2009 Volkswagen Passat: coupe sleek and stylish

PETER BLEAKNEY FOR THE TORONTO STAR

Good looks are backed up by muscle and substance in the new Passat CC, Sportline model shown.

Peter Bleakney

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

NASHVILLE–Make no mistake: the 2009 Volkswagen Passat CC is all about striking a pose. Madonna would approve.

The raison d'être for the Passat CC (which under its comely skin is more or less mechanically identical to the regular Passat) is to bring some pizzazz and excitement to the VW showroom. The term "emotional purchase" was kicked around a fair bit during the presentation.

Taking a cue from the Mercedes-Benz CLS "four-door coupe," which was introduced in 2005, VW has reskinned the Passat sedan with a rakish body and chopped roofline that take this four-door from functionally handsome to drop-dead gorgeous. Styling credit goes to Oliver Stefani, who has been with Volkswagen since 1992.

While the CC's body is 16 mm longer and 36 mm wider than the base Passat, the wheel base is unchanged. Track increases and ground clearance decreases by a whisker.

In the flesh, it's not gimmicky or brash, but elegant, cohesive and classic with a firm muscularity. To further separate the CC (Comfort Coupe) from the base Passat, VW went with a 2+2 interior arrangement. It's a bold move, which clearly sends the message this is not positioned as a family hauler: they're thinking young professionals, urban trendoids and empty-nesters.

The CC enters with the $31,975 six-speed manual Sportline model, powered by the 2.0 L TSI direct-injection turbo four that kicks out 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque. The Sportline comes with 12-way heated leatherette sport seats, 17-inch alloys, six airbags, electronic stability control, eight-speaker six-CD in-dash audio, sport suspension, rain-sensing wipers, stability control, auto climate control and the expected array of powered goodies. A six-speed Tiptronic transmission costs $1,400.

The Tiptronic-only $37,975 Highline features 18-inch wheels, leather seats with memory, brushed aluminum trim, big sunroof (tilt only), dual zone climate control, Homelink, bi-xenon adaptive headlights and Sirius satellite radio.

Topping out the range is the Highline V6 at $44,975. Power comes from VW's 3.6 L V6 – the 280 hp and 265 lb.-ft. of torque reach the road via a six-speed Tiptronic auto and 4Motion all-wheel drive. Standard are "Interlagos" 18-inch alloys and power rear sunshade.

Both four-cylinder and six-cylinder Highline models can be equipped with Bluetooth ($375) and the $3,450 Technology Package which ramps up the gizmo count with touch-screen navigation, rear-view camera, 30-gig hard drive with media interface and a 10-speaker 600-watt sound system.

As a four-up conveyance, the CC is a honey. It gets its own high-quality interior treatment, featuring a stylish dash and available two-tone Cornsilk Beige Leather in the Highline models that lends a certain Bentley-esque ambience.

We covered about 480 kilometres on our drive through Tennessee and Georgia, and the seats proved comfortable and supportive. You'd think that with the sloping roofline, rear seat headroom would be at a premium, but it wasn't an issue for my six-foot frame. Most of my day was spent in the front-drive four-cylinder models. The manual transmission features a satisfying short-throw linkage and smooth and progressive clutch take-up. The turbo four has no appreciable lag and a full torque count coming on at 1,700 rpm. Freeway traffic down here moves along at a brisk 80 mph (128 km/h), and at that speed the CC is eerily quiet. Volkswagen has tuned the suspension to effectively soak up most road imperfections while still delivering a controlled and engaging drive.

The electro-mechanical steering is trademark VW: tactile and nicely weighted.

Jumping into the Highline V6 with 4Motion, the car has a slightly more substantial feel due to its extra heft and marginally heavier steering. The V6 makes a more refined growl too, adding to the car's premium positioning. It doesn't feel appreciably faster than the 2.0 TSI models, however, and the four-banger actually pulls a bit harder in the lower rev range.

In fact, the four-cylinder is so good, the V6 seems almost redundant (unless you need 4Motion). And Bluetooth is not available in the base CC Sportline – an oversight in this class of vehicle.

The sunroof in the V6 added some wind noise that was almost nonexistent in the Sportline.

Volkswagen has dropped the V6 and 4Motion from the 2009 Passat sedan lineup – as of 2009 Passat sedans will only come with the 2.0 L turbo and front-wheel drive, giving the Passat CC Highline sole reign as a six-cylinder. The V6 4Motion Passat Wagon is still available, however, starting at $44,675. The Passat CC goes on sale Oct. 1.

Travel was provided to freelance writer Peter Bleakney by the automaker. pebleakney@sympatico.ca

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