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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  Regret Decision - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By migzc - January 15 - 5:39 pm

  This is the first car I ever purchased new and I really regret my decision to go with Volkswagen. The car is very noisy, has creaks and rattles in the front and back. I have taken it to the dealership approx 10 times and they still cant make it right! There is a very distinctive rattle in the front driver side when going over bumps and they replaced the strut, brakes and several other things and no luck. Now they say it is normal!! Also, the plastic trim behind the rear window cracked for no reason, they dont know how that happened but said they will replace it. The part has been on order for a month!! There is also a major delay from punching the gas to actually accelerating!

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  Poor interior design and performance - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Jano - December 29 - 5:26 am

  Purchased a new VW CC.It is very difficult to drive. When accelerating,you must be very careful in depressing the accelerator because if not done just right the vehicle will shoot forward too fast or bog down for a second or two causing a dangerous condition when pulling out into traffic.The dashboard is poorly designed especially the placement of the media buttons and phone buttons on the steering wheel.the air conditioning ducts are pointed down so you dont get the full blast of air when opened fully. This is the first vehicle that I have ever has that I am fearful of driving because of the performance of the car. I took it to the dealer and they said it was okay.not enough room for expla

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  Sporty looking car but lacks some key features - 2017 Volkswagen CC
  By RK - August 27 - 6:02 pm

  2017 CC R-Line Executive car is really sporty looking stylish car. Seats are comfortable. Being closeout model year for 2017, they are priced aggressively to sell by some dealers. I wanted to point out that some must have features at this price range are missing. Blind spot monitoring, Rear cross traffic alerts, Home link/Home Connect features are missing.

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  Looks arent everything. - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By CCgirl - January 26 - 4:16 pm

  I bought this car simply cuz I loved the sleek shape. I also wanted a German car, but couldnt afford the luxury makes. Im still very happy with the car, two months after the purchase, but dont like a few things about it. The ride is bumpy (suspension too firm for my taste), wind noise is strong on windy days, maybe because the frameless windows dont seal very tightly. Seating is low like a sports car. I hear a few rattling sounds when driven over potholes. Brake pedal is soft. Transmission upshifts are seamless, but downshifts not as quick. Rear visibility while backing up is poor because of the high trunk and the angle of the back window, so camera option is a must.

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  Dont be fooled by imatations - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Joel - January 14 - 9:56 pm

  I bought this thinking it would be a good compromise to the $76,000 CLS price. Was I sadly mistaken. Dont get me wrong - it is a very fun car to drive around town but not very stable on the interstate. If you are in the market for a standard sedan , this is a great car to consider. However, if you are used to the BMW and Mercedes quality, dont be fooled by the flashy appearance. It still does not match their quality in detail. For the price of the fully loaded VR6, you could easily get into a nicely equipped BMW or Mercedes and be much more satisfied. I have traded my CC for a 2007 CLS and have no regrets on the decision. Only consider this if the 2.0 option is your choice.

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  Im sorry but I traded - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By nkelley62 - October 7 - 6:54 pm

  I bought the car (as a woman would) for the stuff that the salesman told me would work. after I signed the paper work and got the car home stuff didnt work. I took back to the service dept to learn that the car only had the buttons and lack the add ons that I wanted. The other turn off was that my feet would burn when driving the car. The air system would default to heat making it way to hot for me. My gas mileage was horrible getting about 15-18 mpg. I had to fill up twice a week. I thought this was too much since I only worked 10 miles from home. Sadly traded the car

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  Fun - but Expensive to maintain - 2011 Volkswagen CC
  By Eric Hemmendinger - November 20 - 8:20 pm

  Had the car for 4 years, and have about 80K miles on it. Its a pleasure to drive - when everything is working correctly - and thats the issue. Ive had to replace the steering column lock, have the heads cleaned, and several other lesser items - but these are things that should not crop up until the car has well over 100K miles. So.. Its expensive to maintain. Ive also learned that its fragile. I put it into a snow bank at the bottom of the driveway - going about 8 miles/hour. the damages are in excess of $4K. To me that means its fragile. Ive enjoyed driving it, but am about to replace it in order to obtain a more cost-effective vehicle.

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Julian - September 20 - 12:25 pm

  Bought the car because I fell in love with it since I test drove it. Fantastic interior, excellent performance and suspension overall. Have owned this car for 4yrs now. Bought it with 20,000 miles. First year car ran like a champ no issues what so ever. Then came second year of ownership and everything went down hill after the warranty expired three months before. Water pump failure, $1,500 fix. Six months later water pump failed again. I though the mechanics were idiots and did not know what they were doing until it failed again a year later. Anyhow, Ive had four water pumps replaced in three years. Intake manifold failed twice, PCV valve failure and of course fuel pump failure which are all "common" problems due to poor engineering according to dealer. Constant oil leak until I had to have valve cover gasket redone. Oh yes, rear main seal failed at 40,000. The car has 50,675 miles at the time of this review. Great car when it runs but I have spent more money on repairs for this car than the maintenance work done on my two previous vehicles combined.

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  No Longer a VW Amabassador - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By bulldogj - February 19 - 10:45 pm

  Loved CC in beginning. Work in sales so lot of people see car & commented on. Couldnt take after purchased bcause recall 4 seat wiring. Washed car 1 week later & window leaked due to seal. Then trunk would not close. All warning signs 4 things to come. After no warranty due to miles: dashboard around ignition & glove box started bubbling & peeling. Then trunk would not open. Wire harness broke no obvious rodent chewing that caused it; cost $250.00. Recall steering column console Aug 11. Sept: steering wheel locked & couldnt drive thought due to recall. Nope, diagnosis rack & pinion issue not related to recall - VW svc est $1600.00 plus $80 tow. Sales colleague was buying; no more!

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  POS in nice skin - 2014 Volkswagen CC
  By geo40 - November 20 - 11:07 am

  Its a money pit. Talk about high maintainance German cars. Have to replace the tires every 30K miles. Water pump went out at 60K. Oil leak at tensioner at 65K miles. Rear break pads wearing out before fronts. Each of those cost me over $1K a pop. Not good for a $35K vehicle when purchased new. Long time ago, I had a 1980 Datsun 510, carburator, manual. It went to 200K miles with oil changes only. Think the Germans have learned how to make reliable cars? They have not. They have learned very well how to drain your bank account. And for reference, Ive had a BMW Z3 and A Mercedez C240. Same high maintainance POS in pretty skin.