2011 Volkswagen CC Midsize Car Review & Performance

Based on the Passat platform, the Volkswagen CC looks like an expensive European luxury car, a Mercedes CLS, for example. The sleek roofline seemingly came straight from a hotrod chop shop, lower by a couple of inches to a mere 56 inches tall and swept back as if the car were racing into a 200-mph wind.

The C-pillar is wide, but barely visible because it flows back, not down. On the same wheelbase as the Passat, the CC has a slightly wider track and is only 1.2 inches longer, but the shape makes it look bigger. But it's only 62 pounds heavier than a Passat.

It's unmistakably Volkswagen from the front, because of the big VW in the grille, but mistakable from other angles. It's hard to see that the track is only 0.4 inches wider in the front (0.6 in the rear), because of the width of the chrome grill with two horizontal bars, and the wraparound headlamps with arrowhead corners front and back. The air intake under the grille gives the CC a strong jaw, with foglamps each side, under long thin amber slivers for turn signals (with amber slits on the mirrors, very cool). The front of the car says upscale.

The profile says upscale too, but it sure doesn't say Volkswagen. Think of the Beetle, and you see that we've come a long way baby. The CC looks more upscale than even the $80,000 Phaeton. Just not as big.

Out of the bold front fender flares, character lines zoom rearward and upward like speed lines, most dramatically the top lines that nearly touch the taillights. The lower line has a chrome strip pasted over it, and it wraps around the rear of the car over the rear bumper. Next you notice the chrome rocker panels and sigh, and know that this is someone's perception of style.

The standard 17-inch standard alloy wheels with 10 heavy spokes are fairly good looking, but the optional 17-inch alloy wheels with 10 thinner spokes make the car look stunning, chrome strips notwithstanding. The R-Line comes with 18-inch wheels and tires.

The Volkswagen CC seats four. The cabin feels like a luxury racecar from the cockpit. The windshield is steeply raked, the doorsill high and the seat low, although it doesn't have to be that way because height is one of the 12 ways the seat is adjustable.

Visibility out front is good. It's not bad out the rear either, although the headrests don't help. The blind spots from the wide C-pillars are reduced by fixed triangular rear door windows behind the passengers' ears. Which are perilously close to the steeply sloping roofline.

Rear-seat headroom is something that definitely has been compromised by the lower roof. The two seats in the rear are bucket-like, ergonomically designed like the fronts, with wide thigh bolsters, separated by the space taken up by a roll top cup-holding console, as well as a fold-down armrest. Not just cupholders in there, but small triangular bins for poker chips or peanuts or whatever. There's a decent but not sumptuous 37.3 inches of rear legroom.

Each seat is a cozy compartment that makes a passenger feel special, to have his or her own space, like a space ship. It's perfect if you have two kids, separated from fighting by the barrier.

The perforated leather is two-tone and handsomely done, not always the case with daring two-tones. The Cornsilk Beige looked great, with stitched inserts. The four doors are totally stylish, with leather armrests and grab handles and swoopy brushed aluminum trim or wood trim.

The instrument panel feels far away, because it's not very vertical. There's a lot of leather up there, but sure enough there are gauges: with white-lit needles that stand up and fly around when you start the car. They're clean enough to read, and the layout of the center stack is not nearly as complicated as other German carmakers like to make it. It's a driver's compartment made for relaxing, with good vents to control the climate.

The trunk is on the smaller end of the class but usable. The CC offers 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly better than the Lexus IS but less than that offered by the Acura TSX (14 cubic feet) or Nissan Maxima (14.2). Behind the armrest is a pass-through hatch to the trunk for skis and such.

The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine shoots the car forward impressively, as quick, smooth and satisfying as just about any V6 in any sedan: The Volkswagen CC can accelerate 0-60 in 7.4 seconds. It's nearly as quick with the 2.0-liter as the VR6, only 0.1 second slower in the quarter-mile.

The 2.0-liter turbo is rated at 200 hp at 5100 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque between 1800-5000 rpm. The engine features variable valve timing and direct injection, in addition to the turbocharger and intercooler.

Fuel economy for the 2.0-liter engine is EPA-rated at 21/31 City/Highway, which is what we got with more than 50 percent highway driving, including some rapid two-lane transit. Premium fuel is recommended.

Driving the Volkswagen CC around town, up hills, passing on two-lanes, it just doesn't feel like a four-cylinder engine. Top speed is 130 mph, and we didn't go there, but we'll bet it could run near those speeds without stress, on the Autobahn. At 90 mph it's not straining one bit; totally smooth, amazingly smooth for a 2-liter four-cylinder.

The suspension can't earn grades like the engine, however, especially not when it's asked to perform at its sport-tuned description. The overall handling is not particularly crisp, but the turn-in is sharp enough. If all you ask for is a solid and smooth highway ride on a firm suspension that doesn't rock or wallow, no worries. The electromechanical power steering makes maneuvering in parking lots easy.

The 2011 Volkswagen CC Sport and Luxury models use the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, while the VR6 model features the 3.6-liter V6.

Volkswagen CC Sport ($28,200) comes with leatherette upholstery, heated 12-way adjustable driver's seat and eight-way passenger seat, premium 6CD/MP3 audio, 17-inch alloy wheels with 235/45R17 self-sealing all-season tires, sports suspension, traction control with differential lock, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, and multi-function steering wheel with aluminum trim. The Sport comes standard with the 6-speed manual transmission, but is also available with the 6-speed DSG ($29,300) automatic.

Volkswagen CC R-Line features 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/40R18 tires. It comes with a 12-way adjustable driver's seat and fog lights. The CC R-Line comes standard with the 6-speed manual ($30,120) or DSG ($31,220).

Volkswagen CC Luxury ($31,175) upgrades to dual zone climate control with air filter, navigation system with touch-screen, heated washer nozzles, brushed aluminum interior trim. Luxury Plus ($33,575) upgrades to HDD Navigation with touch-screen, rearview camera, panoramic sunroof, HomeLink, interior lighting package, wood trim. The Luxury Limited ($34,375) adds automatic bi-xenon headlights. The CC Luxury models come standard with the DSG automatic transmission.

Volkswagen CC VR6 4MOTION ($39,990) comes with the V6 engine, 6-speed Tiptronic automatic with paddle shifters, and all-wheel drive. The VR6 also upgrades to leather upholstery, power rear sunshade, premium outside mirrors, park distance control, memory for seats and mirrors, heated seats, and 600-watt Dynaudio 6CD system with 10 speakers.

Safety equipment includes six airbags (frontal, side front and full curtain), advanced stability control with ABS, tire pressure monitoring system. 4Motion can enhance safety in adverse conditions. The optional rearview camera can help the driver spot a child behind the vehicle when backing up.