Mention “coupe” and an image of a sleek-looking vehicle, with its defining feature being the ubiquitous presence of just two doors, comes to mind. As such, the idea of a four-door coupe goes against conventional thinking and, until recently, is nearly unfathomable.

Mercedes-Benz broke the mould when they introduced the groundbreaking CLS four years ago. Not wanting to be left behind, Volkswagen has begun to view this niche as potentially lucrative – one to help plug the gap between the Passat and the Phaeton. Their hope towards this goal lies with the all-new Passat CC four-door coupe.

Introduced early this year at the North American International Auto Show, the CC does not share the same basic exterior design as its saloon and estate brethren, but is given a unique styling. The result is a car that is possibly the most handsome in the entire Volkswagen line-up – one that rivals the CLS.

Thanks to its sweeping roof, a longer and wider body, as well as a lowered stance, the CC gets a sporty yet contemporary coupe-like profile. The distinctive shoulder line, gradually rising from the front wheel to the taillights, helps to enhance the coupe look.

The CC wears the familiar Passat face, though an eagle-eyed buyer might notice that the centre portion protrudes subtly, giving rise to an angular front end that is unique to this coupe. From the rear, the CC is unmistakable with the tapering scalloped taillights and the large rear window extending down into the short boot lid.

Just as its exterior promises, the interior of the CC exudes a premium feel with its use of choice materials and trims – with the frameless doors, the two individually-sculpted rear seats, complete with a centre console and armrest being the key features within the cabin.

The instrumentation has been redesigned (modelled after the Phaeton), with the gauges and multi-function display lit up in white, instead of the trademark blue and red lighting.

The electrically adjustable front seats – ventilation available as an add-on option – are firm yet comfortable, while the two rear seats are just as good in terms of comfort and support. Headroom in the rear, despite the sloping roofline, is still generous, allowing for adults 1.8m tall to fit in with ease. In terms of luggage capacity, the CC swallows two full-sized golf bags easily.

Driving-wise, the CC feels similar to its saloon sibling, though noticeably more sure-footed thanks to its wider front- and rear-wheel tracks, as well as a 50mm lower ride height. On Germany’s autobahns, it tracks arrow-straight with a confidence-inspiring level of highspeed stability. Wind noise from the wing mirrors only sets in when the speed reaches 150km/h.

Though it is longer and wider than the saloon, the CC manages to feel smaller than it actually is, allowing for worry-free motoring on narrow single-lane country roads.

Ride comfort on the optional 18-inch alloy wheels, shod with self-sealing 235/40 R18 rubbers, is compliant and never turns jarring, even with the newly-developed adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control damping system – standard on the top-of-the-range 3.6-litre CC – set to “Sport” mode. The rear end can even be coaxed out to play with a lift of the throttle.

The 160bhp 1.8-litre CC, sampled at the international launch in Munich, reaches 100km/h from a standstill in 8.6 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 222km/h. The 2.0-litre TSI version that we will get for our market should be capable of lightly better performance.

As for the flagship 3.6-litre 4MOTION-equipped CC, it produces a cool 300bhp and 350Nm. Coupled to the DSG gearbox, this  four-door coupe has been claimed to sprint to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, and onto an electronically-governed 250km/h. Volkswagen has yet to disclose the prices, but they are expected to be around 10 to 15 per cent more than those of the Passat saloons. Keep a lookout for their arrival in the final quarter of the year.