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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  2009 VR-6 Great Deal - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By HoustonJR - May 1 - 12:46 pm

  Replacing 2002 Passat. Vehicle is much quicker and more fun to drive. Got a great deal on a VR-6 model, paid $29.2K in Houston, TX. Have put 1000 highway miles on it and its very comfortable. Averaged 28 mpg.

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  What a car! - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By Terence Underwood - April 19 - 12:59 am

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  Cool Car - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By vj_sant - April 7 - 10:00 am

  Always drove a Toyota. Bought my cc, have it for 2 weeks drives great, Exterior /interiors superb. Got lot of compliments on it.

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  Love at First Sight - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By falkender - March 26 - 1:06 am

  Traded in an almost new Camry for my luxury model CC. Just had to have one. Have absolutely no regrets. Fun to drive, beautiful and easy on the gas.

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  Awesome CC - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Joe Ostarello - March 12 - 6:00 pm

  I am 64" tall and more comfortable in this auto than i have been larger size luxury models I have owned. It is beyond any doubt a great auto to drive. The only trouble in the 1st 8 months has been a couple of fault warnings for the distance sensors and OBD that did not latch or require service

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  VALUE! - AWESOME! - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By joelm52 - March 12 - 10:55 am

  Unbelievable! I love this car! Im a 59 year old health professional and this is the first VW I have ever owned. After driving it, I was so impressed with the whole car and VWs service of this car, that I bought it! It gets better mileage than my Nissan Altima did, and is 10 times the car! 31 MPG going thru mountains with loads of power and every comfort feature you could imagine that you would normally find in cars costing two to three times as much money. Looks, fit and finish, power, economy for less than 30 grand! Trust me, if your looking for an economical car to fall in love with, buy one!

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  I love, love, love my CC - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By PhillyCCGirl - March 10 - 8:26 am

  This car is seriously awesome. Handsdown, the best value in the market of a sport sedan. I was looking at the following 6MT vehicles: 2010 TSX 2010 BMW3 2010 A4 2010 CC The CC had the best fit-out inside, and the styling is seriously fierce. I am a SWF age 29 and people constantly stop me to see what kind of car it is. I only owned Japanese before making the change over to German, and I am highly pleased with my decision.

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  Car feels more expensive than it is - 2012 Volkswagen CC
  By whofan67 - February 24 - 11:36 am

  I love looking at, sitting in and driving this car. VW did this one right. I was looking at a Sonata, Lexus IS250, Infinity G35 and Buick Regal and none gave me as much car for the money as the CC. There simply is no finer car for me in the low 30K range.

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  How did they do it at this price???? - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Tony & Charlie - February 23 - 12:03 am

  Just bought the 09 CC. Drove BMW,Mercedes and Audi. Have owned BMW and Audi - But no more! This is an amazing car! The build quality exudes German pride! The interior is phenomenal - the design is unlike anything else we looked at (at any price) and it fits like a glove! The 2.0 turbo is amazingly powerful and smooth... Did not feel it was necessary to go to the VR6... The list of standard features is impressive! The C-Class MBZ doesnt even offer heated seats standard... If you are even considering a MBZ, BMW or Audi - You MUST drive this car! No regrets!!!! Even the buying experience was nice - good job VW!

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  What a car! - 2010 Volkswagen CC
  By Sporty_D - February 2 - 10:00 am

  I was initially considering BMW 3 series or the Audi A4. They were way too expensive after adding all the features I wanted. So I decided to try out the CC. Oh my, was I in for a surprise. With less $ than A4 or the 3 series, I was able to get a fully loaded car with NAV and backup camera as well. This car looks awesome and rides and performs like a sports car especially in sports mode. Oh, did I tell you? I love it when people asks me, "what kind of car is that?". This car look much better than BMW 3 or Audi A4 in my opinion. Some people actually told me that they thought it was the Mercedes CLS. Puts a smile on my face every time I take it out for a spin.