Road Test: Volkswagen CC 2.0 TDI BlueMotion

Volkswagen says you only have one chance to make a first impression. So, what type of impression did the Volkswagen CC leave on Ray Leathern?

Despite competition from the likes of Hyundai and Kia that have arrived onto the scene lately, with cheap, highly equipped and head-turning offerings, Volkswagen still has a near-impregnable up-market image behind it. This is an image that only comes with highly concentrated efforts to safeguard the integrity and core values of their products. In the case of the Volkswagen CC, the core values are presented in a fashion that is more-sterling than ever.

The Volkswagen CC 2.0-litre TDI BlueMotion we sampled recently is arguably the best looking big Volkswagen sold in South Africa. It gets attractive LED daytime running light (if optioned with Xenon headlights) for one and the CC’s designers clearly wanted to emphasise its A-pillar and C-pillar over the model it replaces. Of course, because it’s a CC, it gets yummy pillarless doors all around too. The next tweak to the styling comes in the lengthened bonnet and smoothed line that joins the flattened bonnet with the A-pillar. Some might say its lost a bit of character when compared to the original Passat CC, we however, can’t stop marvelling at how it turns heads on a consistent basis.

Continuing with the refreshing design theme, the interior and all of the switch gear, including the on-board computer and the touch screen, have a simple and elegant aesthetic. In addition, the CC greets occupants with a fresh, silver bordering around the buttons, as well as brushed aluminium-look dash inlays. There is also ambient lighting available in the form of clear white light along the doors and in the foot wells, to give a further clean-cut feel to the cabin at night.

The cargo space is 532-litres with four people on-board and maximum cargo capacity is 1-510 litres with the rear seats folded down. What also comes through strongly in the CC is its typically Volkswagen-honed attention to detail and ergonomic use in almost any situation. The comfortable driving position, the meaty lumbar supported seats and the intuitively laid out interior, are spot on and just as you’d expect from any Volkswagen. It may be a little on drab side for a luxury conveyance, but you’d be hard pressed to argue that fact for too long.

The standard features list on the CC is also significantly extended, so it now includes cruise control, a rain sensor for the wipers, automatically dimming rear-view mirror and an 8-speaker audio system, CD/MP3-player, two-zone climate control, new fabric upholstery design, new bezels around the air vents, an electric parking brake with auto-hold function, electric windows all around, electric door mirrors, multi-function display and a leather-trimmed 3-spoke steering wheel with aluminium accents.

The 2.0-litre TDI engine now produces slightly more power and torque than before: 130 kW and 380 Nm. This engine is available with both the manual or DSG transmission, but in our test unit we had the 6-speed dual-clutch transmission fitted. The engine performs urgently, economically and with a healthy balance between mid-range torque and more than enough power at the top end.

Crucially these days, the CC also benefits from BlueMotion technology, with an engine stop/start and energy recuperation system that works through the brakes. All these little additions add up and result in the CC only producing 137 g/km CO2. The fuel consumption is rated at 5.2 L/100 km in the 2.0-litre TDI and we were able to achieve a figure close to that over our test period. The large 70-litre fuel tank means you’ll achieve well over 1 000 km range off a tank, no matter how aggressively you drive.

The 2.0-litre TDI engine can accelerate impressively, with great torque, to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds, before it hits a top speed of 220 km/h. The CC is light, easy and effortless to drive, with steering that gives good feedback as you glide along. Our front-wheel drive test unit did suffer from mild torque steer under aggressive cornering and acceleration from standstill, but the standard ESP system does an admirable job of keeping it under control and not allowing it to be too intrusive.

The Volkswagen CC feels connected to the road all the time and the car coasts along with no effort at all, showing the aerodynamic prowess of the new design and the carefully calculated compromise between low rolling resistance tyres and acceptable cornering performance. It isn’t the sportiest car in the world, but you could definitely pin its ears back and get somewhere pretty urgently if you were running late.

The drivetrain is one of Volkswagen’s more exemplary efforts. You don’t need to shift out of sixth gear to overtake, although if you do, the DSG does the job easily and efficiently. Low down the rev range there is still some turbo lag, but from 2 000 r/min the car can gather momentum with no fuss at all. This creates a relaxing driving experience when you’re just on the highway or wafting down a secondary road.

The only misgivings we could form with the CC were the electronic handbrake and the traction control aids. You need to have your foot on the brake to deactivate the electronic brake and there is no button to switch off the numerous traction control systems. It responds well enough when driven quickly, but always with constant intrusion from the dynamics systems.

As always with Volkswagen, just when the competition seems to be closing in on them, they seem able to react quickly to market shifts and keep the odds stacked in their favour. The market in which the CC competes is not exactly its stronghold, thanks to the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but you have to admit that thanks to keen pricing and a long list of equipment fitted as standard, the handsome CC makes a strong case for itself out on the showroom floor.

What we like…

• Interior quality, comfort and standard equipment.
• Handsome, head-turning looks for a VW.
• Good fuel economy and range thanks to the big tank.

What we would like…

• The price is creeping ever closer to R400 000, any more and VW clientele might be put off.
• Slightly improved dynamics to match the other Germans in the class.

Photo Credit: Matteo Conti Photography

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