My Prius goes back soon and it’s time to choose a replacement. The default choice would be another Prius. It’s incredibly cheap on company car tax/fuel, practical, well equipped and inoffensive. I’ve got two kids and like to be able to sling the odd bike in the back when they’re not on board. But, I’ve got a roof rack/box so don’t NEED a big boot, and I fancy something a bit more fun and attractive.

The Bluemotion Scirocco is almost as cheap to have as the Prius, looks the nuts and will be a lot more fun. Has anyone got one or got experience of fitting a large bike in the back?

Incidentally, I’m not interested in an Audi, as they look too grumpy or a BMW as my wife would leave me. Other low tax band suggestions welcome.

Have you thought about possibly going for a SEAT Leon Ecomotive. Tax free as its under 99g/km emissions, I always average above 60mpg but then my driving is only really from Sussex to Devon. Plenty of space for my Medium Specialized Enduro EVO provided I take the front wheel off obviously. Also supremely fun to drive, although I’m of the opinion it’d be better with a 6 speed gear box.

I have no experience of them at all, however, I did watch a police show on channel 5 a few weeks back, a woman had 2 bikes on a roofrack (just fitted that day)which came off on the motorway. Complete loss of both bikes.

I got one and regularly get my 140mm full suss large bike in no probs!

Hi Bol

I am just looking to see what to replace mine with.

Got in 09 and have done about 64k in it.

PLus
Excellent looks
Great around corners
Happy to sit on the motorway all day if you need to

Minus
Mines not great on petrol (200bhp petrol TSI version, giving about 35 mpg)
Visibility at the back not great

All in all I would definately recomment above a Prius, not sure what the bluemotion is like for power etc but the handling should be the same.

Hope this helps
Al,.

I’ve had my 58 plate Scirocco TSI for just over three years and love it. I don’t use it for biking as I don’t have a roof rack or anything, thats what the girlfriend’s car is for 🙂

Mine’s not particularly economical but then it has got just under 250bhp and encourages healthy driving. Its great on the twisties but put it in comfort mode and it potters down the motorway and can get my 19″ Cove Stiffee in the boot if i really have to (and the bike’s clean.) But both wheels need to come out.

I used to have one, great looking cars – not built in the same factory as golfs though and as a result the build quality suffers a little I think.
Mine had all sorts of trim rattles (my biggest bug bear), so sold it in the end.
Make sure you get the GT spec as it has the nice wheels and factory tinted glass which makes all the difference to how it looks.
Head over to http://www.scirocconet.co.uk or http://www.sciroccocentral.co.uk for loads of great info.

**edit – I had the 140bhp diesel version, while not exactly fast, was quick enough. I averaged about 50-55mpg most of the time

Mates got one of these, I’ve witnessed 3 bikes come out of the back ( admittedly both wheels off even for only one bike). He had previously tried a saris bones but it was hanging off and leaning on plastic bits which wasn’t very confidence inspiring

Thanks guys. It would be the Bluemotion 140 GT that I’d go for. Loads of kit included, which is another reason it appeals as a lease car. I have to take the front wheel out with my current car, but hey, it might be an excuse to try the new SRAM clutch rear mechs. 😀

Part of the reason I got the Prius in the first place was to stop me driving like an arse, so 140 brake will be plenty. I’ll have to take the rear parking sensors option though – the Prius has a reversing camera and I still managed to reverse into a lamppost.

I’ll have to take the rear parking sensors option though – the Prius has a reversing camera and I still managed to reverse into a lamppost.

Learn how to park?

Learn how to avoid being distracted by a car full of excitable children is more the issue. Doesn’t look like great rear visibility in the Scirocco either.

Learn how to avoid being distracted by a car full of potentially running over excitable children is more the issue

I thought the whole thing with the Scirocco is that you pay more for it for the styling. If you want a car thats just the same but more practical then get the Golf GTI?

Are they really fun to drive though?

Are they really fun to drive though?

Probably not, modern cars are rubbish. If you want a proper VW coupe, buy a Corrado VR6 instead. However, standards are variable in a world where people can post this…

mu3266 – Member

Have you thought about possibly going for a SEAT Leon Ecomotive… Also supremely fun to drive.

… so it’s probably a ‘veritable orgasmic smorgasbord of driving ecstacy’ or something like that.

…

“Are they really fun to drive though?”

Well the STW definition of a fun car appears to be – get a boring stock fwd saloon with a big engine that goes fast in a straight line = big fun (ie Fabia or Octavia VRS)

If my priority was driving pleasure I wouldn’t be driving a small coupe with a diesel engine tuned for economy.

If my priority was practicality and economy I wouldn’t by driving a car with a small coupe body.

So OP what are you really after?

So OP what are you really after?

I’m not the OP, but what I’d really like is Porsche 911 styling, looks and performance with the carrying capacity of a Merc Sprinter and the sustainability and fuel economy of a Toyota Prius plus the tax advantages of a Smart Car. Is that really too much to ask for? 😉

I looked at a Scirocco but thought the visibility for the kiddies in the back was very poor…so I bought a 2 seater instead 😆

I’ve got one, FSi GT model with DSG gearbox – love it 8)

Agree rear view is less than brilliant, but parking sensors sort reversing problems.

stilltortoise – how do your kids feel about staying home then?

stilltortoise – how do your kids feel about staying home then?

Not sure if this was rhetorical or not 🙂 In case it wasn’t, bear in mind we do have a family car already. I did have a Civic and the kids didn’t even like going in the back of that; the Scirocco rear windows are considerably smaller. It seemed pointless getting a 4 seater that the kids would never want to go in, so I decided that if I wanted a sporty car (it was the FSi GT I drove) then I might as well go the whole hog and get a 2 seater “proper” sports car.

+1 for get a golf. loads more room (+visibility in the back). Wife just got a 1yr old 140bhp DSG. averaged 65mpg travelling 65mph!

Mines not great on petrol (200bhp petrol TSI version, giving about 35 mpg)

Jeebus – what fuel economy did you expect to get out of a 200bhp performance petrol engine? 😯

FWIW, I got similar (probably around 38mpg) over 3 years in my similarly-engined (slightly higher tuned) TT – returning 40+ on high speed motorway journeys – I always thought it was very good on fuel.

(My wife has a 150bhp 2.0l petrol Mazda and we struggle to get over 30mpg in that).

Brought mine new last sept its a 140bhp GT blue motion DSG Scirocco and love it, can get my large Devinci Wilson in the back with the front wheel off no problems even with the boxxers, my trail and road bikes fit in a lot easier. Did look at getting a roof rack but also got the wifes SRi Zaferia for main bike duties.

Getting almost 50mpg on my mainly A road and motorway commute, not loads of power but a good fun car to drive. Looks are a bit marmite to some but I likes it 😀

Mines not great on petrol (200bhp petrol TSI version, giving about 35 mpg)

Sounds wonderful to me, Quattro version of the engine in an Audi is giving me 26-27 mpg overall.

I guess my moan about the petrol is more about having to do over 20k miles per year with anything over 10k being reimbursed at 25p a mile rather than any fault of the car!

As others have pointed out 200bhp and 35 mpg are good figures really

I wonder how many people are putting up with the performance of a diesel car but not getting any financial benefit due to relatively low miles use (10p more per litre, usually greater expense when bought, more frequent services etc all cost money)

People seem just to look at MPG now and forget the most expensive cost of owning a car is usually depreciation!

I used to own a Scirocco GT2 but I don’t think that’s what you’re talking about..

However, standards are variable in a world where people can post this…

It’s a good way of asserting your car snobbery, but really the truth is that most cars handle pretty well nowadays, and it’s perfectly possible for normal folk to have plenty of fun in ‘normal’ cars. I loved throwing my Seat Ibiza 1.9 TDi around, despite everyone telling me how crap it really was compared to cars I’d never driven, at speeds I’d never drive at.

Let’s face it, driving on an open country road is fun regardless of what car you’re in. If this were a bike thread we’d be queueing up to go on about how it’s not about the bike, it’s all cycling it’s all good etc etc.

Deadslow, what model of Golf have you got?

’07 plate GOLF GT TDI 170bhp or 140bhp. I went 170. I wouldn’t say the thing is a hoot to drive, but it is somewhere between practical and sporty.

Lots of mid range so good useable, felxible power from low down and comfortable on long journeys. Will return 50+ mpg, averages 42-45 all day long.

Fits a couple of bike in the back with the seats down.

I thnik the 170 TDI is available in the Scirocco, might be worth a look. Goes in a TT and a Leon too and an A3/A4.

I wonder how many people are putting up with the performance of a diesel car but not getting any financial benefit due to relatively low miles use (10p more per litre, usually greater expense when bought, more frequent services etc all cost money)

Diesel engine, 185 bhp, 400lb torque, 0-62 in 7.2 secs and 48mpg, same servicing intervals and costs as a comparable petrol model that returns 40mpg….don’t see what there is to “put up with” there.

I accept the point that in order to return financial benefits from owning a diesel you need to be a higher milage driver but the idea that their performance in inferior is not usually the case (IME).

“Let’s face it, driving on an open country road is fun regardless of what car you’re in. If this were a bike thread we’d be queueing up to go on about how it’s not about the bike, it’s all cycling it’s all good etc etc.”

Well thats certainly not true about cars, an under powered MX5 is far more fun to drive on country lanes than most fwd 200+ bhp cars.

Modern hot hatch / sports cars are very capable, in fact too capable to the point they become dull.

tested one and didn’t like it… looked cool and all that but, when considering kids, biking, camping, trips to europe,etc.. was just too small.

rubbish visibility.
no room in the back.
boot is an odd shape.
couldn’t see the bonnet.
Wouldn’t have said is very child friendly.

I’d go for the golf/A3/Leon over it every time.

Well my experience is that my 200bhp TT was BY FAR better than any other car I have ever driven – either on narrow twisty roads, on a motorway or just bumbling around town and I have owned a series of sporty small cars like 1275GT Minis, XR2s, Pumas and about 10 other similar cars and much of that was down to the power it had right across the range and if course it’s amazing handling.

Getting almost 50mpg on my mainly A road and motorway commute, not loads of power but a good fun car to drive.

That seems pretty crap out of the Blue Motion one, I’d have expected nearer 60. I get more than 50 out of my 10 year old Golf PD130, and can do 60+ on a decent motorway run.

I used to own a Scirocco GT2 but I don’t think that’s what you’re talking about..

Is that yours in the bottom pic?

I had one exactly the same as that. Loved it.

😀

My mum had a very late GT2 in my yoof, was a nice car indeed.

I just got the lease quote back. Looks like its going to have to be another Prius. Not as much fun, but £100 a month cheaper to lease (inc tax) and cheaper to run. Fits the family and bikes better I guess…

The new ones are slightly improved – stiffer body meaning better handling and comfort apparently. I am jealous, if that helps 🙂

Was your old one a MK3?