Volkswagen CC Sport Review

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I wonder if Volkswagen appreciates the irony of the new CC.

Six years ago, the company introduced the Phaeton, a big luxury sedan with a price tag starting around $65,000 and running all the way up to $95,000 (a hundred grand with tax) for a 12-cylinder model.

It was a monumental flop, yanked summarily from the U.S. market after only a couple of seasons (it is still sold in Europe and is on the verge of a third facelift for 2011 that has die-hard fans hoping for a return to America)

Part of the problem was that for all that money, it looked like a Passat, only bigger. And from a block away, with no perspective to judge size, it looked like a Passat, period.

So now, VW creates a truly desirable car...and it really is a Passat...but with a sleek roofline and some other styling tricks.

And...here's the good part...it carries a price tag lower than the Passat...base price for the Sport model I drove is $27,100...$1,200 below the least-expensive Passat.

The current-generation Passat is a bit of an awkward child...not Teutonically purposeful as the ones before, but without actually achieving elegance or desirability. Attempts to soften the Passat have resulted in it coming off as lukewarm.

But the CC turns up the heat by appealing to the emotions with fluid, sensuous lines.



And the best part is that, through artful use of colors, details and materials, Volkswagen makes the CC's interior feel special, too...giving you the impression that you're driving something a rung or two above the Passat.

The CC gets these impressions so right that driving the base model (the Sport), with only two options (a six-speed automatic transmission and Sirius Satellite radio), feels like the lap of luxury...and keeps the price tag, including destination charges, under $30,000.

You can go hog-wild with the VR6 4Motion and break $40,000 without a sweat....but why, when the Sport is so good?

EPA estimate (with automatic): 19 city/29 highway. Manual transmission 21 city/31 highway.

UPDATE: Just ended a week in another CC Sport. Everything above applies...apart from a base price increase to $27,760. Still, this one bottom-lined at $29,660...with the only option being a six-speed automatic.

And about that...the gas mileage estimate improves to 22 city/31 highway. In my even mix of city streets and freeways, I got 24 for the week...and the range estimate when I took delivery of 450 miles seems plausible. I handed it back this morning with just under half a tank of gas remaining.

Post Title → Volkswagen CC Sport Review

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Dodge's New Minivan Commercial

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I'd have kittens if I were a Dodge exec and the ad agency brought me this.  Yeah, I know they're swimming upstream with Toyota's "Swagger Wagon" spot for the Sienna:



And even, for that matter, the "punch dub" spot VW managed to whip up for its really-a-dodge-caravan Routan:




But dear Lord....some spots just shouldn't get past the storyboard stage...and sorry, Dodge...you've got one right now.

Post Title → Dodge's New Minivan Commercial

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eBay Pulls Kevorkian Bus From Auction; Kruse Steps In

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Yesterday we told you about the eBay auction of Jack "Dr. Death" Kevorkian's 1968 VW Bus.

Never mind.

eBay has pulled the auction saying it "does not allow the sale of items closely associated with notorious murderers within the last 100 years."

Kruse Auctions has no such policy, apparently...The Dub of Death will cross the block next month.

Details from The Detroit News.

Post Title → eBay Pulls Kevorkian Bus From Auction; Kruse Steps In

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eBay Auctioning Purported Kevorkian Bus

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How's this for a used car sales pitch: " Only driven by a little old man on his way to kill people".

Yep...just in time to cash in on the HBO movie "You Don't Know Jack" starring Al Pacino, a 1968 VW Bus purported to be the one owned by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who assisted in more than 100 suicides before being sent to prison for 8 years, is up for bid on eBay.

From the auction description:

The vehicle drove in under it's own power but the engine had a rod knock. The vehicle most likely is not roadworthy and if anyone were to try to use this as a vehicle used on the road, it would have to be brought up to current standards. We are telling you that this bus is absolutely not safe to drive. All safety systems on the vehicle would have to be completely overhauled. Although the vehicle may actually move and stop under its own power, it's not being sold as a drivable bus.

Vehicle is in substantially "as used" condition with the exception that it does not have the original steering wheel. VIN numbers etc. etc. match the title. All paperwork is proper and signed with Jack's signature.

Want in? The auction ends Thursday (4/29) at 12:01:02 PDT. Go here.

Post Title → eBay Auctioning Purported Kevorkian Bus

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TireKicker Time Machine: 1966 VW Type II Transporter

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Some vehicles just produce an involuntary smile whenever I see them...the VW Type II Transporter (or Bus) is pretty close to the top of that list.

Sure, they were noisy and slow (and one stranded me and a group of other 12 year olds on a 100-degree afternoon for several hours)...but finding one in either unmolested or reasonably restored condition is a real treat.

Truth is, you don't see many of these as anything other than basket cases or hippie van re-creations (and occasionally both)...so something that looks like it's still 1966 is a wonderful thing.

The tip-off that it's a 66?  There are only two clues. Can you spot them? Hit "comments" if you think you know.

Post Title → TireKicker Time Machine: 1966 VW Type II Transporter

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Volkswagen Golf TDI Review

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As good as the new Volkswagen Golf is...there are two three-letter combinations that can make it even better.

One is "GTI".

The other is "TDI".

                          

TDI is VW's clean diesel engine. And as much as we love it in the Jetta sedan,  it's a revelation in the new platform Golf.

It's the usual diesel attributes...tons of torque, excellent long-term prospects (diesels last longer) and killer mileage (the EPA says 30 city, 41 highway).

                       

And, in the Golf, VW moves to make TDI and "premium" synonymous. The base priceof $22,590 is $5,100 higher than the gasoline Golf...but the standard equipment level gets bumped up. As with the gasoline version, VW found only a few options left to put on it (Navigation, Sunroof, Cold Weather Package and Bluetooth connectivity)...running the bottom line with destination charge up to $26,514.

Ouch?

Yeah.

But do as I do...skip the $1,750 nav system...your cell phone or a portable GPS can do the job. Passing on that automatically kills the $199 charge for Bluetooth connectivity (get an earpiece). Though my wife disagrees, I've always thought sunroofs were overrated, a distraction and an unnecessary weakening of the car's structure, so blow that off and save $1,000. And the cold weather package? Heated seats and washer nozzles are nice...but you've done without them and been just fine, right? $225 falls off the sticker.

Now, with destination charge, the price is $23,640. And that's a great value for what you get.

The Golf TDI replaces the Jetta TDI on both the TireKicker Top 20 Cars (so far) and slots in just above it on the TireKicker Top 20 Fuel Savers. But the next-gen Jetta TDI is sure to bring its "A" game. We'll be waiting.

Post Title → Volkswagen Golf TDI Review

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Volkswagen Golf Review

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35 years ago, Volkswagen revolutionized the concept of the small car with the original Golf (sold here for many years as the Rabbit). The basic shape and proportions are still recognizable, but the changes have been evolutionary, and it's easy to write off each generation as not having changed that much from the one before.

Big mistake.

It's impossible to overstate the refinements the 2010 Golf brings to the game....the leap forward it represents from last year's model, and how much better it is than virtually everything in its size and price class.

                       

The first impression of change comes when you sit behind the wheel. VW has upped its game for the Golf's interior. Even in basic black rather than the contrasting tones shown above, it's a nicer place to do business...switchgear now more elegant, yet still purposeful and feeling built to last.

The 2.5 liter, 5-cylinder, 170 horsepower engine more than gets the job done, and returns an EPA estimated 23 miles per gallon city, 30 highway.

Our tester's base price was $17,490 and it had only three options (none of which I'd order): A 6-speed automatic transmission ($1,100), a power sunroof ($1,000) and a Cold Weather Package consisting of heated seats and washer nozzles ($225).  Bottom line, with $750 destination charge, is $20,565. But passing on those options and taking it straight would get the price down to $18,240.

Yes, you can get less expensive compact sedans from the U.S., Japan and especially Korea. But drive the Golf first and I'm betting you'll be justifying the additional outlay.

Post Title → Volkswagen Golf Review

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Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review

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A lifetime of exposure to noisy, smelly city buses and 18-wheelers (not to mention passenger cars of the 70s and 80s) has given diesel a bad reputation.

Time to shake that once and for all. And a great way to do that is with a drive in a Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

TDI is Volkswagen's clean diesel engine...a terrific marriage of ultra-low sulfur fuel and a technology that burns fuel so efficiently, there's very little waste.

Kneel down by the tailpipe of a running TDI and there's no diesel odor whatsoever.

The 140 horsepower made by the 2-liter four-cylinder engine isn't a world-beater, but diesels are all about torque...and the TDI makes 236 pounds per foot of it...it's a cliche, but it really does pull like a locomotive.



Inside, the Jetta TDI is all business, no frills...but not cheap or austere. Everything is logically placed, falls easily to hand, and moves with a solid, high-quality feel.

The big payoff here is mileage. The EPA says 29 city, 40 highway...and we managed 42 and a half in a week of 50/50 urban freeways and surface streets, which makes it as good as our real-world experience with both the new Honda Insight and the Mercury Milan Hybrid.

Where the Jetta TDI pulls ahead is in the value equation. $22,830 base price (our tester had a six-speed automatic for $1,100 and a sunroof for $1,000...which, after destination charges, put the bottom line at $25,640.) and diesel longevity...250,000 miles is equivalent to 100,000 miles or less in a gasoline engine. 400,000 miles or more is not uncommon.

It doesn't scream "hey, look at me, I'm saving the planet!" the way Toyota Priuses (Prii?) and Insights do...it just gets the job done...and there's a very good chance it will be doing that job a lot longer. The Jetta TDI earns its place not only on TireKicker's Top Ten Fuel Savers, but also on TireKicker's Top 20 Cars.

Post Title → Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review

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Volkswagen's 45 MPG Compact Coupe

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Volkswagen's jumping into the hybrid game, unveiling its Compact Coupe at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

VW claims 45 miles per gallon combined mileage with 0-60 in 8.1 seconds.

Sale date? Anyone's guess. Volkswagen says it's coming to market in the first half of the year with a hybrid SUV and that the Compact Coupe will happen "when the time is right."

Post Title → Volkswagen's 45 MPG Compact Coupe

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Volkswagen Jetta Review

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Some cars become so familiar that they also become somewhat invisible. That's the great thing about a test drive...it can put you back in touch with the car itself instead of the blurred image in your brain.

The Volkswagen Jetta is now (with the Golf having been re-named Rabbit a couple of years ago, but on its way back to Golf for 2010) the longest-running nameplate in the VW lineup...and the basic concept is so strong that redesigns end up looking like minor facelifts.

Get behind the wheel and you find that the Jetta is an exceptionally well-thought out sedan. The German engineering is obvious every time you touch a surface, move a lever or turn the wheel. The structural integrity is evident in the tightness and quietness of the body. Unlike most cars (especially in this price class), the details are given careful attention...right down to double-hinged doors...capable of holding the weight of an adult male.

Consider this your reminder...VW makes a competitor to the Civic, Corolla, Focus and Cobalt. It's worth a look...and a test drive.


UPDATE: Just finished a week in a new Jetta SE and all the above still stands. This tester had a six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic, Bluetooth, rubber floormats and an iPod connector...bringing the price to just over $22,000 with destination charges. A bargain for the quality you get.

EPA estimates: 20 city/29 highway.

Post Title → Volkswagen Jetta Review

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