Volkswagen CC (2012 – 2017) Review

Volkswagen CC (2012 – 2017) At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The Volkswagen CC may not be as sharp to drive as a BMW 3 Series Gran Coupe or Audi A5, which are the CC’s closet real world rivals, but it’s decent value, easy to live with and cheap to run.

+Good looking four-door coupe, well equipped, comes with a fine range of engines, good value used.

-Handling isn’t as sporty as the looks would suggest, boot access is poor.

Insurance Groups are between 23–30
On average it achieves 82% of the official MPG figure

When Volkswagen updated the CC in 2012, it dropped the Passat part of the name to emphasise the car’s four-door coupe status in its range. It certainly works as a stylish family car with flair thanks to the looks and engines in the line-up that offer everything from frugal to fast. At heart, it’s still a Passat, so you also get a comfortable ride and decent handling, good refinement and excellent build quality. Admittedly, the CC isn’t quite as desirable as an Audi A5, but it’s cost-effective to run and own while delivering a dash of everyday chic.

Volkswagen dropped the Passat part of the CC’s name when the new model pitched up in 2012. This was a deliberate attempt to distance the four-door coupe model from its more humdrum mainstream sister, yet buyers were not fooled then and they are not now.

While Volkswagen may have been embarrassed by the CC’s Passat origins, there’s nothing wrong with this in our book as the Passat was one of the most capable family cars of its period. It follows the CC is also very able and it comes with a welcome extra sporting glint in its headlight thanks to its looks and the way it drives.

The engine range comprised 1.8-litre TSI 160PS or 2.0-litre TSI 210PS petrols and a 2.0-litre TDI common rail diesel with either 140PS, 170PS and 184PS. Each version of the TDI was offered with fuel saving BlueMotion Technology.

Plus, all models with 170PS or more have an XDS differential as standard. This is the same system that features on the Golf GTI and uses the electronic traction control system to improve cornering and traction. See, we told you it had a more sporting side than the Passat on which it’s based.

Of course, the most obvious expression of this sporty nature is the CC’s coupe styling. Unlike other car makers that use the CC moniker to denote a coupe-cabriolet model, the VW CC is very much a fixed roof machine. It has four doors, in the same mould as the Mercedes CLS or BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, both cars that VW hoped its CC buyers would aspire to even if their budgets didn’t quite stretch that far.

As a result, the CC ended up being a one-off in the family car class with no direct rivals. The Kia Stinger arrived after the CC had been replaced by the Arteon, so it is set in aspic as an unusual detour for Volkswagen and one that still holds an appeal today for those who fancy the idea of a Scirocco but need more practicality.

The front cabin is very similar to the contemporary Passat’s, which is no bad thing as it’s precisely laid out and well made. The rear has frameless doors just like the front pair and they open to reveal a rear with only two proper seats and very slim centre pew.

This limits versatility to some degree, but then coupe buyers are less likely to have that as a top priority. Read headroom is not as good as the Passat saloon’s, but it’s certainly not poor. There’s also a decent boot, so the CC makes a sound case for itself.

All models come with touchscreen sat nav, DAB digital radio, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, two-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels and xenon headlights. Again, this gives the CC a good slice of buyer appeal.

Ask Honest John

Can I fit all-season and summer tyres to my car?

"I have a 2015 Volkswagen CC fitted with four Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres (235 x 45 x R17). The front two tyres are at the legal limit and need replacing. The rear tyres still have about 4mm of tread remaining. I intend to change the front two tyres with Michelin Cross Climates. Would it be better to change all tyres at the same time or are Michelin Cross Climates on the front OK to run with Dunlop Sport Maxx on the rear?"
It would be best to change all four. Mixing all-seasons with summer tyres is a very bad idea, in my opinion: it may cause handling problems with the car in the winter months due to the fact the front of the vehicle will have significantly more grip than the rear.
Answered by Dan Powell

How do you turn daytime running lights off completely?

"How do you turn the daytime running lights on or off in my 2014 Volkswgen CC?"
You can't switch off the daytime running lights, they are designed to increase the visibility of your car so that other drivers can see you on the road during the day.
Answered by Dan Powell

My Volkswagen CC has increased fuel consumption since the emissions fix - what do I do?

"My 2012 Volkswagen CC diesel is an auto DSG. Fuel consumption has increased by 6mpg since conversion and will not change automatically until the revs are much higher. I told Volkswagen and they weren't interested. They said it had been confirmed performance won't be affected."
This is the standard post NOx emissions 'fix' with the Tiguan 2.0 TDI and now seems to be affecting the CC 2.0 TDI. Because the fault is not resolved you should join one of the class actions against VW UK. I've put links into Good/Bad in the Volkswagen CC entry at http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar
Answered by Honest John

Volkswagen CC engine rattles since emissions 'fix'

"My 2012 Volkswagen CC went back to the dealer for its emissions work back in July 2016; however, since then the engine has developed a very large rattle and no longer gets better than 47mpg (used to be at least 49). I am now worried the engine is going to be seriously damaged. Any advice what I should be doing please?"
That is precisely the same problem that has been occurring with Tiguan TDIs (probably because they were recalled first). If the first reprogramming does not work they try another one that may or may not work. See: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/tiguan-2008/?section=good/
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Volkswagen CC (2012 – 2017) cost?