It鈥檚 an SUV world now, even for traditionally car-centric Volkswagen. The previous generation held its own in terms of driving manners, but it was bland. The 2019 gets up to speed with features, tech, comfort and, notably, better value. If you want more driving grins, Volkswagen has the sportier Golf GTI compact hatchback 鈥?a darling of enthusiasts (including me) 鈥?just as Honda will sell you a sweet manual-shift Civic Si. The 2019 Jetta offers S, SE, SEL and SEL Premium trim levels, as a well as a sportier-looking R-Line version that replaces 2018鈥檚 SE Sport. I spent time in all trim levels for this review. A replacement for the fancier, higher-powered and more expensive GLI trim is expected later. The 2019 is more stylish than the past generation, yet remains more grown-up-looking than, for example, the younger vibe of the latest Civic. The look is sharply creased and more muscular, particularly in front, with an imposing version of the Volkswagen grille and a deeply sculpted hood and bumper. The side is dominated by a sharp character line from the front fender to the taillight, but unfortunately starts with a little fake fender vent.
The roofline, while not as 鈥渃oupelike鈥?as VW would have you think, is sleeker than the conservative 2018 and slopes nicely into the trunk lid. It does so without making the lid inconveniently small for loading the big 14.1-cubic-foot trunk, which expands via a 60/40-split, folding rear seatback on all models. LED headlights, daytime running lights and taillights are also standard, and even the base model comes with 16-inch alloy wheels (no plastic covers!). The 2019 is slightly bigger in all dimensions, which is most noticeable in the 1.3-inch-stretched wheelbase that moves the wheels closer to the corners. The Jetta鈥檚 look is spiced up just a bit for the R-Line trim, which has its own 17-inch alloy wheels, a gloss-black grille and side-mirror caps, plus foglights and a slightly more aggressive rear bumper with dual chrome exhaust tips. Inside, it has a sport steering wheel and R-Line black-and-gray leatherette (imitation leather) seats. The only mechanical change is a higher-performance, brake-based limited-slip electronic differential, but I could tell no difference in normal street driving. The best part of the new interior is the dashboard (it has a bit of Golf DNA), which wraps around the driver鈥檚 field of vision.
The center touchscreen is higher and angled toward the driver (no more fumbling down by the gearshift). All the controls are logically at hand, and the buttons and dials have a higher-quality feel and action. The seats 鈥?cloth for the base, leather at the top and leatherette for most models 鈥?are a new design, firmly supportive and comfortable for a long day of driving. Sadly for the front passenger, however, the shotgun chair is no longer height-adjustable. Comfort over a long drive is enhanced by a cabin that, for 2019, is quiet enough for easy conversation at highway speeds. The new cabin also adds needed practicality, including deep door pockets with big water bottle holders, a larger center console bin and a big soft-surface phone bin at the front of the console. A small but thoughtful detail that others should copy: The console bin has a light-gray interior that makes it much easier to find things at the bottom.
Console storage space is helped by a new electronic parking brake, but we thank you, VW, for not adding one of those complicated electronic shifters to save even more space. The sleeker roofline leaves adequate headroom for a 6-foot-plus adult in the backseat, along with average legroom. Cost-cutting shows, however, in cheaper materials back there. That鈥檚 not uncommon in compact sedans, but some 鈥?notably the latest Honda Civic 鈥?do a better job of disguising the rear penny-pinching. Overall, the backseat is adequate, but it won鈥檛 get a lot of five-star feedback. The Jetta鈥檚 outdated technology has gotten a major overhaul, with a base 6.5-inch touchscreen for 2019 that is larger than the 2018鈥檚 biggest screen (6.3 inches) and an 8-inch upgrade for higher trim levels. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard on all models. The Jetta also has VW鈥檚 latest-generation, user-friendly multimedia system, which is fast, sharp and 鈥?on the 8-inch system 鈥?has beautiful color graphics that are as good or better than those of any other mainstream brand. The upgraded screen鈥檚 technology also allows pinch and zoom, along with no-contact gesture control to switch between menus or screens.
You have to jump to the SEL model, however, to get the 8-inch system. The smaller version on lower trims is just OK 鈥?uninteresting and almost black-and-white unless you鈥檙e using smartphone integration. You also have to jump up to the SEL to get the impressive Digital Cockpit configurable instrument cluster, which is a 10.25-inch display that takes the place of lower trim levels鈥?conventional analog gauges. As with the base multimedia system, these dials seem dull and outdated by comparison. Standard tech on all 2019 Jettas includes useful and fun personalization that can store up to four drivers鈥?settings to select among when you get in; two also can be attached to the key fobs to be automatic. Depending on trim level and optional equipment, those settings (to which you can attach your own cute names) can include driver鈥檚 seat memory, driver assistance preferences, climate settings, Digital Cockpit configuration, ambient lighting color, radio presets and navigation view. On higher trims, the Jetta also has VW鈥檚 first BeatsAudio premium audio, a 400-watt system tuned to the car with seven speakers, including a subwoofer in the trunk. To my taste, it sounded just OK, not great.
