Pretensions or pretentiousness notwithstanding, there is a simple fact: Some people who drive Volkswagens grow up.  And some of these people want to continue driving Volkswagens.  But what they don’t want to do is to continue to drive the same Volkswagen when they were the “boys”—or girls—“of summer.”  Not that they might not like to think that they are as they were (as in Henley’s “saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac” or the Ataris’ reset “Black Flag sticker”), but that’s just not how it is.

And for these people who want to continue driving Volkswagens, people who are no longer in entry level positions or kicking it in college on Mom’s and Dad’s dime, there is the Passat CC.  Yes, a Volkswagen for grownups.

Let’s not quibble about whether the CC is a more appropriate car than the Phaeton, or whether the exterior design is reminiscent of the Mercedes CLS, exercises that have gotten far too many people exercised.

Rather, look at the CC onto itself.  While I admit a bit of bias having talked with the exterior designer about what he was working to achieve ( http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/060801.html ) and believe that he has achieved it—and done so such that the execution in sheet metal is exquisite, particularly for a car with a starting MSRP of $32,350—the car objectively has a look that is certainly more upscale than anything in the Volkswagen lineup yet is unpretentious: And isn’t the lack of ostentatiousness one reason why people have liked Volkswagens for so long?

The performance of the CC, with its 2.0-liter, turbocharged in-line four that produces 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed manual, is not in the world of the hot-hatch GTI, but is certainly sufficiently brisk enough to get even those with incipient atherosclerosis to sit up and take notice.  Inside the vehicle there is the level of refinement and execution that has become familiar to those who know German cars; yet the familiarity doesn’t breed indifference or disappointment.  The driver seat is 12-way powered, and the passenger’s seat, while not as adjustable, is also powered, which is something that is a nice touch, as it is apparently forgotten that the passenger probably has greater influence on the purchase of a vehicle than one might like to think.  What causes some sudden intakes of breath (a.k.a., gasps) is the fact that this is a four-seater.  That’s right: there is a center console between the rear passengers.  While some people might perceive this to be some sort of crazy compromise, those people are likely the ones who have never had the dubious opportunity to sit in the middle, transmission hump and all.  (“But what about the kids?,” they whine.  Well, according to 2005 U.S. Census data, approximately 85% of all U.S. families have four people or fewer.  Guess Volkswagen may lose 15%.)

The vehicle as Driven had the optional navigation system that surprised me as I was driving home from work on I-275 and suddenly heard a woman’s voice telling me that there was “congestion ahead”—and it didn’t come from the passenger’s seat.  There was also the Dynaudio premium sound system, which wasn’t as impressive as the warning about traffic.

Vehicle As Driven

Engine: 2.0-liter inline turbocharged four

Engine material: Cast iron block; aluminum alloy head

Horsepower: 200 @ 5,100 to 6,000 rpm

Torque: 207 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm

Fuel: Premium

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive

Wheelbase: 106.7 in.

Overall length: 188.9 in.

Height: 55.8 in.

Width: 73 in.

Curb weight: 3,300 lb.

Fuel consumption: 21 mpg city; 31 mph highway.