Owner review: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta 118TSI Highline

motoring.com.au tests hundreds of cars each year. Most of time we ‘live’ with the cars for a short period – perhaps up to 14 days. Some tests are longer, but even with our long term tests, we can only deliver a snapshot of the ownership experience.

Owners are the true judges of how cars perform, whether to live with they are good, bad or just plain ugly. So here’s your chance to have your say – and help your fellow car buyers and owners!

To get things rolling we coerced members of the wider motoring.com.au/carsales.com.au 'family' to help and asked them questions on their own cars and the ownership and purchasing process. We’ll publish more of these in coming weeks and encourage you to have your say – direct to motoring or via the Owner Review pages at carsales.com.au.

I am:
Shaun W

"If it were not for the Jetta's 12-month fixed-price servicing, we would not have done it. You go from a six-year old Golf that had done 130,000km and was probably due for some big expenditure. The servicing got us over the line.

"The boot size impressed us too –it's surprisingly good after you've looked at a few SUVs – CX-5, RAV4 and Tiguan for example – where you've got the height but not the depth.

"We bought it brand new last year – an 118TSI Highline 1.4-litre Twin Charge DSG. It's coming on to 12 months old.

"We chose a dark metallic blue. It just looked stunning in the showroom. We just couldn't help ourselves."

"It comes standard with the sat-nav head-unit and has great connectivity. The controls on the steering wheel are really handy.

"The multifunction display between the speedo and tacho is also great – I love the digital speedo. It's big and clear – you can't go wrong.

"And for a 1.4-litre it goes very well. It's got plenty of power, plenty of torque. We occasionally tow with it – I'm talking just a little 6x4 (foot) trailer – but if you need to use it once or twice a year, helping a friend move house, or going to grab some mulch for the garden, there are no issues.

"One thing I really noticed about the car was, the first time I took the family into the mountains. On twisty mountain roads it really shines. It feels solid, planted, safe and there's a really good feel to the steering. You just feel secure.

"It's due for its first (15,000km/12-month) service. That was one good thing with the VW. I don't know what it's like with other new cars but having no first service at 1000km is good from a convenience perspective.

"It's quite economical. I drive it to work every day in peak-hour traffic and we are averaging around 600-650 km out of a tank of petrol in suburban driving. So it's economical, has plenty of power, looks good and is comfortable. I've got a seven-year old and a nine-year old and there's plenty of room for them.

"The DSG transmission is beautiful – I've had no issues at all. Obviously there's been that stigma in the market about DSG. Before the Jetta I owned a mark five Golf and never had a problem with the DSG.

"However, the ownership costs on that (the Golf) were quite high. The 135,000km service – it was a 2008 model –was a big one and ended up costing $2500."

The dealer experience:
"We bought from a dealer in our local area. The purchase was an easy, professional and smooth process. We have nothing negative to say about the selling dealer."

"Would I recommend it? Yes. It's solid, safe, sits on the road beautifully and if you push it its quite sporty. In the mountains it's beautiful to drive."

The Jetta was instantly seen as more refined, bigger inside and, being based on the Golf 6, more dynamic.

Pre on-road costs, the range begins with the $22,790 118kW/240Nm 1.4-litre 118TSI Trendline and tops out with the $39,990 155kW/280Nm 2.0-litre Highline Sport. There's also the 103kW/320Nm 103TDI 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.