Volkswagen CC 1.8 TSI (DSG) Review: Come and CC

What we like:

Stylish and sleek looks

reasonably priced for such a stylish model

efficient performance

well-equipped

What we dislike:

Doesn’t get the new A4’s more powerful 1.8 motor

can do with additional rear headroom

Bar minor detail and trim updates, the CC’s interior is largely similar to the old Passat CC’s. Up front, there’s a new analogue clock in the middle of the dashboard just like in the Passat and Phaeton for an even classier look overall. Other tweaks up front include the new controls for the Climatronic climate control with additional LCD displays for temperature adjustment as well as new switches surrounding the gear lever – the electronic parking brake switch has moved from next to the headlamp knob to next the gear lever and fore of the engine start/stop button.

Expectedly the CC isn’t as accommodating as the taller Passat at the rear. Rear legroom is generally OK but occupants can certainly make do with more headroom, especially the middle passenger, as the seat bench is slightly raised in the middle, thus reducing headroom even further for the passenger seated in the cantre. Speaking of rear passengers, the CC now comes standard with a flat rear bench to accommodate five instead of the two individual rear bench on earlier Passat CC models. In addition, rear passengers will have the use of a new 230V power outlet in the rear console.

With the rear seats in place, the CC’s boot offers a spacious 532 litres of load volume. Loading and unloading of items has been made even more convenient in the new model – all models come standard with the Easy Open boot access as well as remote unlatching of the rear backrest from the boot.

Like the latest Passat and Tiguan, the CC gets Fatigue Detection as standard. Fatigue Detection senses waning driver concentration and warns the driver with an acoustic signal while a visual message appears in the instrument cluster recommending the driver take a break from driving. It detects fatigue by analyzing the driver’s characteristic steering behaviour each trip and if the monitored parameters indicate a deviation from the usual steering behaviour, the system will make audible warnings. A reasonably priced cost option on the CC is the latest generation Park Assist, which supports both parallel and perpendicular parking.

While the new CC doesn’t look or drive significantly different from its Passat CC predecessor, it makes for an even more convincing prospective overall thanks to the additional refinement and its even more elegant look overall.

Credits: Story by Raymond Lai Photos by Yang and Raymond Lai