2010 Volkswagen CC Review – A test Drive Bashing
By: Brenton Blawat
This article is the first of many car reviews for 2009/2010 vehicles. I chose the Volkswagen CC as the first review as it was the most intriguing to write about out of the 20 or so vehicles I was able to test drive.
2010 Volkswagen CC
In an effort to raise the ‘class’ bar for VW, the Volkswagen created the Passat CC to replace standard VW Passat. At a first glance, you see a Mercedes CLS-class but after closer inspection, you realize the branding on the front is Volkswagen. This immediately intrigued me, and a test drive was in the works for the vehicle. After the test drive, I thought, with such sleek exterior styling, how did they get it so wrong?!!
Interior – Is it really that Luxurious?
Can anyone tell me which vehicle is the CC and which is the Passat?
With interior reminiscent of its Passat predecessor, I was really hoping for more. The dashboard gauges and steering wheels are exactly the same, while the shifter and the seats are slightly different. To answer my question above, the image on the [left] is the Passat CC and the Image on the [right] is the Standard Passat. Scary how close the interiors are.
Why is this such a big deal? The Washington Times raved the Passat CC as having “classy-looking interior”. The new slogan speaks of luxury – but is it really? The stereo is touch screen, however, it is a bit scary to use/learn in heavy traffic. I still don’t like the cylindrical shifter. It really forces me to stay away from playing in sport mode. While I can admit that the CC’s seats are comfortable, I get very close to the same support in the Passat. The rear seat has a cup holder as part of the seat making the vehicle a true four seat vehicle (no cramming kids in the back). My second concern with this center console is hauling any items in the back seat such as a TV (one which wouldn’t fit in the opening of the trunk). I would be afraid of cracking the plastic on the cover, or damaging the TV.
The ride is what I would expect from a German car with low road noise and it passes the door closing test. The door closing test is one where when you shut your door it is a solid thud. It shouldn’t have any radiating vibrations or rattles coming from inside the door or in the cabin. While the frame and chassis of the vehicle are solid, the interior still needs some major work to make you feel like you are in a luxury car.
Performance? Nothing new… nothing real exciting. They still have the same 2.0T and VR6 engines.
How did they miss the mark?
The first gripe I have with the Volkswagen CC has to do with the 2.0 liter turbocharged automatic. The dual clutch system (DCS) in the vehicle gives the feeling that you are consistently missing the gear at take-off, and during mid-gear acceleration (like the Lancer Rally Sport). While the salesman insisted it was the turbo lag – any seasoned turbo driver (such as myself) – knows that it’s the gear not engaging smoothly in the vehicle. To know the difference — turbo lag dips the RPM prior to an explosive take-off. The feeling you will get is that you are riding the clutch before it engages. The result is feeling like you are going to break the transmission when driving it. The throttle response is thus affected, and takes the fun out of driving the vehicle. When switching to the VR6 version of the VW CC, you’re immediately engaged and the engine grunt makes you feel – this is cool. The numerous reported issues with the VR6 engines require a second thought which purchasing the vehicle for engine longevity over 90k. Any salesman that states that the engine issues have been fixed, is just feeding you a line.
The second gripe I have with the Volkswagen CC has to do with the headroom – more appropriately the sunroof-headroom-ish-thingy (aka S.H.I.T.). While the manufacturer calls the feature a sunroof - it really isn’t by normal standards – its top vent. The sunroof doesn’t retract it only pops open to provide added cabin sunlight and ventilation. If you get a VW without the sunroof, your headroom is decreased by several inches and any six foot man would start to get a claustrophobic feeling inside the cabin. Also to mention, during the test drive, I was fortunate to have a friend with me, and she confirmed (with her being 5’9”) she felt as if the roof was collapsing on her as well. It seems anyone over 5’8” requires the sunroof which is only available on the luxury package – another “really??” moment.
Even if I were to overlook the $33,880 starting price tag for the luxury package (for which I can get a All Wheel Drive 2010 BMW 3 series with better residual), my two grips are immediate deal breakers when purchasing the vehicle.
End Result: EPIC FAILURE.
