Volkswagen Jetta has been there since 1979 and enjoying understated majesty. Volkswagen Jetta is one of the best sedans available in premium sedan segment in India and it is bestselling Volkswagen in USA. Jetta received a mild update about half a year ago which was showcased in April 2014 at New York Auto show and almost after a year ago this model reached Indian market on 17th February 2015. New Jetta is basically a cosmetic update because mechanically it is unaltered, so this new Jetta would put it back in the game against Toyota Corolla Altis, Chevrolet Cruze and Skoda Octavia? Let’s find out.
Price:
Volkswagen New Jetta starts at Rs. 13.70 lakh for the petrol and goes up to 15.86 Lakh for the highline petrol one while the oil burner starts at Rs. 15.01 lakh and ends at Rs. 19.77 for the top diesel variant.
Engine and Performance:
There is no change in this department so it drives exactly the same as the previous version means rather well. Volkswagen still offers 1.4L TFSI petrol mill with 121bhp power and 200Nm torque mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with fuel efficiency of 14.69 KPML.
The diesel version of new Jetta still receive power from a 2.0L TDI that churns out 138bhp power@4200rpm and 320Nm of peak torque@1750-2500rpm coupled with a 6 speed manual or 6 speed DSG automatic. The manual variant delivers 19.33 KMPL of mileage while an automatic variant gives 14.28 KPML but in road test you will get less even under normal driving conditions.
The extra power would be appreciated like Skoda Octavia has but neither of the engines has turbo lag or feels under powered. New Jetta is just as fun and capable to drive as the previous GEN Jetta and DSG automatic downshift responsive time is good at lower speeds.
The 2.0L TDI is extremely to fun to drive and will surpass 5000rpm even in lower gears like fast petrol cars and as a result of it can make swift progress on open road. If new Jetta is given enough space then it can reach 210 km/hr speed easily. The dual clutch gearbox performs effortlessly in auto mode and switching to manual mode driver gets control through paddle shifters which even allow aggressive downshift.
Let’s talk about the suspension of Jetta which is commendable during pressing situations and handling is admirable whether under hard cornering, cruising through bad roads complimented by controlled body roll. The steering wheel light but it is enjoyable even on twisty roads. Overall new Jetta gives an enjoyable experience to driver with good drivability and good ride and handling package.
Space and Dimensions:
Dimensionally it also remains same with 4659mm length, 1778mm width and 1453mm height with the wheelbase of 2648mm. New Jetta is a five seater car which is now more spacious than the phased out model. Front seats are sporty, supportive and can accommodate shortest and tallest drivers easily even 6 footers can stretch their legs completely in the front seats. Seats are well suited for long drives and driver seat has full electric adjustment.
There is sufficient space the rear seats but new Jetta can be used as a 4 seater than 5 due to floor hump at rear. Seating behind a taller driver isn’t a problem anymore and gives good back support but it lacks under thigh support.
Exterior:
As we already told you that new Jetta more of a cosmetic update than anything else and u can even count them on fingertips. New Jetta gets a new radiator front grille which is now a three slat grille replacing the two slate with huge Volkswagen logo in the middle, bi-xenon headlamp unit is now equipped with LED strips and Daytime running lights, redesigned bumper with different air dam and fresh pair of fog lamps, new set of stylish alloy wheels.
Overall with these additional features and slight revised bonnet which new Jetta wider stance and somehow a sporty look. However the petrol variant buyers will not get the LED strips and DRLs. Front fascia looks shaper and premium and resembles Volkswagen Passat.
Side profile is moreover same except the top variant gets twin-5 spoke alloy wheels and rear side gets some subtle changes like a new redesigned tail lights, revised rear bumper, new boot lid with integrated spoiler and body colored bumper completes the rear section of the car.
Interior:
Like the exterior the interiors of new Jetta largely remains same with few important changes like a new three spoke flat bottom steering wheel of Polo and Vento with piano black finish and revised instrument cluster. But new Jetta comes with more buttons like paddle shifters and cruise control. Chrome element and faux wood adds premium element to the instrument cluster. Feature wise it is loaded with many features like LCD screen with multi function display, 6.5 inch touchscreen infotainment system with 8 speakers, 6-cd changer, Aux-in and SD card connectivity for top variant only others get Polo-Vento type audio system, dual zone climate conditioning, park distance control for front and rear, passenger air bag detection switch, 12-way electrically adjustable seat, fatigue detection system which constantly checks driver’s behavior.
Some of the features are missing from new Jetta like leather seats, reversing camera, Sunroof and overall quality, fit and finish is of top quality but it a slightly down from previous gen Jetta.
Safety:
Safety features in New Jetta are simply outstanding with features like 6 airbags across all variants, fatigue detection system which analysis driver’s behavior, disc brakes, ABS+EBD, hill hold control, central locking, anti-slip regulation, parking distance control for front and rear, cruise control etc. Apart from these features Volkswagen is known for its solidly built and robust cars and Jetta also gets 5 stars NCAP crash tests.
Verdict:
The new Jetta hasn’t changed much so do you think it looks best after the two facelifts? The answer is yes it is brilliant to drive, looks more premium complimented by its top class European built. The disappointing thing is it still carries the equipments of 2013 whereas its competitors have more equipment on offer, same can be said for its engine we expect new Jetta to equip with more powerful 1.8L engine but it didn’t happened. Volkswagen Jetta is positioned against the likes of Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra and Skoda Octavia in which Cruze is probably most powerful; Elantra is more of a feature rich car and Octavia is an all-rounder in the segment. However Jetta still is one of the most capable cars in the segment and best driver’s car in the class.
