2 days with a Jetta
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Don’t ask me why, but I’ve spent 2 days last week driving a new Jetta.
I test drove the car last year and you can read the whole thing:
Well… I didn’t like it any better this time around.
Again, I was shocked by how rough and noisy the 2.5 Liter engine is. And again, I found myself thinking the insulation was missing.
This time I got used to the steering and the “firm” seats. And I actually though the suspension was pretty good and not as hard as the one I drove before.
The car does feel solid on the road. (But what doesn’t, really, in 2007)
The interior was still a sea of depressing straight lines from the 80’s.
All and all, I preferred the previous model. It looked and felt different than the competition, but in a good way.
This one looks as boring as a Corolla, but isn’t as reliable or comfortable.
And it is nothing special to drive.
I just don’t see why anyone would pick this over almost anything else.
The engine alone is a huge turn off.
But hey.. That’s just me…
i don’t like the jetta.. or the golf.. they seem a step back in design and interior quality from the previous one. but… in general.. firm seats and suspetions aren’t always a bad thing. maybe in the US where you just drive in straight lines that’s less appreciated
Firms seats are OK. But not hard.
And I just said the suspension was fine this time.
” maybe in the US where you just drive in straight lines”
I guess you’ve never been in the US.
What would make you think any country in the world just has straight lines???
Your idea of the US seems to come from watching old TV cop shows…
firm suspensions are good.
you would know its better if you actually drive fast on curvy roads
also, i like the 2.5 liter engine. it growls and has decent torque. it has a nice sound. i don’t see whats wrong with it.
I tell you who bought those jettas, my snobby co-workers who think all german cars are superior and built by the best engineers. LOL
I think that the Value Edition (looks like it from interior) is definetly worth the 17K that you can purchase it for.
That 2.5cyl engine was never designed to be a fuel saver, and it was to be a solid replacement for a 2.0l, which was never a great fuel saver itself.
That change was in works before the increase in fuel prices in US, so it was late to change any of the plans.
The 5 cylinder itself is nice and torquey, and yes it is loud if you push it. For an economy car, which base Jetta is, I thinks it provides plenty of torque,and barely acceptable fuel economy.
If you really want to try a good Jetta, give a GLI a shot, that is to be had for 24K, with a great 2.oT engine and a good level of standard equipment. Midrange Jetta’s are also available with the great 2l Turbo, and to be had for 23-24K, if you dont go heavy with option (same as with any VW).
I agree that the quality of materials was better with MK4 Jetta/Golf generation, but the relability of the Mk4 was very quetionable.
Great blog,
regards,
Sanel
I gotta agree with Vince. Also, the Rabbit is not so good. Hard, rock like seats, hard palstics, interior designed by “Mr 1980’s” himself…. lol.
20K for a I-5 /30 MPG subcompact? LOL…. I don’t think so… that’s almost as much as a base Prius!
There are V6’s getting 30-32MPG on larger, midsized sedans.
The Jetta should get 32MPG at least!
VW was, in the 60’s , a version of what Hyundai/Kia/Scion is to buyers today, but it is not 1960-somethng any more!
Who buy Jetta’s and Rabbits any more?
May if they udpated everything to 2007 stnadards, and MSRP to match others, from Toyota to Kia….in quality,MPG( and warranty, for 10/100 from Mitsu and the Koreans).
VW——- Vehicles(only for ) Women?
Vine, ya might wanna delete this post, but just wanted to give ya a shout out and say yeah, yer right!
i have a jetta 2.0T package 3 with navigation with dsg and the car kicks ass. the car vince drove was a value edition jetta and do you really expect it to be a 3-series, A4 or C-class for 17K? Come on guys…look at the base stereo….this car is a rental car wet dream come true. The 2.5 is a base engine with better performance than the 2.0L which is WHAT AMERICANS WANT. They don’t give a crap about fuel economy (see Tahoe).
VW’s are great. The quality is absolutely fine with the new jetta. Funny how everyone raves about mercedes or other luxe marques but rarely comments on the craptastic quality.
VW builds a solid, attractive, german car. Enough said. I want to feel connected to the car I drive and a VW provides that in an inexpensive package. A civic or corolla are couches on wheels. They are common extensions of your microwave or washer…appliances A jetta is an experience in handling and dynamic driving.
I don’t remember ever comparing the 2.5 Liter Jetta to an A4 or 3 series.
The car I was driving retails for $19 800, not “17K”.
I still think almost anything is more refined for that price.
But that’s just my taste.
Jettas are unreliable peices of shit, but why do i have one:(
hubcaps fall off, after a while i just said forget it. Even the walmart wheels some how dissapear cd changer sucks, sunroof is gay headliner is stupid. DUMB DUMB car.
the jetta gli is universally reviewed as tops in its class. much better driver and quality of materials than your beloved honda accords, acura tsx, mazdas, toyota doesn’t even have a sports sedan.
I love how people blindly bash VW b/c it allows for a german car to be had fairly cheap…sorta like the ubiquitous domestic bashing. The general contempt for VW allows one to buy a leader in its class for well under the typical MSRP asking prices of beemers, Mercs, etc)
Note, all german cars come w/ a ton of standard safety stuff which costs extra in your beloved japanese mobiles (traction, stability, side adn curtain airbags) and have a generally solid feel that cannot be duplicated by the tinny japanese cost cutters.
Good to see the “German fan boys association” is always there to try to put down or banish any comments that could be seen by some as negative regarding German cars.
It’s just too bad we actually live in a country where people have different opinions about what basically is just another consumer product.