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:

• 

  Best in its class as well as next class - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Nikhil - November 29 - 10:13 pm

  VW has hit a home run with the CC. It has excellent Value For Money with std features you only get as options on other cars.

• 

  Driver Drving AWAY - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By David Chochol - November 10 - 3:00 pm

  CC brought me back and is now Driving me away. I cant wait to trade it on a LS430 Lexus. Stain in the rear window will not come out with anything! Seems to be the plastic melted into the glass. Sand grinding sound in the steering colunm which was replaced @ 2,700 miles, 700 on the miles driving back and forth to the dealer. Ebrake fully killed battery(dealer said no) the is a service recall,(NHTSA Item Number: 10029084) Only 2000 miles. Paint has Flaws on trunk. FLOOR MAT get folded under your feet liek Toyota. Speedo is OFF 4 MPH. 65 is actally 61. VW dealer said this is accepted. BS.

• 

  Wow Amazing - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Sat - November 7 - 4:30 pm

  Worth every cent. I like the pwr seat height adjustment, give me lot of support for thy. Comfortable for the long drive. I wish the interior had a single had a option of Full leather in white color.

• 

  Bang Bang for the buck - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Mark - October 31 - 12:23 pm

  Amazing styling (Mercedes CLS lines) that constantly gets compliments with an interior superior to that of the latest Audi A4. This is the base model with so many options and power I dont know why you would need the upgrade package considering its lofty price tag. Good mileage - week and a half per tank (27 avg. mpg). If this is the future of VW, autobahn driving will have Bavarian Motor Works in their rearview.

• 

  Just beautiful!!!!!!!!!! - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By jsantos05 - October 7 - 1:24 pm

  This ride is a straight up head turner! sport feature is amazing and on the freeway going 60+ just so smooth. Interior / exterior are beautiful they really put effort into making this cc look more expensive then it really is. BEST THING ABOUT THIS RIDE YOU HARDLY SEE IT ON THE ROAD SO WHEN IT PASSES BY DEF. CATCHES PPLZ EYES.. BEST DECISION I EVER MADE IM VERY PICKY WHEN IT COMES TO CARS. I WANTED TO BUY THE AUDI A4 BUT ITS TO EXPENSIVE WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CC SPORT I WAS SOLD ON THE SPOT IM 24 YEARS OLD AND A PROUD VW OWNER !!!

• 

  Very Happy With Our 2012 VW CC - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By rjm2013 - October 5 - 5:21 pm

  We have been driving the CC for 5 months now and we love it! Cruises wonderfully and gives us just enough get up and go around the city to keep things interesting. Gas mileage is great, better than advertised. The 2.0 Turbo is a great engine that seems to perform better than the specs. The styling and quality, inside and out is classy lux for a price much less than similar lux vehicles. I definately like that we have yet to see another CC on the hwy. A truely beautiful car that performs admirably in its class.

• 

  Thrilled with the CC - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By pawwap - September 24 - 1:19 am

  The German built CC is an excellent blend of performance, style and value. The 2.0 turbo engine is very peppy and responsive. A friend who recently drove my relatively new CC Sport was sure it was a 6 cylinder from its pick up. I have gotten up to 34.5 mpg on a combined road and street drive, that with the required premium gas. Generally, in town mileage has been about 26 mpg. The interior is very elegant and at a price that is much more reasonable than the VWs German counterparts. While I have had it only a short time, I traded in my 7 year old Passat (the best car I have ever owned) to get this snazzy sedan. I am so far, thrilled each time I get into the CC.

• 

  Great car, fun to drive - 2013 Volkswagen CC
  By kyotonigel - September 17 - 3:19 am

  I absolutely love how my car drives - the V6 engine has powerful acceleration and the car feels very sporty which I like. The car has a lot of spunk. If you want a sports car feel with many of the features found in a luxury sedan ---the Lux V6 is the way to go. It is a very attractive car and I get a lot of compliments when driving it. People are always asking what it is because of the unique look.

• 

  My first but not last VW - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Bob - September 9 - 6:00 am

  Bought this in Fall when my previous car started having engine problems. I was looking at comparing the Lux and VR6, but the deal was too good to pass up ($ off due to age of car). So I found this car that had all the features I wanted, for a great price and quality of German Engineering. I love how the seats hug my body while driving. The other nice feature is the back seat pass-though in the center. This feature allows 4 people and skis to comfortably fit in the car. The 60/40 split seats are also nice when transporting other larger items. My friend bought his Jetta TDI from this same place after enjoying the ride in my car. I hope this is still around when its time for a new car.

• 

  Awesome value, stylish sport - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By enrikk - August 31 - 12:25 pm

  As others have said here, both the interior and exterior are of luxury-line quality, and the 4-cylinder performance is a dream. Cornering ability is outstanding, and the ride is very smooth. A definite bonus, also, is that the CC model is a rare gem on the road (almost makes me want to give the CC a bad review so it stays that way). Professional reviews are a little misleading - they widely pan the 6-cylinder model and complain that theres little room in the back. Just get the 4-cylinder and dont shop for coupes when you really need a minivan (duh?).