Turbocharged performance
An optional 280 horsepower 3.6-litre V6 engine is available in the CC along with 4MOTION all-wheel-drive however my tester was propelled by its front wheels under direction of the base engine, which is a 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder affair. But don’t allow that to discourage.
The base powerplant relies upon turbocharging and other modern technology to spinout 200 horsepower @ 5,100 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque from 1,700 to 5,000 rpm, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Power, like a high-achieving employee, arrives early and stays late.
It’s not so much the thrust generated by the premium-gas fed brute as it is operational refinement that impressed me. This turbine-smooth mill revs with unparalleled freedom while never exhibiting strain or anxiety about doing so.
I’m not generally a big fan of 4-bangers but I’ll make an exception in this case and endorse VW’s 2.0-litre TSI as a favourite of mine.
Both automatic and manual 6-speed transmissions available
A 6-speed manual transmission is included as standard equipment; my tester was fitted with VW’s well-known 6-speed Tiptronic autobox. This unit performed smartly and allowed plenty of control through its manual-mode operation.
A feature I particularly liked and found useful was VW’s Auto Hold function. When activated, Auto Hold will apply braking to keep the CC stationary once it has come to a stop.
This application prevents the car from rolling up or down on a hill or creeping forward when the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal. Auto Hold is automatically released the moment the throttle is engaged.
Ride and handling dynamics inspire
The Passat CC delivers a secure, composed ride that’s never sloppy or harsh; comfort comes to mind but so does taut. On the balance, taut wins hands down. And that’s a “good thing” because it contributes to the CC’s fine sense of stability and athleticism.
This car is strong in the corners, feeling tightly connected to the road, fully engaged and highly predictable despite its front-wheel-drive configuration. Overall, the engineers have struck a clean cord with the chassis and underpinnings.
An optional 280 horsepower 3.6-litre V6 engine is available in the CC along with 4MOTION all-wheel-drive however my tester was propelled by its front wheels under direction of the base engine, which is a 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder affair. But don’t allow that to discourage.
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| My tester was propelled by its front wheels, which is a 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder affair. |
The base powerplant relies upon turbocharging and other modern technology to spinout 200 horsepower @ 5,100 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque from 1,700 to 5,000 rpm, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Power, like a high-achieving employee, arrives early and stays late.
It’s not so much the thrust generated by the premium-gas fed brute as it is operational refinement that impressed me. This turbine-smooth mill revs with unparalleled freedom while never exhibiting strain or anxiety about doing so.
I’m not generally a big fan of 4-bangers but I’ll make an exception in this case and endorse VW’s 2.0-litre TSI as a favourite of mine.
Both automatic and manual 6-speed transmissions available
A 6-speed manual transmission is included as standard equipment; my tester was fitted with VW’s well-known 6-speed Tiptronic autobox. This unit performed smartly and allowed plenty of control through its manual-mode operation.
A feature I particularly liked and found useful was VW’s Auto Hold function. When activated, Auto Hold will apply braking to keep the CC stationary once it has come to a stop.
This application prevents the car from rolling up or down on a hill or creeping forward when the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal. Auto Hold is automatically released the moment the throttle is engaged.
Ride and handling dynamics inspire
The Passat CC delivers a secure, composed ride that’s never sloppy or harsh; comfort comes to mind but so does taut. On the balance, taut wins hands down. And that’s a “good thing” because it contributes to the CC’s fine sense of stability and athleticism.
This car is strong in the corners, feeling tightly connected to the road, fully engaged and highly predictable despite its front-wheel-drive configuration. Overall, the engineers have struck a clean cord with the chassis and underpinnings.
 |
| This car is strong in the corners, feeling tightly connected to the road. |