‘09 Volkswagen CC is a star performer
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If you’re a car, being compared to a Mercedes-Benz can’t be a bad thing.
During my test week with the 2009 Volkswagen CC, at least three people said the four-passenger VW sedan looked like a Mercedes. Although the comparisons aren’t likely to go the other way any time soon, the CC is an attractive, affordable and sporty sedan that could be VW’s best yet.
Earlier this week, Volkswagen of America reported its best sales month since December 2005. The company reported August sales of 24,823 units, representing an 11.4 percent increase over August 2008. A lot of that increase is due to Cash for Clunkers, and Jetta is the big seller. But the CC should get at least some of the credit.
The brand new CC, originally named the Passat CC, comes in four models: Sport, Luxury, VR6 Sport and VR6 4Motion. Starting price for the base Sport model with the standard 6-speed manual transmission is $27,100.
The Sport and Luxury models are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque. The thing I liked about the engine is that torque is delivered from 1,800 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm, which means the CC can scoot in a wide range of driving conditions. A larger engine — 3.6-liter V-6 — is available in the VR6 Sport and VR6 4Motion.
The I-4 engine with the manual transmission gets 21 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway. The automatic gets 19 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the road. The V-6 gets 18 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway.
If you trick out the VR6 4Motion AWD model, you can find yourself in the $40,000 range, which is expensive but still less than a traditional luxury sedan. My test vehicle — the Sport with an automatic tiptronic transmission — starts at $28,200. Standard on that model are 17-inch Phoenix alloy wheels, a sport suspension, leather steering wheel and shifter, heated 12-way adjustable seats, steering wheel controls, AM/FM with a 6-disc CD changer and MP3 capability.
I liked the “auto-hold” feature, which allows the driver to push a center console button that holds the car in place until the gas pedal is pressed. The feature was handy for stopping on hills and at long red lights.
The CC has a range of safety features that earned four stars in all government crash tests except for protection of the driver in side impacts, which got five stars. An electronic stability control program is now standard on all VW products.
Inside, the CC sport trim is quite interesting. The two-tone black and crème heated sport seats have the look of leather, if not the feel, but they were very comfortable and supportive. There is lots of room back, and the rear bucket seats were separated by a roll-top console for drinks and storage. The trunk, which snaps all the way open with a press of the key fob, was cavernous and had a pass through into the back seat, which easily accommodated my bass fishing rod.
Controls were user-friendly and the lid to the center console storage compartment was adjustable to several heights, which as a 6-footer I appreciated.
On the road, the CC was spunky and quick with a stiff suspension that made for a firm ride. The ride, however, is offset by the car’s handling, which is outstanding. The front wheel drive system with a MacPherson front and an independent rear four-link suspension, provided excellent control with very little body roll or torque steer.
I just like the style and performance of the CC. There are lots of sedans in this “affordable luxury” segment, and the CC should compete very well.
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