IT'S regarded as one of the best looking cars around and now Volkswagen's super sleek coupe has been given some pampering.

To be known just as the CC bringing it into line with VW's branding in America, the new version of what was previously the Passat CC hits the streets in April.

And with a makeover all round the CC has even more graceful proportions than before.

New light clusters - especially LEDs at the rear - have had a marked effect while the front features VW's new horizontal grille design.

It has matured into a car for the discerning driver who wants something which stands out as well as delivering performance.

Priced from £24,200 to £30,100 the restyled model range is about £500 more than the previous Passat CC line up.

In the style stakes that gives VW something of an edge on rivals such as the Audi A5 and even the larger A7 or Mercedes' latest CLS.

The CC - it stands for comfort coupe and not to be confused with convertibles using the same designation - also has a degree of purity which the others seem to lack.

As before, two petrol and two diesel engines are available with the most economical delivering a shade over 60 to the gallon.

That's from a 140ps two-litre diesel costing £25,345 and with emissions pared down to 125g/km it has added appeal for business users.

A more powerful 170ps diesel is available delivering extra performance resulting in a 0 to 60 acceleration of around 8.6 seconds compared to the 9.8 for the 140ps engine.

It is almost as economical clocking up 57.6mpg on average according to VW and now comes with an electronic traction system which mimics a limited slip differential making the car reassuringly nimble.

The two petrol versions use either 1.8 or two-litre engines and although quicker lack the economy which will make the diesels more popular.

The diesels also benefit from stop/start systems allied to gear change alerts on the dashboard which help earn them VW's BlueMotion status for added fuel efficiency.

On the road, while the 170ps engine has longer legs and is more refined there is little between the two diesels in terms of feel under everyday conditions.

Seven speed semi-automatic gearboxes are available across the ten model CC range and cost some £1,500 more than the standard six speed manuals.

At any speed the CC is quiet and feels as sturdy as you would expect from Volkswagen.

As a four door coupe it seats five - albeit three in the back is a bit of a pinch - with head and legroom adequate throughout - a clever trick given the rake of the roof.

Luggage space of 425 litres is satisfactory and can be extended by dropping the rear seats which can now be unlatched from inside the boot. That's a neat touch as is the optional Easy Open system which unlocks the boot lid remotely when the key holder waggles their foot under the back bumper.

It's a nifty way of opening the boot when your hands are full but there is a knack to it - not to mention the possibility of attracting strange looks.

VW has decided to fit a full sized spare wheel for the CC in Britain which may have reduced the boot capacity but it is a satisfying touch.

Other standard kit includes a touchscreen sat nav, digital radio with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and dual zone air con while VW is also making the CC available with the option of blind spot and lane departure alerts as well as a radar to prevent low speed shunts and automatic high beam operation.

Those are new features for VW which see it playing catch up with other brands and while effective the lane departure warning system felt more intrusive than some - possibly best left off unless on a motorway.

In higher specification GT trim, priced from £27,570, the CC includes leather upholstery, cruise control, adaptive suspension and 18-inch alloys - and that's a lot for the money.

The CC can also be fitted with VW's automatic self parking system which is becoming a highly popular feature and can now cope with gaps only 20 inches longer than the car itself.

In every way the CC is a classy piece of kit which not only swish but is also engineered to perform.

Last year the coupe notched up almost 7,000 sales in the UK accounting for almost a quarter of all Passat sales and with its new looks the CC is set to become even more desirable.