Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year, against this model's usual year.
2012AVOIDSerious complaints 2.8× usual, mostly air bags and engine Extended coverage
207 serious complaints of 230, the most about air bags (86) and engine (64); 2.8× this model's usual share of all serious complaints about 2012 vehicles. 6 recalls. NHTSA investigation EA18003: air bag clockspring failure. NHTSA investigation RQ17009: air bag clockspring failure.
What owners report
“Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 volkswagen cc. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v078000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Jan 2017
“The contact owns a 2012 volkswagen cc. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Apr 2016
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP COMMUNICATION: Volkswagen announced a warranty extension program to cover the High Pressure Fuel Pump on 2009-2012 model year TDI Clean Diesel Engine vehicles (Dealer, Apr 2015)
- Extended coverage This document advises dealers regarding the Timing Chain/Timing Chain Tensioner Limited Warranty Extension (VWP-18, Aug 2018)
- Extended coverage This Document informs dealers on VWP-18-11 for the Steering Wheel Clock Spring Limited Warranty Extension (VWP-18-11, Oct 2018)
- Extended coverage The Vehicle Maintenance Declaration has been added back to WISE for the Timing Chain Warranty Extension. (Vehicle, Jan 2019)
- Extended coverage This supporting FAQ is for the Turbocharger Limited Warranty Extension Class Action Settlement. (Turbocharger, Sep 2025)
- Extended coverage This Document informs dealers on the the new Water Pump Limited Warranty Extension (VWP-19, Dec 2019)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
230 owner complaints · 6 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 20–25 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2012 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. NHTSA doesn't publish sales, so only big differences count. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl turbo; 3.6L 6-cyl · Drive: AWD, FWD
2012 CC trims
| Luxury | Sport | VR6 4Motion |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Volkswagen reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Volkswagen aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 200 hp 3.6L 6-cyl, 280 hp | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 4 | Electrical system (3) | — |
| 2016 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 200 hp 3.6L 6-cyl, 280 hp manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 6 | 26 | Air bags (11) | — |
| 2015 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 30 | Fuel/propulsion system (10) | — |
| 2014 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 5 | 80 | Air bags (52) | — |
| 2013 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 5 | 148 | Air bags (89) | — |
| 2012 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 6 | 230 | Air bags (86) | — |
| 2011 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 86 | Air bags (32) | — |
| 2010 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 20–25 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 242 | Air bags (84) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 3 | 4 |
| 2017 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 3 | 4 |
| 2016 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 6 | 26 |
| 2016 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 6 | 26 |
| 2015 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 30 |
| 2015 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 30 |
| 2014 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 80 |
| 2014 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 80 |
| 2013 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 148 |
| 2013 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 148 |
| 2012 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 6 | 230 |
| 2012 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 6 | 230 |
| 2011 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 86 |
| 2011 | Volkswagen CC 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 86 |
| 2010 | Volkswagen CC 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 242 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | CC | Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2017 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2016 | CC | Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
25 |
| 2016 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2015 | CC | Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
25 |
| 2015 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2014 | CC | Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
25 |
| 2014 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2013 | CC | Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
21–25 |
| 2013 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2012 | CC | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
24–25 |
| 2012 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2011 | CC | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
25 |
| 2011 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
| 2010 | CC | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
21–25 |
| 2010 | CC 4motion | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 20 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.