Even though it has the latest ‘mobility’ tyres that can seal themselves against holes made by nails or screws up to 5mm in diameter and allow you to continue driving in all but extreme cases, the CC still comes with a full-size spare wheel. Six airbags are fitted, along with brake assistance and sophisticated electronic stability equipment that includes trailer stabilization when a factory towbar is fitted, automatic activation of hazard flashers during hard braking and an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Options include lane assist, which counter-steers when the car drifts off course, and park assist, which automatically steers the car into a parking space at the push of a button.

Thanks to neat styling, the size of the CC’s rear window appears larger than it is and the tailgate smaller, but a huge capacity of 500 litres soon reinforces Volkswagen’s claim that despite its coupe description, this is a practical family car. And though the individual rear seats have sports shaping, their backrests still offer a split-fold facility to allow bulky loads to be carried.

In addition, the centre armrest can be folded down to accommodate longer items such as skis.