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We drove a $23,000 Volkswagen Jetta to see if it's ready to battle Honda and Toyota. Here's the verdict.
We drove a $23,000 Volkswagen Jetta to see if it's ready to battle Honda and Toyota. Here's the verdict.
Benjamin ZhangJan 2, 2019, 19:04 IST
Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
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The Volkswagen Jetta is all-new for the 2019 model year.
The new seventh generation Jetta is built on VW's highly-touted MQB platform that also underpins the Audi A3 along with the Volkswagen Tiguan and Atlas SUVs.
All US-bound Jettas are powered by a 147-horsepower, 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to either an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.
We were impressed by the Mexican-built Jetta's perky performance, strong driving dynamics, and well-sorted infotainment system, but less than enthused by the somewhat cheap feeling interior.
The base Jetta S starts at $18,545, but our mid-grade SE test car carried an as-tested price of $23,005.
The compact sedan was once the go-to for young car buyers. In recent years, the market has shifted to crossovers and SUVs.
According to data from Kelley Blue Book, compact car sales in the US are down 13.9% over the first 11 months of 2018. During the same period, compact SUV sales are up 12.1%.
The compact car market may be shrinking, but it's still substantial in size with more than 1.65 million cars sold through November, accounting for 10.5% of the total US auto sales.
This brings us to the new seventh-generation Volkswagen Jetta that's all-new for the 2019 model year. It's the latest in a long line of successful Jetta sedans from VW. By successful, I mean 17.5 million sold worldwide since 1979 successful. In case you're wondering, US consumers accounted for 3.2 million of that tally.
Recently, Business Insider had the chance to spend a few days behind the wheel a 2019 Jetta 1.4T SE on the roads in and around Atlanta, GA.
The base Jetta S starts at $18,545. The mid-grade SE and sporty R-Line trims start at $22,155 and $22,995 respectively. The luxury-focused SEL and SEL Premium trims start at $24,415 and $26,945 respectively.
Our SE test car, clad in an eye-catching Silk Blue Metallic paint job, carried an as-tested price of $23,005 because of an $850 destination charge.
Here's a closer look at the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta.
Here it is! Our 2019 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4T SE test car.
It's the latest descendant of the original Mark 1 Jetta that debuted back in 1979 and...
... Builds on the success of the sixth generation Jetta that sold from 2011 to 2018.
In the marketplace, the Jetta competes directly against...
... The Honda Civic, ...
... Toyota Corolla, ...
.... Nissan Sentra, ...
... Mazda3, and ...
... Hyundai Elantra.
The new Jetta is built on VW Group's highly-touted MQB modular platform that also underpins the...
... Audi A3, ...
... The VW Golf, ...
... The VW Arteon, ...
... VW Atlas, and ...
... VW Tiguan.
Aesthetically, the new Jetta is modern and attractive. Its restrained style and round off edges is a departure of from the more aggressive and angular design of rivals.
Up front, the Jetta receives VW's corporate passenger car front grill. In fact, it looks like a scaled-down Euro-spec Passat.
See the resemblance?
The Jetta's silhouette is highlighted by its fastback roofline.
The rounded rear end is simple and yet stylish.
The LED taillight clusters standout.
The interior of the Jetta is uncluttered and really well-designed. Cabin ergonomics and button placement are excellent.
Build quality feels solid, but the interior material quality feels subpar. Many of the interior plastics felt cheap and flimsy.
The gray leatherette seats are well bolstered, but short on cushioning.
The panoramic sunroof, standard on all models except the base Jetta S, is probably the largest I've ever come across on a compact sedan.
In front of the driver is a VW's corporate steering wheel shared with the brand's other passenger cars and SUVs.
Our test car came equipped with a pair of clear analog gauges flanking a center information display.
High-end SEL and SEL Premium models come equipped with VW's Digital Cockpit system using a 10.25-inch display.
The Jetta's center stack is dominated by a sizable infotainment screen.
Our test car came with the 6.5-inch touchscreen that's standard across the Jetta lineup apart from the top-spec SEL models.
The SEL models get an 8.0-screen.
VW's MIB-II system is one of our favorite mass market infotainment systems. It's really easy to navigate with intuitively-designed menus.
It's home the home to the Jetta's standard rear-view camera.
Oddly enough, it's also the only system we've tested in recent memory to have been equipped with satellite radio capability. So it's AM or FM only on the Jetta.
The Jetta's rear cabin is remarkably roomy.
The 37.4 inches of rear legroom is on par with some of the best selling compact crossovers on the market. However, headroom may be a challenge because of its sloping roofline.
Open the rear trunk and...
... You'll find 14.1 cubic feet of trunk space. It's one cubic foot larger than the Toyota Corolla, but also one cubic foot less than the Honda Civic.
Underneath the trunk is a spare tire.
All US-bound Jettas are powered by a 147 horsepower, 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
This is one of the few engine compartments in the business to do without the frivolities of a plastic engine cover.
The German-made engine is paired with a Japanese-built eight-speed automatic transmission. It's the only transmission available on all trim levels except the base Jetta S. The Jetta S comes standard with a six-speed manual with the automatic an optional extra.
According to the EPA, the Jetta is able to deliver 30 mpg of fuel economy in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. We were easily able to top 30 mpg even with our traditionally generous applications of the gas pedal.
According to Motor Trend, the Jetta can do the sprint from 0-60 mph in just 7.6 seconds.
Our SE test car came equipped with blindspot detection, forward collision warning, and autonomous emergency braking.
What's it like to drive?
The Volkswagen Jetta has always been a pleasant economy car to drive. However, the new seventh-generation Jetta really blew it out of the water. The 1.4-liter engine may be diminutive in size, but it really packs a punch. The turbo four develops 184 pound-feet of torque at just 1,700 RPM. As a result, it pulls strong off the line and continues to do up the rev range.
The Jetta rides well and handles competently, but it's not quite as sharp as the last few Golf hatchbacks we've driven.
The verdict? The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta really impressed during its brief time in our test fleet. In a shrinking, but still lucrative compact car market, Volkswagen has a real winner on its hands.
