Sometimes, you just 鈥淏etta Getta Jetta鈥?鈥?which is not a corny joke we made up, but Volkswagen鈥檚 tagline for the 2019 Jetta. So is the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta something you 鈥渂etta鈥?check out? For starters, it鈥檚 completely redesigned and it looks better than ever. It also has a 10-color customizable interior ambient lighting system, Volkswagen鈥檚 version of Audi鈥檚 Virtual Cockpit, an 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, and much more. The biggest change to the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is that it sits on the company鈥檚 new MQB platform which also underpins the Golf, Audi TT, and Audi A3. The second biggest change is the design. The exterior design is highlighted by a sharp grille, stylish LED daytime running lamps (LED projector headlamps on the SEL model tested here), and a sculpted hood that features sharp lines. In an effort to cater to the larger North American market, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is longer and wider than the outgoing model.
The new Jetta gets an extra 1.3-inches in length and is almost an inch wider. Not only is it longer than the outgoing model, it鈥檚 also longer than most of its rivals by three to four inches. With sharply designed LED taillights and a lip spoiler on the trunk, the rear end of the new Jetta really sticks out. With that being said, we like the overall design elements and proportions of the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta, and the more time we spent with it, the more the design grew on us. In a crowd of compact sedans that are opting for an aggressive and sometimes overly designed looks, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta stands out with a more sophisticated German appearance. It might not be super sexy or aggressive, but that鈥檚 okay because Jettas never really went for that kind of styling. Overall, we like to think of the new Jetta as a scaled-down version of the new Volkswagen Arteon 鈥?and that鈥檚 not a bad thing at all.
Like the exterior of the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta, the interior has also grown up a bit. With a more premium and classy feel, the cabin of the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is a very comfortable place to be and is loaded with some advanced tech. Space wise you鈥檙e looking at a total of 41 inches of legroom for front passengers and 37.4 inches of legroom for rear passengers. That鈥檚 very comparable to most of its competitors except for the Toyota Corolla which offers a massive 41.4-inches of legroom for rear passengers. Trunk space comes in at 14.1 cubic-feet which is quite roomy and you have 60/40 split rear seats if you need more space. So, how is the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is as an everyday car? As a daily driver, the new Jetta is well composed and offers a remarkably comfortable ride. At no time did we feel like this compact sedan was too rigid over bumps and cracks on the road or that driving it for a long period of time caused any back pains.
While it may not be the best handling compact sedan on the market due to its light steering, the new Jetta is faster to 60 mph than its opponents. Coming in at 7.6 seconds, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is quicker than the 2.0L Civic (8.6 seconds), Corolla (9.9 seconds), Focus (ten seconds), and the 2.0L Hyundai Elantra (8.9 seconds). Those figures are achieved thanks to a 1.4-liter four-cylinder turbo engine that pumps out 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. When it comes to safety, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta offers some useful driver assist technologies at a cheaper price point. Starting with the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta SE, drivers will get blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, rear traffic alert, and a rear view camera. The Jetta SEL model adds adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, high-beam control, and more. Jetta SEL we tested here. Visit your local AutoNation-affiliated Volkswagen dealer for a test drive today. Based on EPA mileage ratings. Your mileage will vary depending specific vehicle trim, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, and other factors. MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.
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