Long-term wrap-up: 2012 Volkswagen Passat CC
The Volkswagen Passat CC V6 long-termer is no more with us, having gone back to VW Middle East. Unlike any of our previous borrowed long-term cars, this one will actually be missed. It was easily among the best all-round midsize sedans we’ve ever driven, if not the best.
Before closing the book on it, let’s check out the competition first. The CC has a base price of around Dhs 120,000 with a little turbo engine and front-wheel-drive, but our 300 hp V6 all-wheel-drive model rings in at around Dhs 175,000, last we checked. A new facelifted model with unchanged mechanicals will be out by summer, but that’s another story.
The most obvious competition would be something like a Nissan Maxima. About the same size, it coughs up 290 hp with front-wheel-drive and a CVT automatic. Fully loaded, it costs around Dhs 140,000. But it takes a second longer in the 0-100 kph run, and handles nowhere near as well. It really isn’t a match for the CC at all.
The Americans offer up a far better challenge, with the Dodge Charger R/T. It is bigger, boasts a 360 hp V8, rear-wheel-drive and a 5-speed automatic. And yet, it only costs around Dhs 145,000. And yet, all that power is lost in wheelspin as the CC would still be quicker by half-a-second to 100 kph. The Charger has slightly more space and is capable of tyre-smoking fun, but in grip-driving and wet-weather handling, the CC again has it beat.
The Scandinavian Volvo S60 T6 is a superb car, and a close match-up with the CC in performance, with its 300 hp turbo-six and all-wheel-drive. But it loses before it even starts because, at Dhs 200,000, it is more expensive and is much smaller inside.
Let’s not even talk about the BMW 3-Series. A 328i costs Dhs 210,000 nowadays in basic trim, for a 245 hp turbo-four motor and rear-wheel-drive. Granted, it probably handles beautifully for all we know, but it represents very poor value for money compared to the CC.
These were the replacement cars that popped into our head as we handed the keys back to the VW office. But surely, there must be more cars out there that can take it on in price, features and capability.
Original Mileage When Borrowed: 435 km
Latest Mileage To Date: 12,020 km
Latest Average Fuel Economy: 11.5 litres/100 km
Cost of Latest Problems: Dhs 0
Cost of Latest Maintenance: Dhs 0Total Non-Fuel Running Cost Since Borrowed: Dhs 0
Comments
Jehad.K
can you please compare this car to infinity G37 sedan, isn’t a close match too.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
True, the Infiniti G37 would be good competition to this car. Acceleration would be slightly better for the Infiniti, although rear legroom and wet-weather handling wouldn’t be as good.
Feroz
Somewhere in the year 2000s pr late 90s
A video was taken from a Passat & a BMW
On the same gravel path
Result of video:
We could not see any thing clear frm BMW
A beautiful landscape from the Passat
This was shown in Top Gear.
turbo
i’m more sad than you mash , its a good car . and to answer ur last statement there isnt any other car to beat it as you mentioned in this review . it has a very good lead in price , features , overall quality and performance .
Russell
Very good wrap up and very grateful that you could actually test the car. Again, I concur with your views when you compare this car to its rivals. But I would caution that in the end there is never a perfect car and a car is very much like your partner: a match made in heaven or something extremely ordinary. For me at least it is the former but I don’t place a lot of value on comparisons as we value different things in cars. Cheers
Mabini Jo
I loved Volkswagen. Got a chance to drive a Nissan GTI for 6 months as well. Pity I don’t have the money to buy the same VW GTI. Now GTI is back to the VW after 6 months. #tearyeye
I know how it feels MASH, a beautiful workmanship car.
Thanks for the review.
CC
mash dont be lazy you already tested the infiniti G37 it is way more slower you urself got 7.2 to 100kph !!! and even if yours was with bad tires , break in period and tortured it doesnt matter you would know that even 0.5 seconds is a lot of difference so if the g37 had all of those wrong it wouldnt be a anexcuse to say it got nearly 3 sec slower time .
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
I tested a G35 also, and it was faster. The G37 I tested was already falling apart.
Karthik
Mash, is the 2.0T powerful enough? Comparing a 140k fully loaded maxima and mid range CC costing the same, which one is better? Would there be a huge difference in power?
Thanks a lot for the review! i really like the CC!
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
A Maxima would be quicker than a CC 2.0T, given my experience with the lighter GTI, but I am not really aware of what gadgets come with that CC to know if its better value. I know the Maxima comes with navigation at that price.
vivek
If it is the same engine used in the Audi A4 and A6 2.0T, then it is not going to be even close to the maxima. In the Audi, it does 0-100 in about 9.6 seconds…however, as Mash said, whether it is going to be a value for money car at that price, needs to be checked by doing a feature-by-feature comparison.
CC
a VW CC 2.0TSI gets about 6.3 to 6.8 seconds to 100kph its not slower than a maxima .
CC
c’mon mash ur not saying that the newer g37 Coupe is slower than the G35 Sedan !! dont make us talk about the whole acceleration time discussions , i think you should from now not mention acceleration times at all or upload videos of ur acceleration times . ok ? i personally like you to do the second option .
turbo
mash , thats a great idea upload videos of your accelerations …
turbo
mash its not nice when u dont answer our questions , u just answer simple questions , if thats what we want we can get them anywhere else . i thought this site was different . ( thats what you are supposed to do here !!! )
blnd
is passat cc is quite as ford taurus,if it is maybe i will change my 2012 taurus because cc is faster.
Tori
CC-My top option at the moment, however, parents budging me to go for the Pajero because of better maintenance costs and resale value in the UAE. Can I convince them otherwise?
Ironman
Resale yes, the Pajero is better than the CC, but maintenance-vise your much better off with a CC. The CC is very well built and shouldn’t give you any trouble + its backed with 5 years, unlimited mileage warranty. Servicing for this German car is every 15,000kms whereas you’d be taking the Japanese Pajero every 5,000kms. That way, you’d be paying a bomb to maintain the Pajero.
If your not going to be off-roading, then don’t look at the Pajero.
prado
be a man… buy a nissan sunny