For 2019, Volkswagen鈥榮 classy compact got a major update. We gave the new model a whuppin鈥?on some twisties in the Tar Heel State. Here鈥檚 what you need to know if you鈥檙e in the market for a new sedan. The Jetta鈥攏ow 40 years old鈥攅nters model year 2019 on a new platform鈥擵W鈥檚 MQB architecture, the same as its amusingly proficient Golf. Compared with the more playful-seeming Civic, the Jetta seems like the grown up in the room. But it鈥檚 not priced that way鈥攁nd you should maybe even consider it if you鈥檙e in the market for a first car for a teenager. 28,000, with options like a panoramic sunroof, the 10-inch Digital cockpit, rain-sensing wipers, and more. 25 billion in claims and buy back around half a million cars, due to its emissions cheats? Hard to imagine, but the whole scheme unraveled just under three years ago. In an effort to rebuild trust in the brand, VW is giving the new Jetta an impressive warranty (inline with most of its other new models): six years or 72,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage. That鈥檚 double the Honda Civic鈥檚 basic warranty.
It鈥檚 transferrable, too: When you sell it, the next owner will retain its benefits. Though you鈥檒l likely find nothing lacking in the Jetta鈥檚 8-speed automatic, implemented by VW here for the first time, you can still opt for a six-speed manual鈥攁n increasing rarity. During a jaunt around Durham, NC, and its backroads, we got just over 36 miles a gallon in the new Jetta. That鈥檚 better than the 34 mpg stated by VW, and likely a tad better than you鈥檇 see from a Chevy Cruze or a Honda Civic. The jump in fuel economy is due in part to the new design鈥檚 lower coefficient of drag, and active louvers in the grille. The Jetta鈥檚 upscale audio option ushers in a new partnership with Beats by Dre for an upscale soundsystem鈥攖he same spot where Fender played in the past. The Beats system distributes 400 watts across seven speakers, including a subwoofer housed in the spare wheel well. Beats engineers claim they tuned the system for a sound that鈥檚 similar to what engineers hear in the studio. We were only mildly impressed by its soundstage, but stepped into a model without the system and immediately missed it. If you鈥檙e in the market, drive one with, one without, and make the call yourself.
Key topics addressed here are engines, transmissions, synthetic fuels, lightweight construction and aerodynamics. Exhibits relating to BlueTDI systems are another focal point: The SCR catalytic converter for larger vehicles like the Touareg, and the NOx storage catalytic converter such as the one Volkswagen introduced for the first time in a Jetta test car. All data and equipment contained in this press release apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries. All information is subject to change or correction. TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries. Wolfsburg / Geneva - Volkswagen is mobilizing one of the most environmentally-friendly cars in the world to be used as shuttles for the Geneva Motor Show starting tomorrow: the Polo BlueMotion. The successful best-seller - production volume has tripled since being introduced in mid-2006 - gets by on only 3.9 liters of diesel over 100 kilometers. Its CO2 emissions are only 102 g/km. That鈥檚 nearly a magical number in the context of current discussions on global warming. For this reason, exactly 102 Polo BlueMotions will be available during the press days to be used as shuttles for journalists and business visitors. And that has symbolic value. The term BlueMotion doesn鈥檛 refer to cars alone, but to the brand as a whole. VW color, symbolizing the elements to be protected, water and air. BlueMotion is gradually growing into an environmental seal of approval.
The new TDIs are exceptionally fuel efficient. The 110 PS strong entry-level diesel is satisfied with 4.5 liters of fuel (119 g/km CO2) per 100 kilometers - that represents a 0.6 liter reduction! Even the 140 PS version only requires 4.9 liters of diesel (129 g/km CO2), which is 0.6 liters less. Four variants will define the range of gasoline engines in the launch phase: 59 kW / 80 PS, 75 kW / 102 PS, 90 kW / 122 PS and 118 kW / 160 PS. Starting at 90 kW / 122 PS, the TSI engines come with supercharger and/or turbocharger. The fact is that the gasoline engines too are pioneering when it comes to fuel economy. The optimized 80 PS entry-level engine consumes just 6.4 liters of Super per hundred kilometers (149 g/km CO2) - that is 0.5 liters less than the previous model. The other TSI engines are also taking the stage as prime examples of efficiency: at 122 PS the new Golf 1.4 TSI consumes just 6.2 liters of Super (144 g/km CO2); this yields a fuel consumption advantage of 0.1 liters.
