What is it?

The Volkswagen Scirocco coupe in fuel-sipping Bluemotion form. That means it uses a diesel engine and boasts £30 a year tax (a VED band C rating). Prices start at £22,210 - add £1300 each if you want posher GT trim or a DSG twin-clutch gearbox.

Technical highlights?

The usual stuff that turns a regular diesel car into a more environmentally friendly special, so there are low-resistance tyres, battery energy recovery during braking, automatic stop/start and a gearshift indicator to prod you into changing up or down for optimal economy.

What’s it like to drive?

It’s not as hamstrung by its fuel-saving ethos as other eco editions, but you wouldn’t call it a sportscar. The gears are too tall (find yourself on an Autobahn and you can pull nearly 120mph in fourth) and even hustling the engine sees you fall below the powerband on upshifts. It’s a poky enough engine when you’re in its sweet spot, though. 138bhp at 4000rpm and 236lb ft at 1750-2500rpm are respectable figures in a 1.3-ton car and good for a 9.3sec 0-62mph time. 

It’s a pleasing thing to drive though, the Scirocco. It’s evo’s choice when it comes to small coupes, because it nails some basic points – good, communicative steering, fluid responses and a great ride. Its suppleness belies your expectations of the low profile rubbered 18in alloys and the Scirocco simply skates over roads that upset many modern hot hatchbacks.

The car definitely sounds and feels sportier without a modestly powered diesel engine in it, but the Scirocco’s capable handling and smart looks for next-to-nothing annual tax (and a claimed 62.8mpg combined figure) certainly holds appeal.

How does it compare?

Diesel coupe rivals include the 168bhp Audi TT TDI Quattro (£28,300) and 163bhp Peugeot RCZ HDI (£23,045), which look slinkier but are more expensive, don’t drive quite as well and are far less practical. £22,590 buys you a Renault Megane Coupe GT Line with a 158bhp/280lb ft diesel engine and more space but less polished dynamics than the Scirocco. But if you’re looking for economy, the Scirocco is the class of the field – it’s 20g/km under any of its rivals. 

Anything else I need to know?

We averaged 55mpg during sensible mixed driving and 43mpg charging down our favourite back roads. Speccing DSG puts CO2 emissions up to 129g/km, one VED band higher or £65 more to annually tax. You can also buy a 168bhp Scirocco Bluemotion which is over a second quicker to 62mph, but 7mpg worse off and £115 a year to tax.

Watch a video of the Scirocco R below