Volkswagen Jetta TDI 2006 Review

7-day Test

Jetta may be an unfamiliar name to Australians but for over 20 years it has been the name by which Americans and South Africans have known the sedan version of the Golf.

First developed with the US market in mind, the Jetta was launched there in 1980 and although it was sold in Europe, it became the Vento on the Continent in 1991 followed by the Bora in 1998.

The first Australians saw of the small sedan was the Vento that was briefly sold here in 1995-96 before the Bora -- based on the Golf IV platform -- arrived in 1999. Named after a gusty cold wind, the Bora hardly blew the local market away as its high price -- starting at over $40,000 at launch -- and very average dynamics didn't manage to entice the premium buyers Volkswagen anticipated.

To herald the arrival of the new, vastly improved car -- based on the Golf V platform -- VW decided to drop the Bora name and go with the international moniker of Jetta.And the name change certainly seems to be working with the car having already notched up more sales in its first two months on sale than the Bora did for the whole of 2005.

But at the heart of the car's success is not the name change but rather the product.With Volkswagen pushing hard on the diesel front -- it now has a diesel variant in each of its model lines -- CarPoint chose to spend a week in the midrange 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel. It sits between the entry-level 2.0-litre FSI (with which it shares the same spec level) and range topping 2.0-litre turbo FSI petrol models.

From the outside, it is a stylish if undistinguished sedan that size-wise now sits midway between the small and medium car class.

Open the door and you are greeted with a contemporary and functional interior that offers plenty of space. In the rear there is plenty of legroom for adults although headroom is a bit tight. The rear seat back offers both a 60/40 split and a ski-hatch to increase the size of the already spacious boot that provides 527 litres of cargo capacity.

The seats are comfortable and supportive right from word go and the car feels and looks very solid and well put together. It might be built in Mexico but the standards are definitely Euro-centric.

The giveaway lower numbers on the tacho hint at the diesel power but once you turn the key there is no doubt that you have an oiler under the bonnet. From the outside there is a very obvious diesel tick that also tends to penetrate the otherwise quiet cabin once underway.

It's not truck-like loud but in comparison to the other latest generation diesels from rival European carmakers, it is definitely more audible.

According to the figures, the 2.0-litre turbodiesel delivers a peak power of 103kW at 4000rpm and very impressive maximum torque of 320Nm between 1750-2500rpm. On the road, a firm prod of the throttle produces decent acceleration from idle with a very slight lag in getting to the sweet spot. As the tacho hits about 2000rpm, the turbo has kicked in with a vengeance and there is a strong surge right through to about 4000rpm.

Despite all this torque going through the front wheels, there is little evidence of torque steer and plenty of grip from the 205/55 16-inch Michelins.

The reasonably broad stretch of torque means that the car can be driven with ease according to your mood and the road conditions. Cruising around town, you can simply slip the six-speed manual gearbox into third and let the engine do the work.

Out on the open road looking for a bit of fun you can use the slick-shifting gearbox to keep the engine hovering around 2500rpm and extract the most from it. You will be rewarded with a level of grunt more often associated with hottish hatches.

In its PR blurb, Volkswagen refers to the Jetta as a sports sedan (what carmaker doesn't refer to the traditional blandobox as one?) and out on winding country road, it certainly comes close to reality.

The front strut and clever rear multi-link suspension are definitely tuned for handling and deliver solid driving dynamics. There is little in the way of body roll as the firm setup ensures the car remains stable and confident when pushed.

The electromechanical steering is reasonably sharp and direct although it does lack some feedback. For a better feel of what is happening at the road surface you can rely on the sensations coming through the seat.

There is a trade-off for the sharp driving manners in the ride quality. While not exactly uncomfortable, over less than perfect roads, the ride is a bit jiggly and on the long lumpy stretch of the Geelong Rd in Victoria, there was a certain 'busy-ness' that over time did start to impinge on comfort.  

For all its driveability and powerful engine, however, the Jetta still delivers one of the prime benefits of diesel technology and that is fuel efficiency. After 670kms of mixed urban, freeway and country driving, the car's trip computer was still registering a distance to empty of 170kms. With a 55-litre fuel tank, that works out to a fuel consumption of about 6.5lt/100km only slightly higher than the official 5.8lt/100km combined figure for the government dyno test.

And with petrol prices now hitting $1.40 per litre, that alone is good enough reason to consider the Jetta TDI if you are after a solid, dependable and spacious driver's car.