The redesigned 2019 Volkswagen Jetta made some favorable impressions after its debut at the 2018 North American Auto Show in Detroit. The new Jetta grows dimensionally in every direction. It offers a longer wheelbase鈥?05.7 inches compared to 104.4 inches鈥攚ith shorter overhangs, and is longer, wider and taller than the previous generation model. You would think the stretched exterior equates to more interior space but overall passenger volume measured at 94.7 cubic feet, which is less than the Civic, Corolla, Elantra, and Forte. Thankfully, real-life fitting of live bodies says otherwise. It turns out that a pair of six-foot individuals seated in the back seat won鈥檛 have their knees tucked under the chin. Did the Jetta鈥檚 boot get bigger? Just the opposite. The trunk has 14.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity compared to the previous-gen model that offered 15.7 cubic feet. This downsizing also came up short when compared to its class competitors. The redesigned cabin isn鈥檛 spacious in comparison to its outer dimensions but redeems itself with a nicely upgraded cabin and a slew of new technology and safety components.
For example, the Driver-Assistance Package that brings forward-collision warning and mitigation along with blind-spot and rear-cross-traffic alerts. The Jetta SEL and SEL Premium models feature a standard Volkswagen Digital Cockpit display descended from its Audi cousins. The reconfigurable display provides drivers with essential data and the ability to position navigation data in front of your nose for easy viewing. The available Volkswagen Car-Net system provides a suite of connected vehicle services, including standard App-Connect technology that offers compatible smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. Not be overlooked, the new Jetta is the first Volkswagen in the U.S. 400-watt BeatsAudio system. Sound quality is a significant step up from the Fender Audio system presented in the A6 Jetta. The audio stage was great with a nice open sound and enough bass to satisfy most listeners. Turn up the volume and the system played loud with greater ease than the standard Bose systems found in my cars today. Under the hood lies VW鈥檚 1.4-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI engine that delivers 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels.
Standard is a six-speed manual transmission in the entry-level S trim. The eight-speed automatic is standard equipment on the SE trims and higher. Overall EPA fuel economy rings in at 34 mpg. Driven at safe and sane speeds on the freeway, the new Jetta thriftily sips gas to achieve 40 mpg. Combined with improvements in chassis structure and rigidity, the Mk7 Jetta behaves better on the road. Acceleration feels sedated but body roll is well controlled, and it does a fair job of soaking up bumps and rough pavement. All-around visibility is what you would expect from a compact sedan, with cabin noise and vibration muted to a pleasant German high standard. VW did an admirable job of making the seventh-generation Jetta into something that may soothe your daily drive. The redesigned 2019 model looks better, drives with sharpened skills, sports a nicely appointed cabin, has a fair amount of tech and safety features, and gets excellent fuel economy. Overall, it鈥檚 still on the bland side but is worth considering if you鈥檙e in the market for a small sedan and want to have some change left over for other fun things in life. The roster of available trim levels for the 2019 VW Jetta include S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium. An R-Line appearance package is also available at launch time and features bold styling accents, exclusive interior and exterior design elements, R-Line badging, and XDS electronic differential.
The automaker has been working on a potential fix, but it needed more time 鈥?something that California regulators were not willing to give. Those specifics may well be on the table Wednesday when the German automaker's top executive, CEO Matthias Mueller, meets privately with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy in Washington, D.C. Both VW and EPA declined Tuesday to provide any further detail about what the two will discuss, or even what time the meeting will take place. But federal regulators have not shied away in recent days from publicly expressing their frustration with the company. Asked about the issue at a public appearance last week, McCarthy said EPA has yet to identify "a satisfactory way forward" toward a fix for the owners of VW's diesel cars. Last week, the U.S. 20 billion in fines under the Clean Air Act. VW could rack up additional civil penalties based on the facts determined at trial.
A separate criminal investigation is underway, and numerous private class-action lawsuits filed by VW owners are pending. VW first admitted in September that the suspect software was installed in about 500,000 cars nationwide with its popular 2.0-liter diesel engines. The company later admitted a similar "defeat device" was also included in about 85,000 diesel vehicles with 3.0-liter engines, including some Audi and Porsche SUVs. Biesecker reported from Washington, D.C. FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2015, file photo, clamps hold probes in the tailpipes of a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. California air quality regulators, on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, rejected Volkswagen's recall plan to fix vehicles including the Beetle and Jetta that were programmed to trick government emissions tests. FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2015 file photo, a 2013 Volkswagen Passat with a diesel engine is evaluated at the California Air Resources Board emissions test lab in El Monte, Calif. California air quality regulators, on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, rejected Volkswagen's recall plan to fix vehicles including the Beetle and Jetta that were programmed to trick government emissions tests.
