THERE are certainly some good looking premium saloon/coupe crossovers at the moment and one of the best has to be the Volkswagen CC.

The CC is the latest development of the Passat theme, although the name Passat has now been dropped.

It all came about due to the Passat CC of 2008 which was a four-door four-seater which combined the practicality of the Passat saloon with the elegance and styling of a coupé, giving VW a definite and very positive presence in a growing niche of the market.

It was an instant hit and was redesigned in 2010 with five seats and more equipment. It became so popular that the CC dropped the Passat name and became a standalone in the four-door coupe segment.

The new CC has refined the theme greatly. It was first seen at the Los Angeles Motor Show in 2011, ahead of going on sale in Europe in 2012.

Its almost sizzling good looks incorporate Volkswagen's latest design DNA. This is most evident at the front in the new radiator grille's strong horizontal line and reprofiled bumper, and at the rear in the completely redesigned bumper and new LED tail lights.

All models have a high standard of specification and this is seen to best effect on the CC R-Line 2.0 TDI BlueMotion 177ps six-speed DSG model I drove which tips the price scale at £31,520.

On board was a RNS 510 touchscreen DVD navigation system with integrated voice control and rear-view camera, keyless entry, Adaptive Cruise Control and much more.

A comprehensive array of safety features is built into the package with a driver alert system, ESP electronic stabilisation programme and four-way adjustable front head restraints to reduce the risk of whiplash injuries standard.

Under the bonnet was a two-litre diesel matched up to BlueMotion economy technology. This mean that this 137mph saloon/coupe could return a combined economy figure of 54.3mpg with creditable CO2 emissions of 137g/km.

It was quick off the mark too, with a zero-62mph sprint of 8.4 seconds. But the overall impression of this car was of a super smooth drive with a ride quality that would make some competitors green with envy.

It was one of those cars that never becomes boring or annoying. You do have to make a few concessions for its power dressed stance because the larger among us do have to dip their head a little lower when getting into the front seats because of the breathtakingly low rear sweep of the windscreen.

But this is a small price to pay for a car which has the capacity to turn heads wherever it goes. The car I drove had a distinct element of bling about it which is refreshing in a VW.

A vast amount of work has gone into making this car very silent and it certainly proves its worth.

The R-Line trim level builds on the already generous equipment list of the GT, adding a distinctive R-Line front grille with round fog lights, R-Line front bumper, R-Line logo in the radiator grille, sill extensions, LED daytime running lights and 18-inch ‘Mallory' alloy wheels. 

Inside, an R-Line multi-function steering wheel and trim adds a distinctive touch to complete the look.  Despite the additional kit, the R-Line commands a premium of just £650 over the equivalent GT

The BlueMotion Technology includes battery regeneration and Stop/Start systems.