Southern Volkswagen - Greenbrier

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Driving Impressions

The 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter engine shoots the car forward impressively, as quick, smooth and satisfying as just about any V6 in any sedan: 0-60 in 7.4 seconds, and only 0.1 second slower in the quarter-mile than the VR6. Torque is 207 pound-feet, but, importantly, it comes on at 1700 rpm. With variable valve timing and direct injection, in addition to the turbocharger intercooler, the 2.0 leads its class in technology.

Fuel mileage 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 Tiptronic transmission, in automatic mode, is matched just about perfectly to the engine's power curve, meaning you aren't even aware of the changes. And although the Tiptronic manual mode lends itself to playtime, the rest of the car doesn't really. This is a gentleman's sport sedan comfort coupe thing. It's not a long-wheelbase luxury GTI, despite some shared components.

Although we didn't drive a CC with the 280-horsepower V6 engine, everything we've read, including the acceleration specs, indicate that for a lot more money you don't get much more speed with the VR6. And if it's all-wheel-drive you're after, available only with the VR6, the higher 4Motion price erases the competitive advantage of the CC.

The suspension can't earn grades like the engine, especially not when it's asked to perform at its sport-tuned description. Sport is a relative game. But it's fair to suggest that most CC buyers won't ask that much of their Comfort Coupe. If all they ask for is a solid and smooth highway ride on a firm suspension that doesn't rock or wallow, no worries. We read in one online review (just one) that the suspension was mostly rough and especially jarring over freeway expansion strips, but our own notes contain no such complaints.

The overall handling is not particularly crisp, but the turn-in is sharp enough. The electromechanical power steering makes maneuvering in parking lots easy.

In a Motor Trend review, using instruments measuring braking and grip, the CC wowed its fans. Its braking was equal to the Audi A4 and its skidpad grip better, making it faster around the figure 8. These things matter, even to drivers who don't race around figure 8s on their way to the store, because they reflect not only a car's capabilities, but its standards.

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