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Price is right, style stunning on VW CC
Scott Wasser
A stiff suspension and quick steering provide first-class road feel, especially on twisty stretches.
Scott Wasser
Price is right, style stunning on VW CC
10/29/2009
Scott Wasser
A spirited engine, responsive handling and high level of comfort made Volkswagen´s new-for-2009 CC a treat to drive during a week of wheel-jockeying. Yet the most fun I had with the sleek, sexy CC occurred while it was parked.
The CC is so stylish and elegantly upscale in appearance -- the vehicle it most closely resembles is the $70,000 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class -- that I couldn´t resist playing the role of Bob Barker for every bystander I encountered while driving the CC.
There were no prizes at stake and no television cameras anywhere in sight, but everyone I asked gladly ventured a guess at the CC´s cost. Despite being numerically challenged, I had little trouble counting the two people (out of 14 "contestants") who came close enough to guessing the CC´s cost that they wouldn´t have been laughed off "The Price is Right."
And even they overestimated the starting price by several thousand dollars. That was better than the dozen other folks who took my challenge. They either totally ignored Volkswagen´s reputation for selling affordable vehicles or assumed this was a new, high-end model such as the ill-fated, $97,000 Phaeton W12 that VW sold here for a couple of years.
Their average estimate of the CC´s price was around $50,000, according to my calculations -- but in the interest of full disclosure I admit that my junior high school math grades invariably doomed any ambitions I had of making Honor Roll.
Volkswagen´s ambitions in creating the CC, meanwhile, are laudable. Although nearly everyone I encountered thought the CC was stunning, its styling is undeniably distinctive. And in the car world, distinctiveness can be polarizing. Some people love distinction; others hate it. Those who hate your product will never buy it.
So when Volkswagen´s head honchos decided to take the underpinnings of its venerable and highly regarded Passat and grace it with a lower, longer and wider body that looks like nothing else in its class, they were sticking their corporate necks out a bit. Car companies don´t pay for the time and effort to design, tool and build new bodies with stage money, after all.
So far, VW´s ambitiousness seems to be paying off. According to J.D. Power and Associates, the CC has been the second-best selling model in the company´s lineup this year.
Buyers can choose from one of four CC variants. The Sport and Luxury models are powered by Volkswagen´s sassy turbocharged, 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder engine. The VR6 Sport and all-wheel-drive VR6 4Motion get a 3.8-liter, 280-horsepower six-cylinder. The only model offered with anything other than a six-speed automatic transmission is the entry-level, $27,100 CC Sport, which comes with a six-speed manual. The automatic is a $1,200 option on that model.
Standard equipment on the CC Sport includes air conditioning, tilt/telescope steering wheel with radio controls, AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD changer and auxiliary input, cruise control, heated power front seats, folding rear seatbacks, heated power door mirrors, power windows and door locks, keyless entry, trip computer, compass, fog lights and alloy wheels.
Upgrading to a $32,350 CC Luxury model like the test vehicle adds a "Tiptronic" automatic transmission and an array of other upgrades. These include automatic headlights, ultrasonic parking sensors, panoramic moonroof, rain-sensing windshield wipers, dual-zone auto climate control, self-dimming rearview mirror, satellite radio, integrated garage door opener, brushed aluminum interior trim and leather upholstery.
Moving up to the CC Luxury also enables buyers to purchase an optional ($1,900) technology package that includes a superb touch-screen navigation system and 20GB hard drive upgrade for the music system.Those goodies are surrounded by one of the best automotive interiors in the world. Genuine aluminum trim graces a driver-oriented instrument panel in which excellent gauges are complemented by superb ergonomic design and intuitive switchgear.
The quality of the materials used in the cabin and the craftsmanship evident in their fit are more typical of a luxury touring sedan than a vehicle in the CC´s price class. There aren´t many midsize four-door sedans in any price class that restrict capacity to four passengers the way the CC does. The fairly roomy interior could have accommodated five, but Volkswagen chose instead to go with a pair of buckets in back, bisected by a fixed console featuring a roll-top cover. There´s also a fold-down armrest.
The engine in my test car was almost as unconventional for an upscale, midsize sedan as the CC´s rear seat. Although four-cylinder engines aren´t typically found in such vehicles, it´s hard to find fault with Volkswagen´s terrific two-liter (which also is used in some Audi models). The engine is potent and responsive, delivering strong performance off the line and capable highway passing and hill-climbing power.
During leisurely driving, the engine´s smoothness and unobtrusive operation belies its compact size. The automatic transmission in my test car was a good match for the engine, shifting promptly and unerringly according to driver input and driving conditions. Occasionally, however, the shifts were a bit harsher than one would expect from a luxury car.
Despite its firm suspension, the CC Luxury´s ride is anything but harsh. The system is compliant enough to prevent all sorts of road irregularities from intruding into the passenger compartment. And the suspension does a pretty commendable job of achieving Volkswagen´s claims of sports car handling dynamics.
Steering effort was a bit light for my taste, but the system responds quickly and accurately to driver input and delivers first-rate road feel. The CC test car was most rewarding to drive when the road was twisty and free of traffic.
Great grip, an ability to deftly deal with uneven surfaces, and the absence of body lean made driving the CC a hoot out in the country. It was also pleasant on the highway, with a comfortable ride and minimal wind and mechanical noise. Road noise, however, was more obtrusive than I expected at 70 mph on some surfaces.
But the surface that is most noticeable during any encounter with Volkswagen´s CC is the almost impossibly sinuous one created by its sheet metal. If you´re drawn to those flowing lines and can live with the four-passenger limitation they encompass, the CC is highly recommended for your consideration.