When I first saw pictures of the new 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC, I thought it was a Mercedes. That’s a good sign. The Passat has always been a nice, reliable sedan, but certainly nowhere close to trend-setting in it’s styling. So, the good folks at Volkswagen thoroughly redesigned the Passat to bring us the newest, hippest version of this model. And they did a great job!
With a price range from $26,700 for the sport version to $39,800 for the VR6 4Motion (with the Luxury and VR6Sport versions in between), the CC is squarely competing against the likes of Mercedes, BMW, Acura, Infiniti, and Audi for the “entry luxury family sedan” market. And, although the gas mileage isn’t ground-breaking, at 21mpg city / 31mpg highway it gets solid enough gas mileage to be worth considering for the fuel-efficiency minded buyer.
Which leads to the question, is this a great family car? Does it combine speed, handling, looks, comfort, and capacity for car seats and strollers in a relatively affordable vehicle with decent gas mileage? So far the consensus seems to be a resounding yes!
MOTOR TREND thought it built on all the solid aspects that made the previous Passats a reliable hit, but certainly upped the ante with the restyling; and the restyling has led to a much better handling and performing car. “Though it’s long and low, the Passat CC drives small and sporty… It’s not tossable like a GTI, but around fast sweepers and tight corners it doesn’t sway and carom from corner to corner like its big bother Passat. What it does is snake around impressively with medium-weight steering feel and a nicely controlled chassis.”
Motor Trend wasn’t the only one impressed. EDMUNDS also gave the car a solid review noting that the new Passat CC possesses “lots of coupe-style visual drama matched by coupe-style driving response.” They go on to note that introduction of the new model could likely be a positive turn for Volkswagen in the U.S. market. “Volkswagen tried unsuccessfully to drag itself into the luxury market with the Phaeton sedan, but it looks like 2009 Volkswagen CC might finally get it to the promised land of big-ticket prices and well-heeled owners.” They went on to praise the total redesign and improved performance of the new model.
So, a good family vehicle? If you have a family of 3 or 4, sure sounds like it! For those of us with larger families, we’ll be jealous. 
Ben Murphy, founder of The Father Life, is an Adventure Athlete, Writer, and Wellness Advocate who used to be obese. You can ask him your questions at www.BenMurphyOnline.com. He lives in upstate New York with his wife and three daughters.
Car looks good… but I thought Audi was the VW luxury badge. Not that I’m opposed to the idea, but why would VW try to expand their image in that direction? Wouldn’t it just create competition with their own Audi brand?
I saw one of these the other day and thought “Holy sh*t – that’s a great looking VW!” and this is the first write-up I’ve seen about it. I think this would make a great family car if your kids were old enough to not spill crap everywhere inside. It’s sporty enough to probably satisfy most moms and dads out there.
I don’t think VW is shooting itself in the foot with this car. I’ve heard quite a few mixed reviews about the quality of Audi cars. On the other hand, I’ve only good things about VW. Maybe they’re trying to position themselves in the market in case Audi tanks one day.
The only thing about VW here in Memphis is that there’s only ONE dealer and you have to take your car there for service. I’ve known three people with VW’s here in Memphis and they hated dealing with that one guy. Anyway – I’ll stop my rambling.
I popped into the VW showroom the other night while my Jetta was in for an oil change. The CC is very sweet and definitely built to compete well with other “luxury” sedans and probably more affordable than the comparable models from other brands. The model I checked out did not seem overly kid or family friendly but definitely an awesome car if you already have a family vehicle.