2017 Volkswagen CC Review

The R-Line Executive's leather upholstery and adaptive cruise control are nice, especially for long-distance commuters. But with keyless entry, heated seats, Bluetooth and satellite radio, the Sport has the basics covered — and saves you about $3,000.

The transmission is clunky at low speeds, which can be annoying in traffic. Above parking lot speeds, however, it shifts smoothly and quickly. Power from the turbocharged engine is solid at almost all engine speeds.

The transmission is initially hesitant off the line, but the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder is smooth and revs eagerly. It takes 7.0 seconds to dash from 0 to 60 mph — not bad, but some rivals are quicker.

In our testing, panic braking distances from 60 to 0 mph were 120 feet, about average. But the brakes never feel all that powerful, especially when trying to haul it down from highway speeds.

Electrically assisted steering feels precise and goes into turns crisply. But it lacks the kind of feel and feedback from the front tires that more discerning drivers desire.

The CC R-Line was sloppy, both at our test track and out on the road. The suspension feels under-damped, and there's too much body roll. It doesn't handle nearly as sporty as it looks.

The transmission is clunky at low speeds, which can be annoying in traffic. Above parking lot speeds, however, it shifts smoothly and quickly. Power from the turbocharged engine is solid at almost all engine speeds.

The ribbed covering on the CC's seats doesn't look inviting, but the buckets are actually quite comfortable. This is a generally quiet cruiser, but we heard more tire and suspension noise during urban driving than we expected.

The front seats are well-padded with good bolstering, but the low-positioned rear seats cause an uncomfortable, unsupported knee bend. The middle seat is hard and nearly unusable. The armrests have nice padding.

We were surprised by the vibrations that crept into the cabin over the pothole section of our drive loop. The suspension absorbs most abnormalities well, but big bumps can be harsh and loud.

A mixed bag. During highway cruising, wind and engine noise is nearly nil. But around town there's a noticeable amount of tire and suspension noise as the CC often crashes over road imperfections.

You'd think the CC's low-slung roofline would mean a neck-wrenching lack of headroom, but the low-placed seats help. The interior is well put together and looks nice, although storage space could be better.

VW's nav/infotainment screen has been enlarged and updated for newer models. It took us longer than usual to pair a phone. The cruise control stalk is hidden by the steering wheel, but the climate controls are nice and simple.

The front doors open wide, and you have to duck only slightly to enter. The rear doors are generous, but the seriously sloping roof makes the entry space so small that you actually have to turn your body to slide in.

Front headroom is reasonable, door-side elbow room is decent, but the center armrest is narrow. Rear headroom is limited, but not as much as the car's shape suggests. The chopped side windows make it feel tighter than it really is in back.

The thick windshield posts hinder the ability to look through turns. The rear three-quarter view is marred by sloping rear side windows. The rear window is steeply sloped so the opening is small.

The downside to that sharp exterior styling is less trunk space than you might expect from a midsize sedan. The pinched shape could also complicate loading larger, awkward items. The rear seatbacks fold flat, and there's a center pass-through for skis and long items.

The front door pockets are small but grippy. There's an easy-access center armrest bin but no front bin. The cupholders are built to keep drinks from tipping. Basically zero rear-seat storage. The trunk has a large opening, but at 13.2 cubic feet, it's small for the midsize class.

With the 2016 model, the CC received a significant infotainment upgrade. Navigation is standard, intuitive and easy to use through the 6.3-inch touchscreen.

With the 2016 model, the CC received Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.