« Reply #78 on: March 03, 2010, 12:15:16 pm »
Don't compare the VW CC's engine with Hyundai. The 2.0L Turbo in the CC (also in the GTI, A4, Tiguan, etc) is a fantastic engine, actually the best engine I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Other midsized vehicles that we tried are the Nissan Maxima, Mazda 6 GT V6, 2007 Infiniti G35, 2006 Audi A4 Quattro 2.0T, and the 2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R. Of all of them the Audi A4 and CC were the best of the bunch I thought. The absolute worst is the Mazda, that was a crap bucket. It's a very pretty vehicle but that's all it has. I think you'll be very surprised with the CC and won't be feeling any real lack of performance.
The Passat CC is actually the current front-runner to replace my Altima. Test drove the 2.0t with autobox and was very impressed. Still waiting to drive a stick shift version, but aparently they are hard to find. As for the engine being "fantastic!" and the suggestion that one won't feel "any real lack of performance" compared to the V6 competition, I would dispute both. The blown 4-banger does a perfectly adequate job of pulling the CC around and is commendably quite while doing so. What about it might be described as "fantastic!" certainly eluded me on my very extended test drive. And I say this in the context of a vehicle I liked well enough to seriosuly consider purchasing ( and may yet do if I can get past the reliability question).
But what really made me fall out of my chair laughing is the notion that the power difference between it and a V6 is not noticeable. I stepped out of an Altima 3.5SE V6, into the Passat CC 2.0T and back into the Alti. I am here to tell you that the power difference is VERY noticeable. The extra 70 ponies that the Altima packs aren't asleep in the pasture. Now, examined on it's own terms, the Passat certainly doesn't feel underpowered - again - "capable" and "competent" are the phrases that come to mind - but in comparative terms, I can think of no circumstance where the Altima wouldn't absolutely leave it for dead. Yes, you CAN feel the difference.
Jaeger
I wonder how much of that perceived power deficit is felt more as a result of having the automatic versus stick-shift? Not having to wait for a the torque-converter-muffled shifts to kick down might contribute to the feeling?
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