Auto review by Veeno Dewan

The 2013 Volkswagen Passat CC (Comfort Coupe) is four-door sports sedan with svelte coupe styling that offers great handling, and an awesome looking cabin.

For 2013 CC has a new front fascia incorporating more aggressiveness and as standard HID headlamps. The rear end has new tail lamps that incorporate “CC” shapes into the LED clusters.

Base power plant is 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder unit driving the front wheels. The engine produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft and allows for 0- 100km/h dash of 7.6 seconds.

For those who want more power there is a more expensive 3.6-litre V6 engine option producing 280 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is mated to VW’s Tiptronic automatic transmission and gives a zippier 0 -100-km/h of 5.4 seconds and also comes with Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

Our test car was a CC Highline version with the optional 6-speed, DSG (Direct-Shift Gearbox) automatic transmission. It came in a beautiful shade of black Oak brown metallic with a beige Nappa leather interior. Also included in the 2013 Passat CC was the Technology Package ($2,200), “R-Line” Package, ($2,200) and the Appearance package ($200) plus the optional DSG transmission for a total MSRP of $41,375. Note the V6 version starts at $48,000 before freight and taxes.

The test car came with: 12 way power seats, 18 inch “Mallory” wheels, R- LINE exterior design comprising front bumper, side skirts, R-Line badging front and rear, bi- xenon lights, chrome exterior trim, aluminum brushed interior, front fog lights, leather wrapped multifunction steering wheel and shift knob, leather seating surfaces, MDI -Media Device Interface with i-pod connectivity Premium 8 radios and touch screen with 6 disc CD changer and 8 speakers.

press start keyless ignition, Sirius satellite radio, Sport suspension and TMPS tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, Electronic stability control, electronic push button park brake, Electronic stability control, blue tooth mobile phone connectivity, Anti-slip regulation and Climatronic dual zone electronic climate control.

The two tone cabin is a knockout- looking very chic and expensive compared to the all-black option. The addition of the “R-Line” package also provide a sport steering wheel.

The CC’s interior is a tasteful combination of high quality plastics, brushed aluminum accents, and feature both buttons, dials and mix of knobs and touch-screen controls push-button start and smart-key system that can allow drivers to keep the key in their pockets.

Because the CC has a low-sweeping roofline like a coupe, rear seat headroom is compromised, especially for taller people. And note our tester only seated two out back. Visibility out the rear can also be a little tricky because of the wider pillars. The sleek roof-line limits headroom in the back, not drastically so, but the sloped door openings will elicit careful entry and exit. However, rear-seat legroom is very good and the trunk, at 374 litres, is also impressive..

On the road the CC is a sporty-handling vehicle with a firm well balanced suspension set up that allows it to take challenging corners and tight turns with confidence. The CC’s electric power steering and generous wheelbase also allow the soaking up of bumps and road imperfections s to make the CC a comfortable long distance touring cruiser. The 2.0 engine is powerful enough to satisfy most drivers and the DSG transmission is slick, refined and makes the CC a smooth, competent family sedan. Autoreview by Veeno Dewan

2013 Volkswagen Passat CC priced from $35,125 – $48,475 price as tested ($45,975 plus freight, PDI and AC tax)