2017 Volkswagen CC Review

Stand a few yards away from the 2017 Volkswagen CC, and its appeal is obvious. With sleek coupe styling wrapped around four doors, the CC's exterior design stands out as one of the most interesting among midsize sedans. Inside, the CC cabin impresses with near-luxury features and fit and finish. A 200-horsepower turbocharged engine and six-speed automatic transmission pairing feels quick and refined, and sounds terrific.

But just as the CC ("Comfort Coupe") tempts with shapely lines and smooth power delivery, it does have limited, tight interior space, awkward sight lines and a higher price versus more conventional sedan alternatives. The Volkswagen also doesn't handle curves and corners as sharply as its sporty styling suggests. You'll need to decide if the trade-offs are worth it.

Fortunately you won't need to compromise fuel efficiency. The CC returns an EPA-estimated 25 mpg combined (22 city/31 hwy). In our testing, we managed 25.1 mpg in overall driving and 26.2 mpg on our mixed highway-mountain driving test loop. Those are decent numbers but others, such as the Honda Accord, achieve better.

The 2017 Volkswagen CC is available in two trims: Sport and R-Line Executive. The latter is available with an optional carbon-fiber styling package called R-Line Executive With Carbon. The Sport surprises with nice amenities such as power-adjustable, heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control, while R-Line Executive upgrades include leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof and driver safety aids. For the same price, the R-Line Executive With Carbon adds gloss black exterior and carbon-fiber interior trim.

The CC comes standard with a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. The engine powers the front wheels through a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission (VW calls it DSG).

The Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, foglights, rain-sensing wipers, heated washer nozzles, power-adjustable and heated side mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry, push-button ignition, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power-adjustable and heated front seats, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks and premium vinyl upholstery. Also standard are dual-zone climate control, a rearview camera, VW Car-Net smartphone integration, Bluetooth, satellite radio, a 6.3-inch touchscreen display, navigation, and an eight-speaker audio system with USB/auxiliary/SD card inputs.

The R-Line Executive is upgraded with 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, unique exterior styling and doorsill plates, power-folding and heated side mirrors, driver-seat memory settings, steering-wheel paddle shifters and leather seating. Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and VW Car-Net App Connect app services also come standard.