Overview & Reviews

The Volkswagen CC is a sedan for midsize car shoppers who want something with a bit more style and flair than your average rolling appliance. Following Mercedes' lead with its E-Class-based CLS "four-door coupe," VW took the Passat sedan and, with a nip here and a tuck there, transformed it into a sleeker and more eye-catching offering.

The current Volkswagen CC (the CC moniker stands for "Comfort Coupe") is based on the previous-generation Passat. It owes its striking stance to dramatically redesigned sheet metal and a lower, sloped roof line. The suspension has also been tightened up for sharper handling and the base engine is a torque-rich, fuel-efficient turbocharged four-cylinder. The CC boasts high-quality furnishings and, during its first four years, featured a more sculpted two-person backseat instead of the typical three-passenger arrangement. The result is a suave and sporty European sedan that our editors have deemed an excellent antidote to mainstream mediocrity.

Current Volkswagen CC
The Volkswagen CC is a five-seat midsize sedan that's available in four trim levels: Sport, R-Line, Executive and VR6 4Motion Executive.

Standard power for all CCs except the highest trim level comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Sport and R-Line trims. A six-speed automated manual known as DSG takes the place of a conventional automatic transmission, and is optional on those trims and standard on the Executive trim. Front-wheel drive is standard on all four-cylinder models. A 3.6-liter V6 with 280 hp and 265 lb-ft is standard on the VR6 4Motion Executive. A conventional six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are also standard.

Even the base CC is nicely equipped, boasting such niceties as alloy wheels, foglights, automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, convincing leatherette (vinyl) upholstery, power heated front seats, VW's Car-Net telematics  system, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a navigation system and a touchscreen-operated stereo with satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack. If that's not enough, additional features and options -- depending on trim level -- include leather upholstery, a sunroof, bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, front and rear parking sensors, a superb premium sound system and an upgraded navigation system with a bigger display screen and a rearview camera.

In reviews, our editors have taken a strong liking to the Volkswagen CC. Its combination of good looks, strong performance and upscale cabin with high-quality materials is tough to beat. The value leader is clearly the turbocharged four-cylinder model, which offers peppy pickup and plenty of standard luxuries for about the same price as V6-powered mainstream family sedans.

However, there's also an argument to be made for stepping up to the VR6 – it's considerably more expensive, but the six-cylinder delivers authoritative acceleration at all speeds, and the CC's finely wrought interior helps to support the VR6's elevated price point. Either way, the Volkswagen CC's sport-tuned suspension offers an excellent ride/handling balance, soaking up bumps in typically firm Germanic fashion and tackling tight corners with surprising verve. Just know that the CC's styling requires some compromises: Rear headroom is tight for taller passengers, and trunk space is down quite a bit compared to the much larger current Passat.

Used Volkswagen CC Models
The Volkswagen CC was first introduced for the 2009 model year. A used CC is pretty similar to a new one, though there have been a few changes over the years. In that first year, a conventional six-speed automatic was optional on the 2.0T model rather than the current car's DSG transmission. Bluetooth was an option and the standard stereo did not feature the touchscreen interface. The V6 came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive being optional. That changed for 2011, when all-wheel drive became standard for the V6.

Perhaps the most notable change occurred for 2013, when the CC swapped out its former, sculpted two-person rear seat for a more conventional and practical three-person setup. That year also brought a slight exterior styling refresh that included slimmed-down head- and taillights. Other than a minor shuffling of features and lacking the current lineup's Executive trim level and telematics system, these latter CC models are similar to today's offerings.

User Reviews:

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  CC disappoints - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Mark Borst - November 9 - 8:46 pm

  Ive had my CC for 4.5 months. Its been in the shop for a month. Ive had difficulty with the transmission being grabby, lurching, inconsistent. Throttle activity has been unpredictable. I never know how the car is going to respond when I hit the gas. VW has replaced my gearbox.Now, a month later, the problem is beginning to recur. I have difficulty with visibility. The bottom of the windshield is a straight horizontal. The hood curves off into oblivion on the outside corners, so its impossible to tell how close your are to a curb or wall in front of you. The automatic up and down motion of the frameless windows as you exit and enter the car gets annoying with time.

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  Piece of Junk? - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By monkeytoes - April 26 - 6:10 am

  I have had my CC for 7 weeks. 2 high speed balances, 2 regular, 2 new tires and the car still shakes at 55mph and beyond. Car shakes very bad going up hill. Worst part is that the dealership that sold me the car has a consumer rating of D- with the BBB and it shows because they charge me $60.00 to have a balance done on the car 1 week after the purchase date. The rear windows also leak and the blue tooth works only when it wants too! Thanks VW for selling me a LEMON and then not standing behind your product! Oh, the $150.00 you sent to try and make me happy, I will be using it tomorrow to have all 4 tires balanced for the 5th time!

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  DSG = Terrible Transmission - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By cnote3 - December 19 - 5:23 am

  The DSG transmission does this car a complete injustice. There is a significant hesitation from a stop, and the shifts are jerky and unpleasant. VW couples this half-engineered transmission with an engine that has significant turbo lag - turning every city trip into a manic journey along the torque curve. Everything settles down once you get the car up to speed, making the CC an enjoyable highway car. The exterior and interior styling is fantastic, but the transmission will be a disappointment to anyone who has ever driven a well built, thoughtfully engineered car or truck from a reputable manufacturer.

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  Nearly 80k miles, and a new issue everyday. - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By wscott1 - November 7 - 5:21 am

  I bought the car about 2 years ago as a commuter vehicle, and after putting over 50k miles on this car, I can confidently say this is one of the worst cars Ive ever owned. The speedometer is 5 mph off (something VW told me was acceptable in their vehicles), the trunk opens when putting the car into gear unless you lock the doors before hand, the car idles incredibly rough when first started, the small engine paired with a turbo makes pulling out into any sort of traffic a game of roulette (due to the lag before the engine responds to the gas pedal), and the air conditioner sensors have gone out twice. The list continues, but the point is this is my first and last VW.

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  Pretty good (mostly) at 182,000 miles - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Dave - August 28 - 6:55 pm

  Direct Injection will require cleaning the intake valves at around 100,000 due to no fuel to clean the buildup on these valves. Wear on the rear tires has been a problem on these cars. One the original tires was worn on the inside edge (into the cord) at 37,000. The other three all had even wear and 50% of the tread left. The alignment was checked several times and found to be correct. Dealer said this is because of the performance alignment(I dont buy it as only one tire (right rear) wore out. There is lots of talk on the internet about damage to rear suspension during tie down on the delivery trucks. Rotation helps mask the problem, but 75% of the tread wear on the car takes place on the right rear. 12 year rust through warranty. Great mileage (you can get 35 highway easily and 40 if you go 55).

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  Dont waste your time nor money - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By dp1072 - June 5 - 3:35 pm

  Where do I begin? Lets start with; Ive never had a new vehicle with so many problems. The power steering pump needed to be replaced after the first year. The water pump was just replaced due to leakage. The transmission, as everyone else said, is comparable to my dads 1990 VW Golf (non-turbo) diesel when it comes to performance. Slap it in the manual shift mode and its much better. The speedometer is 5 miles per hour off (shows youre going faster). This means your mileage adds up a bit faster if you do the math. Faulty tail lights. Cant wait to get rid of it.

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  Good car but only fail quality - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By mikes15 - May 30 - 7:56 am

  I like the car’s slick exterior design--It looks very cool. The interior is nice too as long as you don’t need to seat 5 people. It’s a coupe so the back seats are a bit tight. It’s a great car for someone who needs a backseat and 4 doors but won’t use t often. I’m not sure about the reliability. Within the first few hundred miles the engine started to knock. Also, a screw fell out on the door after I hit a speed bump. I’m leasing and have all service covered so I’m not too worried about it, but beware. more...

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  2012 VW CC - Disappointed - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By g_rapp - April 16 - 5:17 pm

  Purchased my CC pre-owned certified with 22k miles from dealer. Brakes failed while driving (bad vacuum booster) after one month. Avoided accident and Corporate said they could not offer any compensation because i did not get into an accident. Three more warrantee-related issues in next four months. Now arguing with corp and dealer to sell back the car, and they insist on only offering trade in value so they can resell at a profit. Although it does not qualify for the lemon law, this car is a true lemon. I have driven most VW models as loaners while CC is in the shop, and one of those broke down while in my possession. So much for German Engineering. Back to Mazda i go.

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  disappointed & frustrated - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Karen Rutkoski - October 4 - 1:26 am

  Bought my CC almost 1 yr ago; have only 6400 miles on it. It has been in for service 4x for check engine light. Was told 1st time that it was a computer error even though there was a distinct hard boiled egg smell coming from car. The 2nd time there was black smoke pouring from the exhaust. Fuel injector and a spark plug were replaced. Two days later light on again and was told it was "residue" that sensor was picking up. Now 1 month later light is on again along with a burning smell. The car drives with a "chugging" feel especially when I take foot off brake. Was told that a new sensor has been ordered. Dont see how that will fix the other issues. Am afraid to even drive the car!

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  Cheap Light Bulbs - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By CCgirl - July 10 - 4:33 am

  Im also having issues with the tail lights, like someone else who has talked about it in his/her review. My car is now 6 months old, has 6000 miles on it, and Ive had to get three tail light bulbs replaced. They keep going out one by one. Its a waste of time having to go to a dealership frequently to get them replaced. I still love the way this car looks, but Im disappointed with its quality and performance. Road noise, wind noise, bumpy ride on potholes is all too annoying.