American consumers want all the benefits of small cars with all the roominess of larger one. So, VW's engineers have responded. The wheelbase of the 2011 Jetta is almost 3 inches longer and the overall length is 3.54 inches longer. That allowed the interior to be increased. Even the rear legroom is bigger. At the end of July, I was part of the last group of journalists to preview and test-drive the all-new VW Jetta. We were in the San Francisco area, taking a lengthy test-drive in Northern California. The VW Jetta media event was a little different than usual since most of the journalists were foreign. There were groups from Singapore, Mexico, Canada, India, China, and elsewhere. Obviously, Volkswagen is reaching out. However, the new Jetta design is clearly aimed at the North American market. We spent an entire day driving the new Jetta through the streets of San Francisco, along the upper Pacific coast highway, and back through the twisting roads in the Napa valley.
Although there are four trim levels, our only choice for testing was the SEL model, either in automatic or manual. 2000 less than last year's offering. The SE model is slightly more upgraded. 21,000. That price includes an 8 speaker audio system, Bluetooth phone system, iPod integration, and a standard navigation system. The SEL's standard engine is a 2.5-liter that produces 170 horsepower. There is also a TDI trim that features a 2.0-liter TDI diesel four cylinder. The car looks almost like all the other small new cars. The sedan has gently curved lines and the outward parts all tend to blend into one another. Even the headlights blend into the top piece of the grilles. It is not a sporty look, but it is how most new vehicles are being designed. Gone are the old days of the standout Beetle-Bug and Hippie Van. Now those vehicles were head-turners with distinction.
Inside, the feeling you immediately think about is quality. One of my favorite vehicles is the Touareg and this reminded me a lot of that. The dashboard, the seats, and electronics all give you a sense of well-designed premium items. The controls are all intuitive and conveniently arranged. The seats were redesigned for this year's model and they are very, very comfortable. Even after several hours of driving, I did not feel "tired" of sitting in the seat of a car. The seats are covered with a V-Tex leatherette which has the look and feel of real leather, but is a more durable and covering. Generally, manufacturers provide maps and clearly defined directions for journalists' ride-and-drive events. Volkswagen chose to show off their navigation system and input the routes into the car's route guidance. It worked very well, including the simple command, "Turn here. Now!" My driving partner and I laughed at the simplicity of the European approach to navigation. Beginning early in the morning, the fog was thick and as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, the tops of the columns were not visible, nor was Alcatraz Island.
We maintained slightly slower speed because of the fog, although traffic was not very heavy. As the morning passed and the fog dissipated, we drove on more narrow roads that were twisty, rather than the wide and straight highways. The Jetta has good suspension and keeps the car generally flat on most hard turns. The 2.5-liter engine provides the power needed to climb in the hilly areas as well as hug the roads when accelerating around curves. The navigation system is standard equipment and has probably been kept simple rather than run-up the costs of the vehicle. It is very basic and does not offer simple items such as text-to-speech. The roads were identified on the screen, but not verbally. Other advanced navigation features were also lacking. Overall, however, I liked the navigation. It provided all we needed to arrive at our destination, including intermediate stops for car changes and driver change.
For the afternoon portion of the test-drive, my driving partner and I chose an SEL Sport model. This has a lowered suspension, bolstered seats, and some chrome sporty touches. Other than a tighter handling, there wasn't much noticeable difference in the regular SEL trim model and the SEL Sport trim. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta will be available in showrooms beginning October 2010. The pricing is noticeably reduced over last year. The car is modernized in appearance. It is longer and offers more room inside. The technology is up-to-date. Gas mileage estimates are 23 city and 32 on the highway. The TDI diesel rates almost 40 mpg. The small-car class is becoming very competitive and includes Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, and even GM and Ford. I like the new Jetta and hope it does well, even if it doesn't have the stand-out appearance of my old sly-blue van or a little green Bug.
