Nuffnang Volkswagen Test Drive – Passat CC

"They put the word 'swag' in Volkswagen because they totally deserved it." – Anonymous (Well, this was my quote actually, but I'm modest enough to not put my name up)

Reluctantly speaking, I do consider myself a small-time automotive enthusiast. So when Volkswagen came knocking on my door asking me to ride it, I said the most powerful word in the entire English vocabulary arsenal – yes.

Once in a while, I do pay a visit to the local newsstand to grab a copy of Top Gear. Every now and then, I’ll spend some time on automotive related websites, crunching on the latest news and happenings relating to the four-wheeled beauties. I don’t see myself as a hardcore fanatic when it comes to cars, but I do have a fair working knowledge about them. Like how superchargers and turbochargers and phone-chargers work, yeah, no big deal.

Now, Volkswagen. It all started some few days ago when Nuffnang sent me an e-mail inviting me for a test drive session. Well, if you’ve never test driven a car which you are certain that it is fairly impossible for you to purchase it, here’s what it felt like – going on a dinner date with a super-hot girl that your father’s disgustingly rich boss had set up for you. The super-hot girl, who attended that date with you only because she had to give face to your father’s disgustingly rich boss, will pretend to have a good time with you and when dessert had been devoured, said super-hot girl will disappear from your very sight within split seconds and never to be seen again. Gosh, I have a very terrible childhood I tell you.

But let’s put this whole ‘girl thingy’ aside shall we? Today we’ll talk about wheels, torque and a fine touch of German automotive engineering.

So the test drive session was at Desa Park City (no, it’s not at Desa Water Park lah, we’re testing cars, not motor-boats, dummy) and by jolly was it fine day to show some Volkswagen car who’s boss.

I had a go at the Passat CC. No, the CC is not the abbreviation for cyber-café. And no, it is not a car for sissies. Gee, you people and your ridiculous stereotypes.

Equipped with a 2.0-litre engine, this beauty can be crowned the mother of luxury-lined cars. Its body design portrays a sharp display of exclusiveness and one can expect a stare of respect towards an upper-classed executive from a wretched bystander when you cruise pass them in your Passat CC.

This car may look heavy (well, it is in fact one of the heavier Volkswagen models) and may appear to be a slow-coach ride. Well, did I not mention that the Passat CC is turbocharged and it boasts a maximum torque of 280Nm at 1,700-5,000 rpm? Can’t digest this car jargons? Okay, I’ll illustrate my experience when I was behind the wheels.

After cruising in a somewhat slumber pace, I’ve decided to overtake a Mercedes-Benz. So I engaged the car in sports-mode (which is like Dragon Ball dude going into the whole Super Saiyan mode where he becomes undefeatable) and gently applied some force on the accelerator. Note the word, gently. Immediately, I felt an invisible push on my whole upper-body and I was taken further back into my seat. It was physics at its best. My Passat CC accelerates fiercely whilst making loud roars at the Mercedes-Benz, as if to say, “Get out of my way, bitch.”

It only took me 4 seconds before the Mercedes-Benz was in my rear-view mirror. And another 3 seconds before it disappears behind the dust and debris left over by the powerful sprint of the Passat CC that was under my very control. It wasn’t long before the Volkswagen sales rep beside me said, “See, it only took 7.7 seconds to reach 100 km/h from 0.” A tiny smile of satisfaction escaped from my lips.

Remember those good old days where we have to put our car into ‘free-gear’ and pull our handbrakes up so that our car will remain stationary instead of sliding backwards and risks ramming your car’s backside? The Passat CC brought that technology to a whole new level. It has this cute little ‘P’ button by the side of your car where you just have to give it a push and your car’s ‘handbrakes’ are engaged. Apparently, it uses some really canggih electromagnetic technology that even I don’t want to explain to you. Bleuk.

As for car keys? Boo your old-school technology. The Passat CC is pretty much like a woman. To activate this baby, you need to insert this batang.

Into this lubang.


Liddat only the fella can start roaring and running. But this is high-tech I tell you. Even I don’t want to explain to myself how it works.

As herculean as this hot beauty may sound, there are, however, some flaws that Volkswagen’s R&D department can take into serious consideration should they intend to come up with a newer version of the Passat CC.

The dashboard did not really express the ‘exclusive’ and ‘up-market’ kind of feeling. It looks somewhat, plain. A little too simple for a car of its class. The tachometer and speedometer did not justify the RM270000 that I've paid for this car (metaphorically speaking). Besides that, the steering wheel wasn’t something appealing or a feature you can shout about. When driving, I felt like I was gripping on to a Proton Saga’s. Perhaps a little wooden finishing won’t hurt, will it?

But well, I’m not one who has too much to complain about. Moreover, I’m no Jeremy Clarkson. I’m just that blogger boy who hopes that one day his daddy will buy him a Passat CC.

I mean, look at that innocent face, who wouldn’t let him take home that Passat CC, right?