The Volkswagen Jetta is the best-selling European import on the U.S. It's available in any guise. There's a low-cost sedan, a frugal diesel, a sports sedan, and a sport wagon. If you want a sports sedan, there's the Jetta GLS 1.8T and the new Jetta GLI. Power is up for both the 1.8T and the VR6. Volkswagen retuned the 1.8-liter turbocharged engine to produce 180 horsepower. The mid-year return of the Jetta GLI model includes a big power boost for the 2.8-liter VR6 engine, which jumps to 200 horsepower. GL is the entry level, providing access to VW's build quality at a reasonable price. Its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces a meager 115 horsepower, but makes up for it with a 24/31 mpg city/highway EPA fuel economy rating. GL TDI is powered by a turbodiesel; it's rated at just 90 horsepower, but that's deceiving because it is not at all sluggish with its 155 foot-pounds of torque.
And the 34/49 mpg city/highway EPA rating is not overstated, according to TDI owners. Cruise control is standard. GLS adds power mirrors, front center armrest, cruise control, AM/FM/cassette/CD, velour interior, power windows. GLS 1.8T includes the 180-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an electronic differential lock. The GLI, Volkswagen's highest-powered V6 car, comes with a 6-speed manual transmission, spin-controlling ESP technology, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual chome exhaust, special sports seats and leather-covered steering wheel. The Jetta looks just as expensive inside as it does outside. The layout is simple and straightforward. Our silver Jetta had a gray fuzzy fabric headliner over black from the dash and window line down. That's not as claustrophobic as it might seem, as the Jetta has large windows. The instrument panel features a large 7500-rpm tachometer (redlined at 6500 rpm) and an optimistic 160-mph speedometer: at 80 mph the needle is straight up. The lettering is white on black in daylight, but at night with the lights on, it changes to the cool blue introduced on the New Beetle. The needles and controls are illuminated in an intense red.
Most love it, a few hate it. It's a must-see-before-buying item. The interior is arranged well for the enthusiast driver. The steering wheel has a thick rim shaped well for the hand, and a grippy leather covering. It tilts and telescopes, and the driver's seat ratchets up and down as well as slides fore and aft and reclines with the turn of a knob on the base of seatback. Another twist-knob controls lumbar support. There's a driving position for everyone, without an electric motor in (or out of) sight. The twist-knob recline function allows more precise seat back angle than the more common release lever adjuster, even if it is slower and more difficult to use. Front buckets are well bolstered and deserve to be called sport seats. Cushy they're not, but they work exceedingly well for sporty-type driving and don't numb, well, anything even after several hours behind the wheel.
The HVAC controls are simple and easy to use, while the buttons on the excellent Monsoon audio are small and somewhat blocked by the cup holder when it's in use. The cupholder, which exerts an ironman grip on Styrofoam cups, completely blocks the 6-CD changer, but with that much listening time, CDs can be changed at rest stops. The Jetta doesn't have the legroom of, say, a Passat, which makes sense if you think about it, but a pair of average-sized adults can be happy in the Jetta for extended jaunts. Full LATCH anchorage systems are provided for two child safety seats as well. The rear seats fold 60/40 for extended luggage capacity, and although they don't lie completely flat, we were able to carry a complete mountain bike (with front wheel dismounted) when the kid decided she wanted it at college after all. The trunk's short lid does open wide, limiting access somewhat, but the trunk is big for this size of car and, with its articulated hinges, it's all usable space.
