Does anyone really believe that a four-door sedan with a sloping rear roofline is a “coupe”? We didn’t think so, and because you’re more intelligent than that, we shall henceforth refer to the 2009 Volkswagen CC as a sedan. To VW’s credit, it says the CC is “coupe-like,” a claim that holds water considering the CC’s rear center console and individual seats that limit passenger capacity to four people. VW also calls the CC “stylish,” and based on the reactions of people who commented upon our Island Gray VR6 4Motion review car, this claim also holds water. Better yet, this stylish, coupe-like sedan can hold four full-sized adults and is equipped with a 13 cubic foot trunk to carry their junk.

The CC is based on the Volkswagen Passat. The exterior styling is dramatically different, but under the skin the CC shares most of its architecture, running gear and interior bits with Volkswagen’s midsize sedan. Since the Passat is offered only with a four-cylinder engine for 2009, the CC is exclusively available with VW’s VR6 3.6-liter V-6 engine and 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

Here is a summary of the key attributes of the 2009 Volkswagen CC:
• Four trim levels: 2.0T Sport, 2.0T Luxury, VR6 Sport, VR6 4Motion
• Turbocharged, 200-horsepower four-cylinder on 2.0T models
• 3.6-liter V-6 with 280 horsepower on VR6 models
• Sport-tuned suspension and steering are standard
• Bi-Xenon headlights with Adaptive Forward Lighting System standard on VR6 models
• Power vent panoramic glass roof on all models except 2.0T Sport
• New navigation system with MDI (Media Device Interface) is available
• Carefree Maintenance Program includes no-charge maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first

Volkswagen sells the CC in 2.0T Sport, 2.0T Luxury, VR6 Sport, and VR6 4Motion trim levels. Notable standard features include a 12-way power driver’s seat, an automatic hill-holding feature, an auxiliary input jack for portable music devices, heated front seats, and heated side-signaling mirrors. Options on the 2.0T Sport include rear side-impact airbags (available on all CC models), Bluetooth wireless connectivity (optional on all CC models), and Sirius satellite radio.

Choosing the 2.0T Luxury replaces the standard V-Tex leatherette (also known as vinyl) with leather upholstery, adds a full brushed aluminum interior décor treatment, and includes a number of upgrades over the Sport model. Additional standard features include a 12-way power front passenger’s seat, front sport-bolstered seats with driver’s side memory, a panoramic glass roof with a power vent function, automatic dual-zone climate control, heated washer nozzles, rain-sensing wipers, a Homelink programmable transmitter, Sirius satellite radio, a self-dimming rearview mirror, automatic headlights with a “coming home” feature, environment lighting integrated with the sideview mirrors, dual sliding sun visors, and parking assist sensors in the bumpers. The 2.0T Luxury also receives a unique alloy wheel design, and choosing the 2.0T Luxury is the path to the optional navigation system with a rearview camera, and the available Dynaudio premium audio system.

Moving one rung up to the VR6 Sport adds a more powerful V-6 engine plus 18-inch alloy wheels, bi-Xenon headlights with an Adaptive Front Lighting System that swivels the headlights to help the driver see around turns and curves, a power rear window sunshade, and a Dynaudio premium audio system. The VR6 4Motion includes these items plus all-wheel drive and a unique wheel design.

The 2009 Volkswagen CC is equipped with one of two engines. The 2.0T models have a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 200 horsepower between 5,100 and 6,000 rpm, and 207 lb.-ft. of torque between 1,700 and 5,000 rpm, running on premium unleaded fuel. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard on the CC 2.0T Sport, with a 6-speed Tiptronic automatic is optional on the 2.0T Sport and standard on the 2.0T Luxury. All CC 2.0T models are front-wheel drive.

Standard on the Volkswagen CC VR6 models is a 3.6-liter V-6 engine making 280 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 265 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,750 rpm, running on premium unleaded fuel. A 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission is the only choice for delivering power to the front or, on the VR6 4Motion model, all four wheels. The EPA says our CC VR6 4Motion delivers 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway – we averaged 20.3 mpg during a week of test driving.

Standard safety equipment on the 2009 Volkswagen CC includes dual front airbags, dual seat-mounted side-impact airbags for the front seats, and side curtain airbags for both rows of seats. Rear side-impact airbags are optional. Every VW CC also comes equipped with four-wheel-disc ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist. Additionally, the CC includes a stability control system with traction control. Standard on all CCs except the 2.0T Sport is a parking assist sonar system that can also detect objects in the car’s path, such as child. Optional on all CCs except the 2.0T Sport is a navigation system with a built-in reversing camera for safer backing out of driveways and parking spaces. The 2.0T Sport is also unavailable with the bi-Xenon headlights and adaptive front lighting system that helps the driver in all other trim levels see better around turns when driving at night.

J.D. Power and Associates says the 2009 Volkswagen CC competes against other entry premium cars such as the Acura TL, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G37, Lexus IS, Lincoln MKZ, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Saab 9-3, and Volvo S60.