The Passat CC will be released in the States the 4th quarter of 2008, but no pricing details have been released as far as I’ve seen. If anyone has heard, please chime in. Some details of note below the photos.

The Passat CC will come standard in the U.S. with the 2.0 TSI engine with 200 horsepower and 207 lbs.-ft of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed Tiptronic transmission. Available optionally is the 3.6L FSI, rated at 280 horsepower and 266 lbs.-ft of torque. The 3.6L FSI comes standard with the six-speed Tiptronic transmission.

With an unmistakable front-end, the grille sports two cross-struts and a centrally placed Volkswagen logo between trapezoidal headlamps. In the lower area, three large air inlets and integrated turn signals and fog lights dominate the visual image. The lower air inlets are formed by a sporty spoiler that optimizes the highs peed downforce. An indicator of the CC’s excellent overall aerodynamic qualities is its drag coefficient of cw 0.29.

The rear end of the coupé is also marked by large-surface dual taillights, which produce an unmistakable visual image, day and night. A rear spoiler – styled into the trunk lid – tames air turbulence and, like its counterpart at the front end, supplies greater downforce. The large rear window continues the coupé’s roof line, extending into the short but high-opening trunk lid. The styling makes the window appear even larger and the trunk lid even smaller. It extends the look of the glass and underscores the dynamic character of the CC.

Newly developed for the CC is an electrically actuated Panorama power vent sunroof. The transparent roof is 29.5 inches long and 44 inches wide, covering the entire front area up to the B pillar.

Volkswagen’s attention to detail is shown off in the interior of the Passat CC with four ergonomically formed sport seats with available climate control, new instruments, new door trim, new radio and navigation systems spokes on the steering wheel. The rear sport seats offer ergonomically optimized lateral support on the sides of the seatbacks and seat surfaces and optional heated seats will be available

Before this, I had a 2001 Jeep Cherokee, a 1996 Chevy Corsica, and a 1998 Ford Contour. Nonetheless, my lease was coming to an end in April, 2008, and had been looking around for possible new cars.

Just a few weeks ago, I received a letter in the mail from Livingston Volkswagen, in Woodland Hills near where I work, with three coupons: one for a “pull ahead” program where the last few payments on my lease would be “forgiven,” one for up to $2,500 off a new vehicle, and one for something else which didn’t apply to me.

Excited that I may have the opportunity to get a new vehicle early, I went down to the dealership and made an appointment to speak with a salesman a few days later. On Thursday, 12-6, I went in to the dealership and walked out with a new, 2008 Jetta. I won’t bore you with the details of the sales process, but I will make note that the dealership basically duped me into coming in — none of the three coupons ended up applying to me.

I originally wanted a new Passat, but apparently Volkswagen has moved the Passat “up” in their lineup, increasing the price and amenities included. Meanwhile, the Jetta has also moved up, and is now almost exactly the same size inside, not to mention the same price, as my previous Passat was.

First and foremost, I was impressed with the engine’s responsiveness. My Passat had a 4-cylinder turbo, which did quite well on the highway but was sluggish in city driving due to a 1+ second response pause from a dead stop. While it was irksome, I had learned how to deal with it. Meanwhile, the new Jetta’s five-cylinder, six-speed is sporty to the point of almost being jumpy. I barely have to tap the gas to have it pounce forward. As usual, the engine sounds a bit uncouth (same with my old Passat), but the triptronic manual shifting is fun, and there’s even a “sport mode” now that’s automatic, but shifts later and completely removes the top gear. As an added bonus, the triptronic now allows you to launch from second gear, which was not a possibility on the Passat.

Overall, there is a marked difference in the feel between the two vehicles. While the Passat felt like it was sitting right on the edge of being a luxury car, with a smooooooth ride, the Jetta feels distinctly sporty. At times, on city streets at medium speeds, I’m sometimes irked by just how much of the road I feel. In LA, this translates into a feeling of riding a horse, at times, whereas I never had any experience like this in the Passat.

The exterior, as everyone has remarked ad nauseum, looks a bit common. Yes, I’ll say it: there are strong similarities to the Corolla. Oh well.

A small thing I miss, which the Passat had, are the lights on the bottom-side of the mirrors which illuminated when you unlocked the vehicle. They were a nice touch that are missing on the Jetta. Meanwhile, a much-needed addition which did make it are mirror turning signals. I’m also impressed by the front-end bumper, which appears sporty, but is also apparently some form of adamantium; I’ve escaped unscathed from hitting smallish (but thick!) piece of plywood, and plowing into one of those intersections where the cross street arches up from a drainage conduit.

Inside, refinements abound over the Passat. The “leatherette,” (some form of vinyl faux-leather) is a suitable approximation, and gives the car a high-end feel. The seats are sturdy and strong, whereas the Passat’s often felt (as someone else described them) “floppy.” And finally, a fix for the nigh-unusable seat-back reclining handle on my Passt: the Jetta is equipped (on the driver’s side only) with an auto-seat-back, controlled with a small button.

The “mood lights,” are a nice touch, adding red LED lighting into the over-head console to illuminate the shifter. The rest of the interior continues the sporty theme, but doesn’t feel cheap. Heated seats on my edition are a much-appreciated addition, which I hadn’t expected, considering where I live. But even “leatherette” seats feel cold at 50 degrees around 6:00 am! Speaking of heat, the air conditioning and heating are much faster to respond now, owed to (according to my research on VW forums) the engine now automatically “revving” after a cold-start to get things moving.

Although the Jetta doesn’t have the neat little umbrella holders that the new Passat has, there are other small touches like cupholders in the doors which are nice, as well as the lack of an ashtray, but a nice-sized recessed tray in it’s place under the climate controls. Shame that there’s no coin holder in either that tray, or your elbow-rest, though. Speaking of the controls, they’re much more pleasing to use now with a smoother turn and also little “clicks” when you move the dial to each setting. I’m also glad they added a more intuitive interior-lighting system, which turns on overhead lights in the front AND back with one switch up front, whereas the Passat only turned on all the lights up front when you used a similar switch. The new glove compartment is much improved, with a nifty, separated slot for your manual.

My Jetta has a six-CD in dash changer with satellite radio and an AUX hookup (but NOT the iPod holster). Although the new radio is worlds above the old Passat’s, the Sirius Radio leaves something to be desired in terms of reliability. There have been more than a few times where I’ve run through patches of completely open-air where the signal mysteriously dropped repeatedly. I’m definitely enjoying the new changer, though, and the much more modern feel of the buttons and dials. I wish I could figure out how to use the MP3 data system, though — the manual says you can burn CDs with the track info on them, but despite quite a bit of time looking on the internet for how to do this, I’m at a complete loss. Apparently the VW engineers knew something that the rest of us don’t. I am impressed, however, with the “auto-volume” feature, which returns the volume to a sensible, quiet level if you turn the stereo off, and then back on.

The Jetta’s “helpfulness” category is a mixed bag in comparison to the Passat. One huge, much-loved new feature is a trunk that opens itself from the key fob. Whereas the Passat’s trunk would unlatch from the fob, I often had to struggle to open it. (I repeatedly complained to the service dept about the hydrolics being far too “stiff,” but they didn’t seem to agree.) The Jetta’s, in contrast, pops completely open from the fob, which has saved me a lot of bag shifting. On the inside, I’m thanking the VW gods for getting rid of the god-awful seatbelt warning they had on the Passat, which warned you if your belt was unlatched even when in park. On the Jetta, you don’t get a reminder until you go over 8 miles per hour (which is the same time the doors automatically lock). On the flipside, the Passat was great about reminding you the lights were on, with a constant, shrieking tone once the doors opened. The Jetta replaces this with a humble, quiet chime that seems like it’ll be easy to ignore when I’m in a hurry.

And finally, the last, best feature? No more premium gasoline! While the new Passat still requires it, the Jetta does just fine with good old “regular.” Hopefully, this’ll save me a few bucks every month.

Overall, I’m enjoying the new Jetta. It’s more fun to drive than the Passat was, but in a slightly more compact way — while not sacrificing any interior room. Refinements abound, while only some of the niceties of the Passat are lacking. I look forward to enjoying my new car until this lease is almost-up again.

My question about this thing, along with thousands of other viewers, is why is it still four doors if it’s a coupe? Hello?! What differences could it have over the regular ol’ Passat except for some minor trim enhancements and better engine option? Heck, I’d still hit it though. :D

Oh well, head on over there and check it out. Whaddya think of it so far? I know, those spy photos don’t reveal much, but you get a general idea.

Here’s what happened: my 2004 VW Passat broke down a few weeks ago. I have no idea what the problem was, but it had something to do with “coils.” I asked them to do my 50,000 mile service, as well. I was already pissed off by the time I went to pick up my vehicle from the dealership, because I was informed that — despite what I had been told by both my finance company and the dealership (not the same one I got this service at) — my warranty had just expired at 50,000 miles, about 500 miles ago. As such, I was going to have plunk down $400 for this coil issue, and my 50,000 mile service. But boy was I peeved that, on top of all this, I also had to pay $6 for WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID.

As anyone who drives a newer VW knows, they’re sometimes a little TOO helpful. That dumbass seatbelt chime goes off, even when in park, and your “Top up washer fluid!” warning beeps after just three or four uses of your washer fluid after filling it up. As such, I never bother to actually refill the thing until it is actually empty, otherwise I’d be filling up on a weekly basis. So, when I go in for service and have to pay the absolutely foolish service fees, since I have a lease, and know full-well that I can be liable for warranty issues if the car isn’t serviced at the actual dealership, even though I could get it done for half the price anywhere else, it’s of small comfort that I normally don’t haveto pay anything for them to fill up my washer fluid tank. And, at my old dealership in North Little Rock, Arkansas, I didn’t have to pay. But at this new dealership, in Glendale, California, apparently free washer fluid is just TOO FAR TO GO.

My dealership called me to ask me how things went with my service (coaching me, Mrad!!), and I wasted no time telling them that I wasn’t happy to have to pay for washer fluid. I know it’s petty, but it seems like such a stick in the eye after dropping $400 on service, and what SHOULD be a warranty issue. I was transferred to my service adviser, who said that “all the dealerships charge for washer fluid.” I told him that my old dealership didn’t. He told me that next time I came in, I could ask him to credit the $6 for the fluid, and that from here-on-out, I would need to ask NOT to have my fluid filled if I drop off the car with the reminder light on.

The solution is fine, but does anyone else think that this is just a little over the line when it comes to service? I mean, we’re talking about, essentially, blue water. It costs me $1.50 to buy a jug of washer fluid at the gas station, so why is it that the dealership, who is probably buying washer fluid in bulk at a huge discount, charging me four-times the wholesale cost?

Picture of my bill is here.

RABBIT

• New 170 hp/177 lb.ft torque 2.5L 5cyl engine standard on 2 & 4dr
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) now standard
• New trim level naming. Rabbit S 2dr and Rabbit S 4dr

GTI

• 15mm ride height reduction on all 2 & 4dr
• Sirius® Satellite radio now standard
• Reflex Silver is now special order only
• Climatronic deleted from all trims
• New trim level naming, GTI and GTI Autobahn

NEW BEETLE/NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE

• New trim level naming, S and SE
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) now standard
• Temporary use spare tire
• Fog lights deleted from all trims
• New 16” alloy wheel S
• New 17” alloy wheel on SE
• Delete Shadow Blue on sedan and convertible
• Delete Platinum Gray on convertible
• Delete reflex silver on convertible
• Laser blue no longer available with gray interior
• Black not available with crème top
• Delete front floor mats
• Delete Leather seating surfaces from all trims
• Delete rain sensing wipers on all trims
• Leatherette now named V-Tex
• Cold weather package available on S as stand alone option

GLI

• Reflex Silver is now special order only
• Climatronic deleted from all trims
• New trim level naming, GLI and GLI Autobahn

JETTA

• New 170 hp/177 lb.ft torque 2.5L 5cyl engine standard
• Delete 2.0T engine (only available on GLI)
• Automatic only available with SEL
• Temporary use spare tire
• Laser Blue replaces Shadow Blue
• Delete Wheat Beige
• Front and rear lower valance in black textured color on S and SE
• Body color front and rear valance on SEL
• 2.5 badge included on S
• 16” steel wheels with full covers standard on S
• Delete Climatronic from all trims
• Delete leather seating surfaces from all trims
• Power recline standard on all trim levels
• 17” wheel standard on SEL
• Delete Homelink from all trims
• Cold weather package now optional on S
• 16” alloy wheel now optional on S
• Sunroof now optional on S
• Premium sound package (includes amplifier and 250W) now optional on SE
• New trim level naming, S, SE, and SEL
• Leatherette now named V-Tex

PASSAT Sedan and Wagon

• New trim level naming, Turbo, Komfort, Lux, and VR6
• Leatherette now named V-Tex
• Temporary use spare tire
• Chrome window trim now standard on Turbo
• New 16” alloy wheel on Turbo
• New 17” alloy wheel on Komfort
• Delete Shadow Blue
• Delete Wheat Beige on wagon
• Heated washer nozzles only available on VR6
• Bi-Xenon headlamps w/ AFS now standard on VR6
• Manual side and rear sunshade now standard on sedans
• Manual side sunshades now standard on wagon
• Power 12-way driver seat now standard equipment
• Heated front seats optional on Turbo and Komfort
• Leather steering wheel now standard equipment
• Leather shift knob now standard equipment
• Delete Pure Beige leather comfort seats
• Delete gray leather and V-Tex
• New interior trim on Turbo
• 3 spoke leather multi-function steering wheel included with Lux
• Dynaudio now optional on Lux
• Adaptive Cruise Control optional on VR6
• 4Motion is only configuration available with VR6 wagon
• Manual transmission only available on Turbo

EOS

• New trim level naming, Turbo, Komfort, Lux, and VR6
• Leatherette now named V-Tex
• Lux only available with automatic transmission
• Winter starting assist mode standard on VR6
• New 17” alloy wheel on Lux
• New 18” alloy wheel on VR6
• Delete Wheat Beige
• Rear Park Distance Control included in Lux and VR6
• Chrome front grille louvers included on VR6
• Power 12-way driver seat now standard equipment
• Leather steering wheel now standard equipment
• Leather shift knob now standard equipment
• Leather parking brake handle now standard equipment
• Windblocker now standard equipment
• Ambient lighting deleted on Turbo
• Micritech interior trim now included in Turbo
• Center sliding armrest now standard equipment
• Heated front seats now optional on Turbo
• 17” alloy wheel optional on Komfort

Touareg

• New exterior colors (White Gold, Galapagos, Alaska Gray, Cranberry)
• Chrome grille with logo and chrome eyebrows standard on VR6 FSI
• Chrome matte grille with logo and chrome eyebrows, chrome air intakes, chrome grille slats standard on V8 FSI and V10 TDI Twin Turbo
• Darkened Taillights
• New, central headlights design
• Sporty, more aerodynamic rear spoiler
• Electronic Parking Assistance now standard equipment
• Power Liftgate now standard equipment
• 19″ Wheels with all-season tires optional on VR6 FSI but included in V8 FSI and V10 TDI Twin Turbo
• Larger screen for Multi-function Indicator included with optional Technologie Package
• New Option Packages
• Dynaudio now available in package for all trims
• Sirius® Satellite Radio now standard equipment
• Next generation TPMS – now standard equipment
• ABSPlus standard
• ESP Innovations standard
• New front seat design, more comfortable front seat side bolsters, new seat stitching design now standard equipment
• Gray seat trim in leather and leatherette deleted
• Silver Metallic Plastic interior trim standard on VR6 FSI with leatherette
• Servotronic steering no longer available on 3.6L VR6 FSI
• Comfort Suspension replaces Sport Suspension on VR6 FSI

* From Bloomberg.com

The inquiry may affect about 346,000 gasoline-powered Passats with four- and six-cylinder engines, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today on its Web site. The fires were in the engine compartment, the instrument-panel area and on the underside of the cars near the catalytic converter, the agency said. No injuries were reported.

I got 0% on my Golf, and have to say that I’ll honestly go no other way in purchasing a vehicle. If you’re noodling a new ‘dub, now may be the time.

So what’s the skinny? The Jetta is the least reliable small car, the Passat is the least reliable family car and the Touareg is the least reliable Midsized SUV. Ouch.

What’s it all add up to? One crappy kick to the gut for VW quality. Their standards have been under fire for quite some time now, and they’ve claimed to have made significant improvements in the Mk V platform, but it seems to have done them no good. So is VW still that bad, or is everyone else that good?

At any rate, the quality issue will continue to rear it’s ugly head and threaten to undercut VW’s recent growth if they don’t address these issues – fast. And frankly, I’m getting really tired of doing these write ups.

We’ll have to wait and see. Now I’ve got that stupid jingle in my head. I’d like to edit my own version:

“Zoom, zoom, zoo..”

*Loud crash as the door to the singer’s soundbooth crashes open, and a group of swearing Germans duct tape his mouth shut and carry him off, never to be heard from again. One of the Germans sets fire to the Mazda sound library, destroying any recording of that stupid, trite and irritating jingle*

Hmmm..too far? I don’t think so.

VW currently offers the DSG on the Jetta with a 2.0l turbo, the Jetta GLI and TDI models, GTI and the New Beetle TDI. The DSG transmission functions like two automatics mated together. One clutch works the odd gears, the other even. The smooth transition between gears is accomplished by keeping one clutch open at all times, ready to receive the next shift. The increase in fuel economy is because of the speed of the gear shift and no torque converter to lose power to, like in automatics.

Volkswagen will be building the DSG’s in house at its factory in Kassel, Germany, which begs the question: will VW transmission quality go up? Some might say it can only go up from here. ;) Early in this transition, it will cost Volkswagen about the same amount to build the DSG’s as it would to purchase automatics, but they hope to cut that cost throughout the transition.

The “Passat Aero Package” will go on sale at U.S. dealers starting this fall for a hefty $4,500, give or take a few. Check out our original post about the package when it was first announced for our opinion.

I don’t care though. I’ll still love my Veedub, broken window regulators, MAF sensors, oil sludging, electrical gremlins etc. etc. and all. ;)

I’m quite interested to see how they market the Eos…stay tuned…

* Image Credits: Dieselstation.com

While I love the car, the true highlight of this podcast is the German narrator, telling stories of how it reminds him of his father’s wagon when he was a kid. I highly recommend it, even just for a laugh. I farted at the mouth about 5 times!

Snagging the podcast is easy – just lookie here.

The new package will be available as an option for $4,500 (Yikes! o_0 ). That does include paint and installation however, as far as I know. Customers will also be able to purchase the individual parts at Volkswagen dealerships. That’s great for the do-it-yourselfers and the tuning market, or if you happen to only want to replace your stock grill with the fancy new one. Sorry, I don’t have individual parts pricing at this time.

I’m still on the fence about whether I like the styling or not. Parts of it are “over-the-top” for my tastes, and quite frankly I don’t think it fits the Passat’s general aesthetic: high class. The various vents in the side panels rear bumper sides and the gaping ones on the frontend are a little too youthful, if you can describe them that way. I would have liked to see a bit more restraint with those. Some of these kits nowadays, and you know the kind, just look absolutely hideous because they don’t fit the original design AT ALL. I.E. Flagrant wings and bulges on smooth body panels. The kit needs to enhance the original aesthetic of the car, not detract.

The price point is a bit on the high end being around $1,000 or so more than the Audi A4’s S-line package. Buuuut, Passat buyers may not bawk so much at it. They may or may not already be used to a premium price point for accessories and such.

Well, do you like it?

Careful on the audio for this – it’s a bit loud.