Grown Up Performance Fun
Make no mistake 鈥?I鈥檓 a trunk man. I just dig 鈥榚m. Hatchbacks are cool and all, but give me a well-proportioned trunk with a decent amount of cubic feet for cargo, and I鈥檓 all in. To that, I鈥檒l also add that I like sedans as opposed to coupes. With 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, it鈥檚 got plenty of grunt, but more importantly, as an adult, I feel relatively comfortable behind the wheel. But the real question is, does it surpass the GTI in any way? Keep reading to find out! VW has fitted just enough aggression into the GLIs bodywork to make it stand out over others in the Jetta lineup. The black honeycomb grille with red GLI badging and accent stripe is a nice touch, as are the LED trimmed projector beam headlamps and LED tail lamps. The front fascia has a more aggressive look too, and with the body covered in Volkswagen鈥檚 Pure Gray paint, the subtle touches of the red brake calipers and GLI side badging come into play nicely. Then there are the 18-inch alloys that wear 225/45-series performance rubber.
They fill out the wheel wells nicely, and aid in giving the GLI a much sportier presence than the standard Jetta models. As with most Volkswagens, the designers have seen fit to put the emphasis of the GLIs cabin on those who sit behind the wheel. The dash, for instance, is angled in a fashion that allows one easy and more importantly, intuitive access to the slew of technical upgrades. They include a new eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system that houses media functions, phone pairing, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, as well as the in-car settings. Directly below are the manual controls for the dual climate HVAC system. Then there is the digital cockpit that replaces traditional analog gauges and that can be configured in a variety of ways to showcase the vehicle information that the driver deems most important. And while the interior of the Jetta is still filled with a sea of soft-touch materials and hard plastics in different shades of gray, Volkswagen has managed to incorporate some high-end touches that many folks will enjoy.
Black leather seating surfaces with contrasting red stitching reside throughout the cabin along with a six-way power adjustable driver鈥檚 seat with memory, heat, and ventilation. There鈥檚 also ten-color ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, a flat-bottomed leather covered steering wheel with crosshatched red accents, and a trunk with a rear seat pass-through that will house 14.1 cubic-feet of your stuff. As the Jetta is a sedan, rear passengers also have easy access to and from the cabin, with the rear seating area providing ample room and comfort for most adults. In short, VW has paid attention to what consumers are looking for, and with the GLI, they got it right. The beauty of the GLI is that all the important bits from its pricier GTI brother are present. It has the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that makes 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The seven-speed DSC automatic transmission is also an option, as is a six-speed manual. There鈥檚 also firmer suspension tuning, a limited-slip differential, large 13.4-inch front rotors, as well as progressive variable-ratio steering that鈥檚 more responsive at higher speeds.
The truth is, the Jetta GLI is a hoot to drive aggressively. There is a little front-end push in hard corners, but only at the limit. All other times, the GLI exhibits handling characteristics that are incredibly good. It鈥檚 well balanced, accelerates to 60 mph in just 5.6-seconds, and it鈥檒l do it all with little to no drama. For those who like a little adjustability, the GLI also comes with four different drive modes 鈥?Eco, Normal, Sport and Custom. We found Normal to be the sweet spot, as ECO mode simply cut too much power, and in Sport, I just couldn鈥檛 get used to the artificial intake noise that was being pumped through the speakers. As a complete package, the GLI just works. It鈥檚 fun, the seats provide great comfort and support, and as mentioned, when pushed, the GLI really does deliver a great driving experience. Is it a sports car? No. Instead, it鈥檚 a fun performance-oriented sedan with sporting handling and braking manners that鈥檚 loads of fun to drive. With airbags throughout the cabin, a tire pressure monitoring system, traction and stability control, electronic brake pressure distribution along with a host of other safety features, the Jetta GLI ensures that you will arrive at your destination safely. With a refined and sporting presence, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI delivers big on performance and good looks. There鈥檚 nothing over the top here, but instead, a nicely appointed and more importantly, fun car, for a price that most entry-level performance buyers can afford. Drop by your local your local AutoNation Volkswagen dealer today to check one out! Fuel economy values (mpg) are EPA estimates. Actual mileage will vary and depends on several factors including driving habits and vehicle condition.
A prediction: When the robocar revolution ultimately proves to be less than revolutionary, we will blame its Level 5 endgame. After all, you can get only so excited about napping or working, and there鈥檚 just not that much worth watching on Netflix. Doing mundane stuff in a moving car will be amazing once, maybe twice, and then the novelty will wear off. People will start looking around for a steering wheel. Because driving is exciting. Cars are machines that allow people to do inconceivable things. With the mastery of just a few simple controls, we can travel at impossible speeds and feel sensations otherwise unavailable in our terrestrial existence. Cars don鈥檛 need to become robots; they already are robots. Only after an intense study of the literature鈥攙intage science-fiction novels, Bronze Age comic books, and plenty of Knight Rider reruns鈥攄o we come to the conclusion that robotics is best applied to making humans better, stronger, faster.
