Volkswagen Passat CC now with five seats, but not in Australia

By Matt Brogan | April 09th, 2010

Volkswagen will offer its Passat CC model with five seats (previously four), standard satellite navigation and touchscreen Bluetooth connectivity as standard equipment when the revised model goes on sale later this month in Europe and the UK.

The new features join an already generous standard feature list that includes six airbags, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, leather wrapped steering wheel, park brake lever and gear knob, plus 17-inch alloy wheels.

The Passat CC GT model adds leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC), heat insulated glass on the rear windows and 18-inch alloys.

Engine and transmission options remain unchanged.

Unfortunately, Australia will miss out on the five-seat variant with Volkswagen Australia General Manager of Press and Public Relations, Karl Gehling telling CarAdvice “Volkswagen has no plans to offer it in Australia”.

For now, we’ll just have to be content with the stunning four-seat version.

To read a full road test on the Volkswagen Passat CC, click on this link.

Frenchie

Must be hard to fit a diffrent seat and a extra seatbelt.
Wayne Kerr

I’d choose a 5 seater over a 4 seater any day. It’s more practical for when do you have extra passengers. The central arm rest is a waste of space gimmick.

Prius Pensioner

But there is the safety issue of a bench seat (especially the centre seat).

The same thing was done to the front seat in the 1970s/1980s, so I guess it’s going to be an inexorable shift from here (in most cars).

Mal

That middle seat doesn’t look like a comfy place to perch. It looks like the same fold down arm rest used in bread & butter Passats, and in my wagon it’s absolute hell on your back.

smokin’R32

Better than doing two trips though

Jedd

Just a [poor] copy of Benz’s CLS sedanoid

This costs around the same as a PREMIUM TurboCharged C Class Benz sedan.

Anybody who buys this over the Benz Turbo C has rocks in there head!

Mal

The way you typed “premium” in upper case is forcing me to believe you.

Jedd

LOL

One drive of it, and you will buy it!

Yeap that good, and ONLY for Calais coin!!

“If you going to have a BIG ONE {accident} let it be in a Benz”

I believe its my next car……

Mal

I have to admit I’m yet to sample a new Merc or BMW. I love the taut, stable feeling the Passat has on the road. I can only imagine how much nicer the more expensive Germans must feel.

Shak

There’s a reason you’d buy this. Kit, Size, looks, and some people like fashion statements. A C blends into the background. This does not.
Peter

Having been in Passat CC and owning a current C class I have no idea what you’re on about.

noj

The C class`s Chrysler feeling interior for one, its dreadful.
Shak

Im saying that the Passat is bigger, has more kit, in some people’s opinions looks better than the sedate C-Class, and does feel as good as the C-Class inside. I for one would take the passat, just because its rarer.

Jedd

THAT’S the whole point, the vw is a showoff and almost vulgar while the C Class, is well, class!

Shak

A proton S16 also blends into the crowd, would you call that Classy.

Baddass

Now where does this leave the normal Passat? I say make the Passat CC the standard Passat, and add the engines of the rest of the range into it. It’s certainly much more desirable than the standard, but perhaps less practical. A Passat CC wagon would be stunning I think.
Pauly

Doesnt surprise me in the slightest. VW Australia are a useless bunch.

No Scirocco
No 5 Seater Passat CC
No Hybrid Tiguan
No 3 Door Golf GTD
Less Powerful Golf R
Less Colours to choose from compared to the UK
Less Options to choose from compared to the rest of the world – Where is our Adapative Cruise Control? Where is our rear LED lights on the GTI and GTD?

Seriously…

Frenchie

Thats because car companies like this don’t give a stuff about RHD market. Until places like Thailand and India start to build them, we will see them here in OZ.

Shak

You’d think they would seeing as India and the UK are massive RHD markets. And its not like other brands dont already give us these things, so why cant this silly German do it.

KCC

The only thing that I can think of is that it may be VW Australia are currently presided by a bunch of ultra conservative accountants. So instead of leading the field and creating new or even niche markets for VW in Australai, they only know how to follow the previous foot steps and cocoon themselves in past glory.
Ultimately their conservatism is the cause of their own demise. One needs to look no further than to GM and Chrysler in the USA, the financial mess they got themselves into by producing one boring car after another.
If the global sale of VW is strengthening, it is because the parent VW company is filled with people who are daring and have insight into the future. VW Australia will only be the appendage of the parent company, and nothing more.
Mal

Might I add where is is the 125kw diesel with 4 motion and 6 speed manual in the Passat? How about the Phaeton as well while we’re at it. What about foot well lighting, puddle lighting, the adjustable strap harnessing in the boot? I recall at one point seeing an AWD diesel Golf available in NZ.

http://Caradvice onepoppa

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Lots of people just will not – can not – purchase a 4 seat car. The option in Europe is quite cheap for the bench seat/ 3 belt option, which is surely asomething capable of dealer fitment, so would not upset VW’s order pattern.
Taek

Hehehehe