IT can cause a bit of a mid-life crisis when dyed in the wool two-seater sports car drivers suddenly find an expanding family means they have to move on to something with four seats and sensible economy.

But there are cars around which offer seating for four, a decent boot, good mpg and still have a true sporting feel to them. And one of the best is Volkswagen's Scirocco.

The current Scirocco was launched in 2008, ending a 15-year gap since the last of the previous generation of Sciroccos rolled off the production line.

They were a niche product then and they are still a niche product today, which gives owners a degree of, if not exactly exclusivity, then certainly a bit of one-upmanship knowing they are unlikely to run into several more in the office or supermarket car park.

Despite appearing compact this stunning coupe is actually longer and wider than the VW Golf, the illusion probably being created by the Scirroco being much lower, adding to its sporting appearance.

From behind the wheel too there's a sporting feel to this VW. Heated Vienna leather sculptured sports seats (a £1,665 optional extra) hold you firmly in place while the multifunction leather steering wheel with squared off lower section for easy access and exit from the car has a nice positive feel to it.

The first of the new Sciroccos were petrol but now they are available with 2.0-litre diesel power - either 140bhp or 170bhp - and that's where the economy comes in, but not at the expense of performance.

The170bhp car's consumption averaged in the mid 40s even when driven hard but best of all had outstanding responsivness and road holding.

This is one of those cars that just feels right on the road. Everything is firm and taught about it with almost a track car feel and the mid-range acceleration to match.

It was fitted with VW's six-speed DSG gearbox, an automatic that will change gear faster than a racing driver can with a manual gearbox yet offers the smoothness of an automatic plus almost the economy of a manual.

And for those sporting fans this box also means you get paddles behind the steering wheel to change gear F1 style when you want to.

Another bonus is the Adaptive Chassis Control - a standard feature on all Sciroccos - which allows you to alter suspension, steering and accelerator response settings at the push of a button.

You can opt for normal - when the system strikes a balance for general use, or for long motorway journeys switch to comfort. When you do want a bit of hands-on driving and the roads are twisty - or for use on a track - you switch to sport. Either way the Scirocco offers a supremely satisfying drive.

With only two doors getting into the back is always going to be a little tricky but the huge doors open at right angles to the car to make access easier. Once inside it's quite cosy with extra space created by seats which you actually drop into.

Luggage space is very reasonable too, with a deep boot quite capable of taking large suitcases, although there is a high rear sill which makes loading more difficult than it should be.