*edit: just realised there is an auto test section...could a mod move please?*

Got to drive a 59 plate Passat CC yesterday, a 'new' pool car at work with the 170 2.0 diesel engine I've come away with mixed opinions about VW from this though, and I can't help but feel despite the premium nature of this car, I just think Skoda quality is better. Here are some of my thoughts:

The engine and gear box is magnificent and a million times better than the excuses for the ones in the other pool cars (1.6 Focus, and a Mazda something estate). This is the most powerful diesel I've driven before, the last being the 1.9 in my dads old Octy estate. I was really impressed at how high you could rev it, the torque it delivered and the rate at which it could accelerate. No need to have to pull a muscle in the process of engaging a gear like in the Focus, it's just obvious where each gear is, requiring little effort to change.

The auto lights and wipers were an added bonus...very cool, but will probably just confused most people.

The electronic park brake just seemed unnecessary, as it involved more steps to secure or unsecure the car (foot down on both clutch and foot brake to start the car, brake down again before you can press the park brake button, then again to apply). The HHC was useful, something I'm used to in my Fabia. The ignition, which involve pushing the fob into the dash...well, every time you push it again to switch off, it rolled the windows down an inch, same when you unlocked the car, then they'd roll back up when you closed or opened the drivers door.

The steering felt far too light and twitchy for me to be confident to put much speed on in corners, but that's probably just because I'm not used to it.

The wing mirrors suffered from the same annoying thing on my fabia when it rains- they get covered in rain so you can hardly see in them.

The interior was a bit of let down. Not what I would expect form a VW at all. It just felt like a collection of interior parts put together, not one fluid unit like in an Octavia or most other Skoda's. Having said that, for a pool car which has done 73000+ miles, it was in pretty good shape (could do with a good clean inside and out though!) Everything else was nice a familiar though, such as the Maxidot display and wiper controls...oh, but not rear wiper was really annoying.

A semi posh car with a decent engine, and some nice gadgets, but I don't think I'd buy one myself.

Edited 1 January, 201313 yr by Gumby

I like the style but I don't think it's worth the extra much like most of the coupe-ified cars on the go now.

Iv had a shot of one with the r36 engine......best car iv ever drove so far

There are worse cars to be given out the pool!

It will actually have auto hold so will hold brakes on any grade for any duration. As a plus as long as you put your seat belt it will automatically disengage and engage - its just getting to know how it works.

The Windows are due to the frameless glass achieving a good seal.