DRIVEN: 2012 Volkswagen Passat CC !!!

I'm a man with class. I would love to look cool when I arrive at the jockey area of a renowed hotel. I'm also a man who appreciate some sportiness. I would love to look cool in front of my friends too. There are not many cars out there which can satisfy my criteria, which can be describe as a 4-door coupe. Mercedes CLS & Jaguar XF? Pricey. BMW X6? Bulky and pricey for me too! Volkswagen Passat CC? You betcha!



You don't have to spend a huge sum of money for a Passat CC which you can use to buy a bungalow, but you'll still look classy driving or chauffered in it, and also gain some respects when you are hogging the right lane of a highway. A Passat CC will be all yours with a price starting from RM254,888. That price will be getting you an impressive list of equipments mostly found in more expensive cars like electronic parking brake, bi-xenons, sunroof, electric rear sunshade etc.



I would say that the alloy rim design is inspired by turbine, it's so sharp looking it can cut your eyes... kidding. Desa Park City is a beautiful township which offers gracious scenary and classy houses, and it is also where we tested out the Passat CC. Nice location and nice car, perfectly for the occasion. The Passat CC is no doubt a looker, drawing attention of everyone as it passes by. Sleek styling, coupe-like roofline and the frameless door is oh-so-sexy! Even paparazzi will be focusing on the seductive frameless door instead of the moment you step out of the car in short skirt, good news for Miss Hilton.



The cabin of the Volkswagen Passat CC is also a huge difference when compared to the stark cabin (some would call it minimalist design) of some other Volkswagen models. The dashboard of the Passat CC has curves and silver finishing to contrast with the dark-coloured cabin. Similar to other Volkswagen models, the Passat CC's cabin is built with excellent fit and finishing and also good quality materials.



I started my journey with the Passat CC by sitting in the back seat while a blogger friend of mine, Dustyhawk in the driver seat. Some might expect the headroom at the back to be skimpy but it's not! I'm a relatively tall person and can fit comfortably at the back seats without my hair touching the roof, unless I am there with a spiky hairstyle!

I would beg to differ if you say the Passat CC has a stiff ride because it's a coupe. The Passat CC comes with Adaptive Chassis Control which enable you to choose between 'Comfort' mode and 'Sport' mode. The ride at the back was still comfortable despite the car is in 'Sport' mode while Dustyhawk was stepping the pedal to the metal and speeding over speedbumps. The ride got slightly softer by changing the Passat CC back to 'Comfort' mode. The car remains composed eventhough Dustyhawk was making a turn in a roundabout at a relatively high speed, no tyres spin was heard too!

Check out my ride at the back of the Passat CC!

The Passat CC is equipped with a 2.0litre TSi engine with the ability to churn out 210bhp and 280Nm of torque from a relatively low 1700rpm to 5200rpm, mated to a 6-speed DSG gearbox. The 'handbrake' is operated via a 'P' button located at the right of the steering wheel. After releasing the electronic parking brake button, the car responded to the slightest throttle and accelerated swiftly despite its huge dimension.

The gearchange was slick thanks to the DSG gearbox, I don't feel that pedal shift is necessary to make the Passat CC accelerate quicker because the DSG was shifting quite fast and smooth too. Low-end torque was sufficient to launch the car at a quick pace, and you'll feel a surge of momentum if you put a heavier load on the accelerator. It can be a fun to drive car (even with 'Comfort' mode) or it can give you a relaxing journey during your weekend trip to shopping mall. The Passat CC is a well balanced machine of both.



My only comment is the engine start/stop slot. In the Passat CC, the driver has to plug in the remote control into the slot shown above to start the engine. I prefer the slot to be replaced with a start/stop button and the driver can keep the remote control in his pocket or somewhere in the car when starting the engine, just like Toyota Camry 2.4. Save the trouble of taking out the remote control, isn't it?

Verdict:
+ Beautiful design, ride & handling, equipment.
- No generally negatives here.

Check out my other reviews on Volkswagen:
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSi
Volkswagen Jetta

Some photos credit to Vince!

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