedestrian compared to our expectations from BMW, which, in our eye, already puts it behind the eight ball against the Scirocco. But the 1er still has some interesting details about it, a nod to the continued ingenuity of BMW.

The 1 Series three-door is being offered with a big choice of gas and diesel engines featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The base version is the 114i powered by a four-cylinder engine with 102 horsepower, while the other extreme will take you to the 125i with 218 horsepower. BMW also added a 170-horsepower 118i engine and a 184-horsepower 120d engine into the mix.

All engine variants come with optimized six-speed manual transmissions as standard, while an eight-speed automatic transmission or eight-speed automatic sports transmission will be offered as options.

UK pricing for the BMW 1 Series Three door begins at £17,775.00.

Audi A3

Volkswagen has done a great job with the Volkswagen Scirocco, so much so that it's hard to pick now between the Scirocco and the Audi A3. The A3 used to be head and shoulders above the rest in terms of its design, but the Scirocco is making it earn its money now.

The current A3 is also being offered with a variety of engines, including the 1.2 TFSI with 105 PS, 1.4 TFSI with 122 PS to 140 PS, the 1.8 TFSI with 180 PS, the 1.6 TDI with 105 PS, and the 2.0 TDI with 150 or 184 PS.

Price for the Audi A3 begins at £18,280 for the 1.2 TFSI and go all the way up to £29,435 for the 2.0 TDI quattro.

Conclusion

It's hard not to get too excited about the Volkswagen Scirocco. That is until you realize how hard it's going to be to get a hold of one. Our friends from the other side of the Atlantic have had nothing but good things to say about Volkswagen's powerful sports hatch, and while it's difficult to corroborate those sentiments, we'll still take their word for it.

Combining a sporty and aggressive look with a variety of drivetrain setups, the Scirocco is one Volkswagen model that we're still waiting for. We don't even mind if its late to the party, just that it comes here eventually.