2010 Volkswagen Scirocco Buying Advice

The 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco should arrive on America shores in mid-2009, if the company decides to bring it here. The European version is shown here.

As a VW­, the U.S. Scirocco--if there is one--would compete in the sporty/performance class along with the GTI and BMW's Best Buy Mini Cooper. However, as a fully equipped limited edition, it will likely price close to the TT sports cars and A3 hatchbacks at VW's upscale Audi brand. The Scirocco already starts near $40,000 in Europe, which is more than a 4-cylinder TT coupe goes for in the States. American buyers are thus likely to cross-shop Scirocco against the small Audis and other premium-brand compacts like the BMW 1-Series and 3-series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Saab 9-3, and Volvo C30. That's tough opposition, especially given VW's low marks in consumer surveys of vehicle reliability and dealer service. On the other hand, VW is taking steps to improve its scores, which might convince some people to take a chance with Scirocco despite its lesser brand prestige.

2010 Volkswagen Scirocco Release Date: As noted, the 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco could start U.S. sale by mid-2009, provided it actually does cross the Atlantic.

2010 Volkswagen Scirocco First Test Drive: Given the above, media previews might be held around the second quarter of next year.

2010 Volkswagen Scirocco Prices: The Scirocco's U.S. price will largely depend on standard content, and VW has yet to provide a final answer on that. Other unknowns include commodity price trends and dollar/euro exchange fluctuations. Despite this murky mix, we'd guess the base sticker here would be about the same as it is over there: $38,000-$39,000. That would make for another VW that looks expensive to American eyes, although that might be somewhat offset by the full-house standard equipment that VW is apparently mulling.