Volkswagen Jetta 2006 Review

Launch Review

OVERVIEW Formula for VW's all-new Jetta sedan: take one deeply impressive Golf V platform, include a dash of aesthetic tweaks and add boot. Serve when ready. If you think this automotive mantra seems overly simplistic, you'd be right, but you may be surprised at just how close it is to the truth, and if you're familiar with the superb Golf Mk V, you won't be surprised at just how accomplished the Jetta is.

Jetta directly replaces the stodgy, underdone Mk IV Golf-based Bora (1999-2005), and underpinned by the Golf Mk V, VW's latest mid-sized sedan posts significant advances in dynamics, pace, polish and desirability.

FEATURES With Jetta's predecessor, the Bora, VW made the mistake of pitching it against Teutonic titans like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes' C-Class, asking premium dollars for a model range that simply didn't measure up.

Jetta starts with a clean, Mk V Golf slate, and this time VW has taken a more sensible, level-headed approach to pricing and specification, and instead of saturating the market with a bewildering array of models and spec-levels, this time it's 'premium mainstream': just two equipment levels, three engine variants and three transmissions.

The 'base' 2.0 FSI petrol at $32,990, which is motivated by a 2.0-litre, direct-injection petrol four-cylinder, comes full of fruit with standard stability control, rear parking-sensors, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel with multi-function buttons, six airbags, cruise control, low tyre-pressure indicator and eight-speaker single CD stereo, and 16-inch alloys rolling on 205/55 R16 rubber.

Next comes the 2.0 TDI diesel model retailing for $35,490, which sports exactly the same spec as the 2.0 FSI, except, of course, for the 2.0-litre, direct-injection turbo diesel donk.

Top-of-the-line is the 2.0 Turbo FSI petrol ($39,990), which has everything from its 'lesser' brethren, plus 17-inch alloys (wearing 225/45 R17 boots), fog lights, 15mm-lowered sports suspension, brushed aluminium interior inserts, front sports seats and a six-disc, 10-speaker audio system.

Transmission options are limited to three. The FSI and TDI come standard with a six-speed manual, but the petrol can be optioned with a six-speed conventional auto with manual Tiptronic mode, shifted via the gear knob, for an extra $2300 ($35,290). The TDI can be ordered with VW's impressive six-speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) tranny, a clutchless sequential manual box which can be left in auto mode or shifted manually via the floor-mounted lever. The DSG is also a $2300 option. The Turbo FSI is offered with DSG only.

All models come with standard cloth seats, but leather is a $2990 option, as is colour sat-nav ($2990), bi-xenon headlights ($1890) and a sunroof for $1890.

The family ties between Golf and Jetta are obvious. Apart from the addition of a huge boot, visually it's all new from the B-pillar back and with a slightly different face. The chrome-surround, V-shape front grille does look more upmarket than that of the regular Golf, and is actually similar to the snout of the upcoming, and range-topping, Golf R32 rip-snorter (due late this year).

Jetta is also a bigger car than Bora, inside and out: 178mm longer, 46mm wider, and running on a 65mm-longer wheelbase, lending Jetta greater road presence and superior interior space.

COMFORT
The Jetta's coup de grace is the superbly comfortable and supportive seats in a cabin oozing quality. Simple, elegant centre console with stylish and highly legible dials, a steering wheel that just feels 'right' in your hands (and tactile, easy-to-use multi-function buttons for stereo volume and cruise control) and quality leather highlights on the wheel, gear knob, and hand brake. The spacious, airy cabin is a relaxing place to spend time with plenty of room up front for both driver and passenger.

Rear occupants enjoy ample leg, knee and head room with a back seat that almost long journeys a pleasure. In short, it's one of the best interiors in the business, at almost any price point. VW are seriously challenging Audi for the 'king of interiors' title.

The Turbo in particular is a class act, mimicking the Golf GTI's interior -- although lacking the Golf's Recaro seats, metal pedals, chunky, flat-bottomed steering wheel and 300km/h speedo -- but the booted Golf is $2300 cheaper.

Fantastic interior space is bettered only by the size of the boot. Bloody huge should just about cover it. 527 litres of luggage space is enough for three or four sets of golf clubs, several snowboards or enough supplies to wait out the apocalypse…

SAFETY Being a German offering, safety is predictably top notch. Six airbags (front driver and passenger, two front-side and two curtain bags) combined with active head restraints in the front, force-limiting seatbelts and a plethora of acronyms, or electronic safety aids, including ESP (electronic stability protection, including integrated brake assist), ABS brakes, and ASR traction control. Buy a Jetta and you'll be well protected.

Smooth, refined changes are the order of the day for the self-shifter, while the manual is smooth and accurate, if lacking the kind of mechanical feel and involvement enthusiast drivers crave. VW claims a fairly miserly 8.2L/100km for the manual, with the auto at 8.6.

The direct-injection 2.0-litre (1968cc) turbodiesel power plant is a torque monster, producing a relatively massive 320Nm, albeit at predictably low rpm (1750-2500rpm), and redlining at 4500rpm, but it uses every one of Sir Isaac's finest and its 103kW (at 4000rpm) to maximum ability, giving excellent driveability for a diesel and a seriously chubby mid-range.

The DSG box (which is an actual clutchless manual -- no torque converter -- just twin clutch plates, which are electronically activated when a gear change is required) is the pick here, maximising torque delivery and fuel consumption, which by the way is just 5.8L/100km for the manual and 6.2 for the DSG.

The one everyone wants the juice on, however, is the Turbo. The 2.0-litre (1984cc) forced induction (again 16 valves and DOHC) unit is pinched straight from the Golf GTI and it's a pearler.

Making 147kW between 5100 and 6000rpm, and a bulky 280Nm this is one engine that's virtually always on song. The icing on this engine is the torque spread: maximum boost fed goodness from 1800rpm, all the way through to 5000rpm! It does lose a little puff approaching the 6500rpm redline, but as we said, this engine is almost always on song, and all but eradicates turbo lag.

Jetta also employs electromechanical power steering, which reduces load on the motor and reduces fuel consumption. It's also adaptive, only acting when you turn the steering wheel, meaning on freeways it is usually inactive.

The strut-front suspension arrangement of the previous Bora has been retained for Jetta, mostly for cost and space-saving reasons, but has been heavily tweaked for its latest application.

At the rear, however, it is a very tricky and all-new multi-link IRS rear axle, with three transverse links and a slight toe-in angle on wheels, dynamics are in another league compared to the one-dimensional handling of the old Bora.

The FSI Turbo runs Golf's Sportline suspension tune (not the Golf GTI's more focussed setup) which is slightly stiffer and 15mm lower.

Jetta's competitors are almost all Japanese, including the Ford Focus (certainly cheaper, starting at $20,990 and topping out at $30,990); Mazda 6 (which stays pretty much lineball on price from $28,240 up to $48,600 for the turbo AWD MPS); Honda Accord Euro ($33,500-$42,500) and Subaru Liberty (which starts at $31,990 and tops out, for this group anyway, at $42,990).

All of these competitors are extremely accomplished cars and provide stiff competition to the VeeDub, and are probably slightly superior in terms of dynamics, particularly the Liberty and outstanding Mazda 6. The Jetta has a larger boot than all of these contenders, however, and fairly creams them in terms of refinement and road noise, but the Jetta isn't available as a wagon, unlike the Subey and 6. Performance is fairly lineball, except for the Jetta Turbo of course, which is the straight-line king.

Overall, the Jetta is more refined than its rivals, concedes little in terms of interior space, and matches them for finish.

The Turbo's ride quality is a little jiggly on smaller bumps and even too firm at times in town, but the faster it travels and the larger the bump, the better the Turbo's soft edge compliance. A trait shared with Golf, retaining much of hatch's benchmark fluidity and fluidity.

Ultimately, however, Jetta's dynamics can't match the Golf GTI's depth of ability. Instead, Turbo is more like a Golf Sportline -- both in terms of cabin fittings and the way it drives -- but packing a much bigger punch."

Its turbo engine is the highlight, just like the Golf it is massively tractable, impressively quick (0-100km/h in 7.5sec), and possessed of definite character you come to know, and quickly love. This is an engine you always want to drive.