If you bring the name Volkswagen up in conversation these days it can cause quite a stir. Some will immediately comment on

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

the number one auto news story of 2015, Dieselgate, while others will excitedly want to talk about one of the brand’s new or significantly updated models, such as the 292 horsepower all-wheel drive Golf R, the redesigned Passat, or the long awaited seven-passenger crossover that is expected later in 2016. One thing’s for sure, VW is never boring.

Take the CC. When it arrived on the scene in 2008 it was the first ever four-door coupe in the mainstream volume sector and today, seven years later, it arguably remains as the only four-door coupe in the mainstream volume sector, although some rivals are now encroaching on its territory without using the class moniker. It received a

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

mid-cycle makeover for the 2013 model year that replaced its deeper U-shaped grille design with the more uniform horizontal strakes that now permeate the entire VW lineup, the new version modernized and certainly clean and uncluttered looking, a minimalist’s dream car. I wouldn’t say the redesign has been a hit, however, with sales having dramatically declined over the last couple of years. VW Canada doesn’t single out CC sales, however, lumping them in with the Passat’s numbers instead, but Volkswagen’s U.S. division is more transparent and therefore the CC’s downward plunge in popularity is available for all eyes to see.

When

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

initially introduced the CC was a fairly strong seller for a niche market model, its first full calendar year of 2009 resulting in 23,872 sales, followed up by an even stronger 2010 resulting in 27,987 deliveries, even better results in 2011 with 29,502 CCs down the road, and a year of tapering off in 2012 with just 21,646 units sold. Calendar year 2013 was the first full year of the new design and despite overall auto sector growth its sales fell to 15,672 units, not at all what you expect from a fresh new model, while 2014 resulted in a mere 9,995 deliveries and year to date sales as of November 2015 are even less worthy of celebration at just 5,643 sold. Even if Volkswagen duplicates its best month of the year for December its CC sales will just eclipse 6,000 units. That’s a steep downhill trajectory from a high of almost 30,000 units only four years ago.

I’m

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

going to guess that the CC’s loss of momentum isn’t only about styling, because to me at least its neatly pressed new suit still looks good. It’s not an eye-arresting, neck-snapping, “Did you see that?” type of design, but it’s still a respectable looking daily driver that would add an air of sophistication to anyone’s upwardly mobile lifestyle. These now very limited sales, which of course are considerably lower in Canada, allows it an exclusive cachet, at least compared to the larger and more utile Passat it’s based on. VW dresses it up with a curving row of signature LEDs winding their way through combination HID headlamps, fog lamps hidden within stylish aluminum bezels below, LED turn signals embedded within the mirror housings, chrome trim around the side windows and mouldings, gorgeous Y-shaped machine-finished alloy wheels with black painted pockets at each corner, a trunk lid that forms into an integrated spoiler at back, more of that chrome body moulding

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

wrapping around the rear bumper, and a set of stylish LED taillights that look dazzling at night.

If it’s not styling driving the sales down, could it be the CC’s redesigned interior? True, while VW arguably made the instrument panel more appealing from a design perspective some of its materials quality disappeared, with more hard plastics added that weren’t there before the 2013 refresh. It’s still a beautiful cabin, however, the CC living up to its flagship model status as far as design goes. A unique floating soft-touch dash top seems to hover over gorgeous brushed aluminum inlay that spans the entire width of the instrument panel, expanding to encompass the primary instruments ahead of the driver and at its midsection diving

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

downward to surface the entire centre stack. A thin strip of the same metallic trim highlights each door panel too, their uppers covered in identical high quality soft synthetic as the dash top for an experience that bridges the gap between mainstream and premium.

That extra soft synthetic benefits the door inserts and armrests too, but these are done in a light tan thanks to my tester’s two-tone black and Cornsilk Beige interior colour theme. It’s an especially attractive look, the rib-stitched perforated Vienna leather sport seats downright rich. As noted, the CC falls short from its extensive use of cheaper feeling hard plastics. These stretch across the lower half of the instrument panel (all of the beige stuff in my tester) and underneath including the glove box lid, the former something that higher trims of volume compact and mid-size family sedans don’t allow anymore. The latter, however, is acceptable in the

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

mainstream volume class, as are the hard plastic lower door panels and centre console’s top and sides, but those of us who’ve lived with VWs of the past expect more, especially at the CC’s lofty price point. Ditto for switchgear that mostly feels hollow and cheap compared to the majority of mainstream rivals. In what appears to have been an effort to separate VW from Audi, the namesake brand has gone too far down market while its competitors are shooting for the stars. I’m not going to peg the CC’s lagging sales to interior refinement issues, but losing sight of what used to seem like core brand principles certainly doesn’t help. At least the CC hasn’t abandoned VW’s penchant for fabric wrapped pillars, which can be found all-round.

As noted, its interior design and especially the car’s finer details won’t be turning anyone

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

away. Its primary dials are a lesson in simplicity that I wish others would emulate. The metal-rimmed white on black dials with spinning red needles are classic analog done to perfection, which I think suits VW’s clientele well, plus a de rigueur high-resolution colour multi-information display vies for attention at centre stage, and while VW could do more to spice up the latter item’s graphical show it was certainly functional.

All said, the big news for this model is what sits overtop the centre stack, an all-new Discover Media (MIB II) infotainment system with a new 6.3-inch touchscreen display. It boasts new VW Car-Net with intuitive App-Connect integrating Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink, while the screen includes proximity-sensing technology that expands links as your hand approaches. It’s all impressive kit that works extremely well, especially when it comes to connecting your

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

smartphone and accessing a variety of apps via this larger and more importantly, legal user interface (at least holding your phone while driving is against the law where I live), and looks much better than Volkswagen’s previous interface. At least as good if not better is VW’s choice to finally embrace the lowly USB, this being the first CC to offer standard USB connectivity and VW being the last holdout brand to do so.

The Car-Net portion of the system, which is really the feature VW will eventually want you to buy into, is a subscription-based service that offers security features, remote vehicle access, advanced telematics and enhanced navigation, although it’s not yet offered here in Canada. VW’s Canadian division will want to address this, as it could become a good ongoing source of revenue.

The

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

620-watt 10-speaker Dynaudio stereo upgrade is part of the Canadian package, however, and it’s an awesome sounding option that comes standard in Highline trim. Feeling in a classic rock sort of mood I swapped stations to land on Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion, at which point I couldn’t help but crank it for all it was worth, and believe me this four-door yuppie coupe can rock.

The CC doesn’t rock on the road, however, at least not back and forth or from side to side. Rather its highly responsive electromechanical powered rack and pinion steering and fully independent MacPherson strut front and four-link rear setup with stabilizer bars at both ends, provides total stability at high speeds, whether pitching it into a fast-paced corner or just cruising autobahn-style along the freeway, the CC builds confidence in typical Teutonic fashion. It’s a comfortable ride too, no matter the road surface below, VW once again

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

managing to provide a pampering chassis with a very capable one, a balance that so many other manufacturers can’t seem to achieve.

Ditto for the powertrain, that combines impressive go-power with the efficient use of fuel. We can all say goodbye to the silky smooth and highly energetic 3.5-litre V6 and its 280 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque that used to offer a step up the performance and refinement ladder in top-tier CCs, VW discontinuing it for 2016, but like so many other CC buyers I’d opt for the base 2.0-litre four if it were my money on the line, for initial as well as ongoing running costs. First off it’s a powerful little direct-injected, turbocharged and intercooled mill, producing 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, the latter number from only 1,700 rpm, while the six-speed automatic it came mated to in my upgraded tester might be a bit down on gears compared to more recently introduced eight- and nine-speed transmissions,

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

but it’s one of VW’s fabulous dual-clutch DSG units complete with an engaging Sport mode as well as added paddles in my tester’s Highline trim, and delivers such fabulously quick action yet stingy efficiency that such top gear shortcomings can be overlooked.

I think the addition of VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive would help pull the CC into more premium territory, but of course that wouldn’t help in the fuel economy department where it scores very well with a claimed five-cycle EnerGuide rating of 10.7 L/100km city and 7.7 highway for the DSG, or an 11.4 city and 7.4 highway rating for the six-speed manual. Incidentally, last year’s V6 received a 13.9 L/100km city and 9.3 highway rating.

Fuel

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

economy is certainly not at fault for the CC’s diminishing returns, and I doubt performance plays into it either, leaving price. One thing to remember is that sales numbers aren’t as important as profits, as long as you’re selling enough to cover costs, that is. While I can’t tell you anything about VW’s internal number crunching, VW’s Canadian division has been quite open about increasing the base price of the CC since inception. When it was introduced as a 2009 model you could buy one for a mere $31,975 plus freight and dealer fees, a price that grew to $33,075 the following year, $33,375 the year after that and stayed the course until the refreshed 2013 model was launched in 2012, at which point the price jumped to $35,125, was bumped further to $36,050 for model year 2014, increased to $36,375 for 2015 and now has mushroomed to $39,750 for 2016. Of course, you’re getting a lot of standard features for its ballooned retail figure, but adding

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

$7,775 to any car’s entry-level price point in just over seven years will certainly shrink its potential audience.

So what has VW added that’s worthy of a $3,375 base price bump in only a single model year? It all comes down to that upgraded infotainment system that now comes with standard navigation, the older design with its less impressive nav capability part of a previous Technology package that’s been discontinued. This package also included the aforementioned Dynaudio stereo system that now can’t be had until you upgrade to the Highline trim level being reviewed here, although you couldn’t upgrade to the old Technology package without first opting for a panoramic glass sunroof, an item that’s now standard across the line. I think it’s safe to say that these standard upgrades deliver enough value to compensate for the

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

increased base price, and that’s not even factoring Canada’s ever-sagging dollar into the equation, a reality that VW inevitably has had to eat in order to keep its cars competitive.

That base model is dubbed Sportline and along with these new additions continues to come equipped similarly to premium branded cars at the higher end of the spectrum. Standard are automatic HID headlights with adaptive cornering capability and VW’s “coming home” system, the aforementioned LED daytime running lights, front fog lights, LED turn signals integrated into the side mirror housings, LED taillights, proximity-sensing keyless access with pushbutton ignition, automatic locking after reaching 13km/h, an electronic parking brake, an auto-dimming

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

rearview mirror, power-adjustable and heatable side mirrors, rain-sensing variable intermittent wipers with heatable washer nozzles, a leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic multifunction steering wheel with audio, trip computer, Bluetooth hands-free, and cruise controls (the latter with an active display), a leather-covered shift knob, a 12-way powered driver’s seat with powered lumbar support and an eight-way manually-adjustable front passenger seat with lumbar support, leatherette upholstery, heatable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a rearview camera, eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/AUX/USB audio with satellite radio, Titanium silver interior trim, chromed instrument cluster details and interior door handles, the stylish analog clock on the centre stack, 60/40 split folding rear seat with flip-down centre armrest and centre pass-through that expand upon its rather coupe-like 374 litre (13.2 cubic-foot) trunk, a beautifully detailed fully carpeted and

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

lined luggage compartment with four chromed tie-down hooks, a sport-tuned suspension, a cross differential system, an alarm system, hill hold assist, tire pressure monitoring, intelligent crash response, four-wheel discs with ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, traction and stability control, and more. It even gets a premium-like four-year or 80,000 km comprehensive warranty that goes one year longer and 20,000 kilometres farther for the powertrain.

Along with the features already noted, as-tested $43,825 Highline trim includes beautiful brushed dark aluminum inlays and perforated Nappa leather-upholstered sport seats that are absolutely stunning. Upgraded LED interior lighting gets added too, some of which glows from recesses behind the metal inlays for a nighttime

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

sense of occasion that must be seen to be truly appreciated, while memory gets added to the driver’s seat and side mirrors, plus 12-way power to the front passenger’s seat. Power-folding side mirrors enhance the CC’s livability, as does a HomeLink universal garage door opener, while 18-inch alloys replace the base model’s 17s.

On this last note I really like the new Lisboa rims, their design following a recent trend to machine-finished surfacing and painted pockets, but I must admit to missing the old 18-inch Interlagos wheels that will remain some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, period. Of course the Interlagos rims had been a CC Highline staple for a very long time and change was needed even if only for the sake of change, but I pay them homage just the same. Speaking of change, VW has also eliminated the Technology package for the Highline, the Dynaudio stereo now

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

standard in this trim as noted, and navigation standard on the base model, while VW’s electronic Side Assist lane change warning system that was part of this package is now standard with the Highline. It monitors both left and right sides of the car as well as up to 50 metres (164 feet) rearward, flashing warning lights on the inside of the mirrors if a potentially dangerous situation is detected.

It would be easy to get critical by pointing out numerous electronic driver assist systems that are not offered with this top-line CC, especially more advanced mitigating systems that temporarily take over driving duties in emergency situations such as lane keeping assist, plus comfort and convenience features that have

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

been omitted such as a heatable steering wheel with powered tilt and telescopic capability, ventilated front seats, heatable rear seats, and the list goes on, while it would be nice if VW Canada offered a less expensive variant and pricier R-Line version as it does south of the 49th, but I’d rather focus on the many improvements and then celebrate the fact that this car exists at all. Certainly it’s up against new challengers that vie for four-door coupe status, the new Nissan Maxima coming immediately to mind, and while that Japanese model excels in interior refinement and off-the-line power, from an overall driving perspective the CC remains in the lead. Of course, this Nissan won’t be a big seller either, so just like the CC it’s a case of bragging rights and building brand image. As with the VW, once again it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why sales have been falling over the past few years, but on the positive this only makes it more exclusive for those who appreciate its many merits.

So if you’re looking for a unique, stylish and particularly rare four-door coupe, Volkswagen still has the answer in its very likable CC.
©(Copyright Canadian Auto Press)