For anyone who still considers Volkswagen just another automaker, consider: In this year’s Edmunds.com “Consumers’ Top Rated” listings, the highest-ranked sedan starting under $25,000 was the VW Golf—a hatchback—and the best-scoring sedan from $25,000-$35,000 was the VW CC, tailored specifically to offer the essence of a coupe.
Body styles aside, there were a number of other reasons the Golf was rated highest in its class by actual vehicle owners who posted their reviews at Edmunds.com: “For one, the interior has been improved to once again raise the bar in this price range for interior materials and construction,” according to the website. And “the Golf always feels more expensive (to behold and drive) than it actually is,” for another.
Also getting kudos were the Golf’s wide range of available engines. The base mill is a responsive 2.5-liter I5 that’s good for 170 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque, along with the ability to scoot the Golf from 0-60 in 7.8 seconds. The optional powerplant is one of VW’s clean-burning TDI diesels, in this case a 2.0-liter I4 that’s worth 140 hp and a stout 236 lb.-ft. of twist for surprisingly nimble acceleration off the line. What also may be surprising is just how green a machine the Golf TDI really is.
Not only does it have the ability to put up a full 30 mpg city and a hybrid-like 42 mpg highway—in fact, that’s 6 mpg better the highway number for the Ford Fusion hybrid—but the Golf TDI also emits less CO2 than a Honda Civic.
With the CC, “it all starts with its sleek styling,” which showcases the long-hooded proportions of classic sports coupes, a commanding stance, a sharply raked profile and sophisticated exterior accents. A “beautifully detailed interior and ample feature content” also garnered customer praise, as did, again, a pair of precision-engineered powertrains.
The CC’s base engine is the automaker’s proven 2.0-liter turbo, much loved by Edmunds.com consumers for its well-balanced combination of fuel efficiency and performance. Notably, the 200-hp turbo can be mated with VW’s advanced dual-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic paddle shifters for excellent driver control. The CC also can be ordered with VW’s high-performance VR6 engine, an efficiently packaged V6 that’s capable of delivering 280 hp and 265 lb.-ft. of torque. As an added bonus for customers who prefer the VR6 CC, it can be outfitted with VW’s highly capable 4Motion all-wheel-drive system for improved handling and performance.
To find out for yourself what the those Edmunds.com folks already know, check out the Golf and the CC—and the rest of the VW lineup—at your local Volkswagen dealership today.
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