The performance-infused variant of the Jetta compact sedan made its official debut at the Chicago Auto Show last week, and this week, it鈥檚 on display in Toronto. The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is totally redesigned, and borrows the Golf GTI鈥檚 powertrain, which consists of a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that develops 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That鈥檚 18 more ponies and 41 pounds of twist more than what the previous GLI could muster. That output is sent to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional seven-speed DSG automatic鈥攃hoosing the latter also adds automatic start/stop. The GLI also dumps the regular Jetta鈥檚 torsion beam rear suspension for a multilink setup, while the front struts get a sportier calibration. Larger-diameter brakes taken from the Golf GTI and Golf R, a limited-slip differential and variable-ratio electric steering are also part of the package. Standard features include heated front seats, automatic climate control, an intelligent key, ambient lighting as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. A power sunroof, a 400-watt Beats stereo, a power driver鈥檚 seat, ventilated front seats and a remote engine starter are also available. 31,695 before freight and delivery charges. Also on display at the Volkswagen stand is the I.D. CROZZ concept vehicle on which a production vehicle will be based as well as the I.D.
And then, at the end of the Jetta鈥檚 time with us, Volkswagen issued a recall for a group of DSG-equipped cars that experienced problems exactly like the one described by our Mr. Phillips. But according to VW, our Jetta was not among the afflicted cars. Later, in a thoughtful gesture, VW extended the powertrain warranty for all 鈥?9 models with DSGs from 5 years/60,000 miles to 10 years/100,000 miles. Make of that what you will. A long, bitter Michigan winter revealed a few of this VW鈥檚 diesel peculiarities. Freezing temps required longer cranking times than we were used to, but the Jetta never failed to start, nor did it belch out any exhaust smoke. Once running, the diesel engine barely created enough heat to affect coolant temperatures. As a result, the heater struggled to produce warm air, even on 40-degree days. One stingingly cold morning, at 10-below, the Jetta鈥檚 coolant needle didn鈥檛 move at all, even after driving 20 miles.
鈥淭hankfully this Jetta has heated seats, otherwise I might be frostbitten,鈥?a staffer reported. To deal with this shortcoming, Canadian models come with an electric heater that will blow warm air even when engine temps are too low to produce any heat. Our U.S.-spec TDI was not thus equipped, so we shivered our way to work on cold days. Our TDI鈥檚 tightwad nature extended to the cost of maintaining it. Like all 2009 VWs, our Jetta came with free maintenance for three years/36,000 miles. Service intervals come at 10,000-mile increments, and the trip computer provides a reminder. The first service calls for an oil and filter change and a handful of inspections. The 20,000-mile service adds battery and tire checks to the list of inspections but is otherwise the same as the 10,000-mile stop. We did find ourselves in the service bays of a couple of VW dealers to correct problems that couldn鈥檛 wait until a service visit, though both turned out to be false alarms.
At 11,406 miles, the particulate filter triggered a check-engine light. No problem was found with the emissions system, and we were sent on our way with the dash light extinguished. About 5000 miles later, an airbag light that wouldn鈥檛 go out was found to have been set off by a fault in the front-seat-passenger seatbelt buckle. Technicians tested the buckle but could not find anything wrong and reset the light. At 24,010 miles, someone snapped off the driver鈥檚-seat height-adjustment handle. Although it was probably our fault and not the handle鈥檚, a new one was installed under warranty. Like our long-term 鈥?6 GTI, the Jetta had an infuriating dashboard buzz around the center vent that service technicians somehow couldn鈥檛 hear. Other typical VW failings were a rattle in the area of the driver鈥檚-side seatbelt adjuster and stereo speakers that vibrated annoyingly at the slightest hint of bass. In an act that mirrored an experience with our long-term 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI, a staffer suffering temporary frontal-lobe damage put a few gallons of gas into the diesel-only Jetta鈥檚 tank. Fortunately, the guilty party realized the goof while pumping and had the sense not to fire up the engine.
