Volkswagen CC comes in for a makeover

Volkswagen's mid-life refresh of the Passat CC delivers more comfort and new technology to go with the updated corporate look.

Now known simply as the Volkswagen CC, the facelifted model is priced the same as the 2012 model it succeeds. That means $54,990 for the diesel-engined CC 125TDI or $64,990 for the petrol CC V6 FSI. With the recent elevation of the Luxury Car Tax threshold to $59,133, there's a $4000 buffer to top up the equipment list for the diesel model with options including a 600W premium sound system ($2000), panoramic glass roof ($2000), a driver assistance package ($3300) or 19-inch 'Lugano' alloy wheels ($1900).

But a point to bear in mind is that the new CC's standard equipment list has been enhanced anyway, at no extra cost to the buyer. Fatigue Detection is now a standard feature for both CC variants, as is the RNS510 audio system with integrated satellite navigation and a reversing camera. Keyless entry has been upgraded to allow the powered release of the boot with the swipe of a foot while the key is in close proximity to the car. And the CC now comes with remote levers in the boot to fold down the rear seat while loading objects.

In addition, the CC boasts bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, static cornering and dynamic cornering lights. Other standard features for the new CC comprise LED tail lights/number plate illumination, optimised front-seat head restraints and stainless-steel door sills. Formerly an option, the three-position rear seat is now standard. Safety is enhanced with a rear-seat seatbelt reminder (for all three seating positions) and an XDL (Extended Electronic Differential Lock), which works in conjunction with the car's stability control to reduce understeer. In the event that either front wheel on the inside of a corner is trying to channel too much torque to the road, the system will brake that wheel and redistribute the torque to the wheel on the outside.

Volkswagen's optional Park Assist Generation II builds on the previous car's system, offering automated reversing for angled parking (right angle) as well as the parallel parking of the earlier system. Available at speeds up to 40km/h, the system is activated by a switch in the centre console and takes control of the steering as soon as a sufficiently large parking spot is detected and the driver has selected reverse gear. All the driver need do is modulate brake and accelerator. Built into the system is an override facility if the system's ultrasonic sensors detect an obstacle in the path. A standard feature that also aids parking is OPS (Optical Parking System), which provides an elevated view of the car while parking. The image is displayed in the infotainment screen.

Another option, the Driver Assistance Package bundles Lane Assist and Side Assist with other active safety aids. The two systems can work independently of each other, but can also combine to alert the driver that the vehicle is about to collide with another vehicle in a blind spot, as well as apply steering lock to avoid the collision. The other driver safety aids in the package include Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Assist and City Emergency Brake.

Power and torque figures for the two engines are unchanged from the previous models — 220kW/350Nm for the V6, 125kW/350Nm for the diesel. But combined-cycle fuel consumption figures are lower for both variants. Now 5.7L/100km for the CC 125TDI, the combined-cycle figure has improved by 0.6L/100km — from the previous car's figure of 6.3. Likewise, the figure for the petrol V6 has come down from 10.5 to 9.7L/100km. The new engines are officially Euro 5-compliant and the petrol V6 runs on 95 RON ULP, which is an improvement on the 98 octane fuel VW previously recommended.

Both engines drive through a six-speed DSG transmission — to the front wheels in the case of the diesel, and all four wheels in the case of the V6. The cars' underpinnings remain much as they were, with MacPherson struts at the front and four-link IRS at the rear. Steering is an electro-mechanically-assisted rack and pinion setup and the brakes comprise a combination of ventilated front discs and sold rear discs for the diesel, or ventilated discs all around for the V6 variant.

Cosmetic changes to the CC are a little more extensive than pictures suggest. The bonnet, front bumper, grille and headlights are new, with VW claiming the resculptured swage lines in the lower flanks "make a visual connection between the front and rear bumpers, and sharpen the lower contour of the car's silhouette". The rear bumper and tail lights have been restyled also. At a glance, the diesel-engined CC can be distinguished by two exhaust tail pipes jutting out from the bumper on the left side, while the V6 model has one pipe on each side of the car. For the Australian-delivered cars, the colour selection comprises eight choices: Candy White (opaque), Deep Black and Icelandic Grey (both pearlescent) and five metallic colours — Black Oak Brown, Iron Grey, Autumn Brown, Night Blue and Reflex Silver.

Inside, the HVAC control interface has been redesigned and the dashboard can now be specified in either the standard black colour schemes or a coordinated scheme, Desert Beige and Black. The lighter colour is applied to the seats and the base of the dash, with Black for lateral seat supports and the top of the dash. Volkswagen also offers walnut decorative trim pieces as a further option, along with adjustable ambient lighting. NVH has been reduced too, in this new model. According to the manufacturer, the noise reduction in the cabin measures "several dB", due to the adoption of an acoustic layer in the windscreen, plus extra sound-insulating material at strategic points throughout the car, including under the body and in the wheel arches. The transmission mounts were also redesigned to reduce the noise and vibration reaching the body.

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