Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Volkswagen CC, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | 27% |
| Air bags | 6 | 23% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 12% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 8% |
| Power train | 1 | 4% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I purchased my Volkswagen CC in 2019. It hasn't been officially 4 years of owning the vehicle, and the clock spring or air bag light comes on in which it seems every 1.5 years. It costs over $800 to repair, and the first
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
When I put my car in drive (to move forward) from a cold start, the vehicle hesitates, does not respond to the accelerator pedal, and does not move. During this time, the transmission does not engage, and the vehicle sha
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Clock spring broke, now NO airbag and nothing on the steering panel works including the horn and airbag. First I was told by the dealship that it was a California car so they would fix it, today I was told they would not
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The clock spring in the steering wheel broke causing the airbag light to come on, the audio controls on the steering wheel to stop working and a noise coming out of the wheel when I turn it. The failure has been confirme
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
My 2016 VW CC (VIN: [XXX]) has a clock spring failure. I brought my car in to Riverhead Bay Motors on 2/12/2019, with the hope of diagnosing and fixing the part. They had to order the part, so only diagnosis was done. Di
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Vehicle has factory installed splash guards, the car bottoms out when hitting the slightest bump. Nina at VW corporate has been totally useless.
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
LOCK FOR DOOR REAR PASSENGER FELL INTO DOOR WITH NO FORCE. BROKE NO CLIPS. CAUSED $350 REPAIR AND SHORTED OUT A CORD WAS NOT COVERED BY CERTIFIED CAR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. BLAMED AS NEGLIGENCE TO OWNER. AGAIN LOCK PUSH B
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
THE CLOCK SPRING HAS FAILED ON MY CC CAUSING ALL AIRBAGS TO BE DISABLED. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO FIX THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I'M FILING THIS IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS I WILL HAVE FULL RECOURSE AGAINST THEM FOR
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2016 Volkswagen CC. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 Passat, 2015-2016 Eos, 2015-2017 CC, 2016-2017 TT Roadster, TT Coupe, 2017 Audi R8 Coupe, and R8 Spyder vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Volkswagen owners may cont
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period ma
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Tiguan and CC vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Risk: Deactivated air bags increases the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2019. Volkswagen's number for this recall
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2017 CC vehicles. Incorrect front seat head restraints (rests) may have been installed, possibly resulting in the seat occupant's head being inadequately restrained in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to com
Risk: If the seat occupant's head is inadequately restrained in the event of a crash, they have an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seat head restraints, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-52
| Reliability raw | 74 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 71 | good |
| Maintenance | 56 | average |
| Depreciation | 54 | average |
| Performance | 52 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and fuel/propulsion system is the most reported area with 7 of them (27%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 74/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 71/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 62/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.