Photos Courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Introduction
At first glance, the Volkswagen CC captured our attention. With its “4-door coupe” styling, it’s an attention-getter by all measures. Falling somewhere between the Passat and the defunct Phaeton in the VW lineup, the CC represents a bold and edgy entry into the mid-sized sedan market. Looks aside, however, we wanted to find out if the CC’s performance and driving impressions would live up to its aesthetic demeanor.
Positives
- Incredibly high value for the money – For a mere $27,679 (with optional Bluetooth connectivity and rear curtain side air bags), you get a vehicle that’s built with German engineering; everything fits together with precision, high quality materials and utility
- Leather everywhere – All seating surfaces & the steering wheel are wrapped in high quality leather; try finding the same level of quality in competitors at the same pricepoint
- Upscale styling – Needless to say, the first vehicle the CC reminds you of is the upscale Mercedes CLS sedan; unlike its rather mundane and boring competitors, the CC offers awesome looks and styling that belies its low price of entry
- Ample power – Under the hood of the CC, you’ll find the same peppy 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder engine you’d find in the VW GTI; although it’s not a rocket, it’s certainly more than enough power to deliver good standing and passing acceleration
- Excellent gas mileage – With an estimated 21mpg in the city and 31mpg on the highway, the turbocharged engine provides the benefits it should – power when needed, while delivering excellent efficiency when not on boost
- Full array of safety features – Anti-Slip Regulation (traction control), Electronic Stability Program, Electronic Differential Lock and anti-lock brakes should keep any journey safe for all involved
Negatives
With so much to like about the VW CC, what did we not like? There were two dimensions of the driving experience that lowered what would have been an excellent evaluation of the Vee Dub:
- Sloppy shift mechanism – We specifically requested a manual version of the 2.0T, with “sporty” expectations… we were disappointed; the shift action is rubbery and throws were excessively long by our standards
- Completely mute clutch action – With 99% of the cars we test, we can figure out the catch point on the clutch quite easily… this wasn’t the case with the CC; the catch point was so mute and the clutch pedal so soft, we hated dealing with the CC’s hydraulically actuated manual transmission within the first 5 miles of driving it
If you are considering the CC Sport, skip the manual tranny and opt for the automatic transmission with Tiptronic. Sure it costs a bit more and adds some additional weight to the car, but the standard manual transmission just doesn’t deliver enough to convince us. Equipped with the optional automatic transmission, we feel the CC Sport 2.0T will be a fine, capable daily driver / commuter with more than enough pizazz for nights out on the town or road trips with friends.
Sourcebox
Volkswagen of America, Inc.
1-800 DRIVE VW
