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By EWAN
KENNEDY
23 November 2009
The people at Volkswagen can get a bit miffed if their Jetta sedan
is referred to as a Golf with a boot. They really do consider it
to be a totally separate model, seeing it as a larger car aimed at
a different type of buyer to the Golf hatchback.
So with the latest Jetta, they have come up with a distinctly new
shape. Even viewed from head on, where the extended boot is, of
course, not invisible, there's no doubt this is a Jetta not a
Golf. This has been achieved by giving the Jetta a front end
that's reminiscent of the just superseded Golf GTI. Thus it has a
large deep grille that flows down into a matching under-bumper
intake. It works exceptionally well visually and is likely to be a
selling point in its own right.
The bold vertical look of the Jetta certainly looks nothing like
the style of the Golf 6 which is now very horizontal in its theme.
The longer roof and distinctive boot shape gives it a larger, more
elegant character than that of the sportier looking Golf.
Speaking of the boot, it's a real beauty. Its capacity of 527
litres makes it larger than many a full-sized family sedan. And
the tall styling of the exterior pays off in a luggage area that's
squared off and generally easy to load. As in all modern designs
with a swept back rear window and a stumpy tail, the boot’s
opening is relatively small, making it impossible to load bulky
items.
A split-fold rear-seat backrest increases the carrying capacity
and either leaves you with a three-or four-seat car.
Under the bonnet, Volkswagen offers a staggering array of engine
choices. All are charged for greater efficiency. The smallest
petrol unit, at 1.4 litres, is both supercharged and turbocharged
and produces 118 kW. Topping out the overall range is a sporty
2.0-litre petrol engine with 200 horsepower (147 kW) that can jump
from rest to 100 km/h in only 7.2 seconds, putting it almost into
the Golf GTI class.
Diesel engine options begin with a 77 kW 1.6-litre powerplant that
strong on torque, producing 250 Newton metres from 1500 to 2500
revs. Its official fuel consumption measured by official
Australian standards is just 4.9 litres per hundred kilometres.
Frankly, our initial road testing of the new Jetta out of the
Melbourne area showed this 77 kW diesel engine probably provides
everything that the average buyer wants in the way of performance.
It doesn't leap off the line like a sports vehicle, but it does
have plenty of grunt for overtaking and is able to climb hills in
relatively high gears.
Two other turbo-diesel engines are also on the new Jetta price
list. Both have a capacity of 2.0 litres, but come in different
states of tune to produce either 103 or 125 kilowatts (320 or 350
Nm).
On the road the new Volkswagen Jetta has that lovely solid feeling
that has endeared VWs to Australia drivers for many decades. The
car really does feel as though it's from a larger and more
expensive background. Comfort and quietness are very much part of
the package as a result of this.
The front seats are a decent size and support well. The back seat
is really set up for two people but three can be carried without
any real problems provided they aren’t of larger than average
girth. Headroom is good and legroom is likely to suit most adults,
though there are times when those in the back will need to borrow
some leg space from the front occupants.
Handling is good and the typical front-wheel-drive understeer
doesn't start to show up until the car is travelling at cornering
forces unlikely to be generated by the great majority of drivers.
With a price list starting at only $28,990 for the 1.6 77TDI, the
latest Volkswagen Jetta puts you into a quality European machine
with minimal damage to your motoring budget.
The complete Volkswagen Jetta range, with prices (excluding
on-road costs) is:
Jetta 1.6 77 kW TDI: $28,990 (manual), $31,490 (seven-speed DSG)
Jetta 1.4 118 kW TSI: $30,990 (manual), $33,490 (seven-speed DSG)
Jetta 2.0 103 kW TDI: $35,990 (six-speed DSG)
Jetta 2.0 147 kW TSI Highline: $38,990 (six-speed DSG)
Jetta 2.0 125 kW TDI Highline: $38,990 (six-speed DSG)
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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