Motor Trend Car of the Year Contender: 2009 Volkswagen CC

Yes, beneath the 2009 Volkswagen CC's, low four-door coupe bodywork inspired by the Mercedes-Benz CLS (many prefer the VW) lurks the humble transverse-engine DNA of the workhorse Rabbit/Golf/Jetta/Passat. That key architectural difference explains why this fully loaded CC with a V-6 and 4Motion all-wheel drive costs $4000 less than a similarly loaded four-banger Audi A4 2.0T quattro.

Relative to that corporate cousin, the CC is 3.7 in. longer, almost an inch wider, 0.4 in. lower, and only 62 lb heavier. Acceleration performance is within a tenth of a second of the Audi's to 60 mph and through the quarter mile. More surprisingly, the handling numbers are as good as or better than the Audi's, with identical braking, higher grip, and a quicker figure-eight lap. "I was surprised to find I prefer it to the A4; better engine sound, steering is more communicative, feels faster, too," says senior editor Ed Loh. "Rather crisp handling," concurs technical editor Kim Reynolds, countering that highway Botts dots can agitate the chassis.The GTI-inspired hardware might not be as adroit as the pricier A4's when hustling over imperfect pavement, but the steering has an organic feel and better weighting than the A4's.Our CC's interior trim draws unanimous raves for its rich materials and four Italianate leather buckets with roll-stitched inserts, though some have been put off by the lack of a center rear seat or Bluetooth connectivity. The rear seat is positioned slightly higher than the front, and yet that plunging roofline affords reasonable space and visibility for the 5-ft-10-and-under crowd.Does the 2009 Volkswagen CC have what it takes to become the 2009 Motor Trend Car of the Year? Find out later tonight... MOTORTREND.COM