Nationwide owners and lessees of the Volkswagen CC model cars filed a class action lawsuit claiming a known design defect in the alignment has for years caused uneven wear and degradation of tires, known as tire cupping.

The suit filed Thursday in the Southern District of Florida alleges that since 2010 at least 50,000 of the luxury midsize sedans have been manufactured and sold with the defect, requiring drivers to replace the tires prematurely at their own expense.

Roy Altman, a partner at Podhurst Orseck in Miami representing the nationwide class, said many owners and lessees of the cars often have been forced to pay thousands of dollars over a period of years to get replacement tires that they otherwise would not have.