Looking quite good. especially this colour combination is fantastic. Well, typical VW design now… For Volkswagen of America, it doesn't get more brot-und-butter than the Jetta. Forced into the shadow of the best-selling Golf, the refrain from Germany was always "Sell more Golfs!" To which VoA would steadfastly reply, "Americans don't want hatchbacks!" This went on for over two decades until the corporate mothership finally recognized that its compact sedan was what the people wanted Stateside. So for 2011, the Jetta has been restyled, reformed and reinvigorated with a new purpose: to take on the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, not to mention the Mazda3. How? This story begins and ends with price. A 2011 Jetta in "S" trim will set you back just $15,995. Compare that to the 2010 model, which starts at $17,735, and the Civic and Corolla which clock in at $15,655 and $15,450, respectively. The "German premium" has finally been addressed. But at what cost? We trekked to San Francisco to find out. For the first time ever, the same sheetmetal and assorted accoutrement found on the Euro-market Jetta are fitted in the States. Say auf wiedersehen to the massive grille and accompanying chrome, and instead, enjoy a more aggressive take on the Golf's fascia, complete with a bisecting bumper and slit headlamps. The lower air dam and recessed fog lamps are more subdued, but the protruding lip spoiler comes across as slightly overwrought and a bit awkward. A choice of 15- 16- or 17-inch wheels – depending on spec – fill the barely blistered fenders and include one busy, multi-spoke option and another ten-spoke set reminiscent of the hoops fitted to our long-term TDI Street Cup. Viewed in profile, there's not much to catch your eye aside from two subtle creases that run the length of the sides, but the rakish rear gives off the air of a Volkswagen Phaeton at three-quarters scale and the taillights are very Audi-esque – no surprise considering this is a Walter de'Silva joint, the man whose pen headed Audi design from 2002–2007. The SEL badges on our tester look cramped on the trunk, but the inverted heated side mirrors are both attractive and aggressive, complete with integrated turn signals. The Jetta's overall demeanor comes across as a blend of European subtlety and some American arrogance, and there's an overarching sense of penny-pinching that extends from the exterior all the way to the inside. To hit its sub-$16,000 price point, some concessions had to be made, and that's most obvious when you crack open the door. The multifunction steering wheel can still be had with a leather wrap (SE with the Convenience), but the spoke materials have cheapened. To make matters worse, the same Playskool-grade plastic coats nearly every surface you touch, from the dash to the doors and covering the center console, instrument panel surround and various trim bits. The climate controls have been reworked and not for the better, exchanging the heavy solidity of the previous model for knobs and buttons that feel two grades below what's currently on offer. And the console-mounted push-button start is laughably contrived, coming off as an afterthought both in placement and execution. But again, this is a $16,000 sedan. And it's not all bad. The elongated wheelbase (104.4 inches) and additional length (182.2 inches end-to-end, or 2.9 inches longer than the 2010 model) pays dividends for both front- and back-seat occupants. Specifically, those confined to the rear quarters enjoy an additional 2.7 inches of leg room at 38.1 inches. VW likes to boast that the standard-wheelbase BMW 7 Series offers up 38.4 inches of lower-limb space, but while the numbers jive, the feeling in back is decidedly less plush (blame that primarily on the BMW's six or so inches of additional shoulder room).…… First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta gets with the (American) program — Autoblog
Kind of sad to read this review. But this is what happens when you want to hit certain numbers. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is not an easy car to love. Oh, this perennial best seller (at least in the U.S.) is an agreeable automobile and even after only a one-day drive along some pretty tasty roads north of San Francisco, this sixth-generation Jetta would be near the top of our shopping list among the current crop of small sedans on the market. That's certainly true if you include in its group of competitors, as VW does, only vehicles like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The Mazda 3 provides a compelling alternative that Volkswagen didn't much talk about. (The near-term arrivals of the Chevy Cruze and the next Ford Focus could have us changing that opinion.) No, the reason it's hard to love and fully recommend the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is because it's a step backward in a number of ways. The cost-cutting scissors were out in force this time around and it's all too obvious where money was saved. How a Jetta Gets Cheaper So let's just get this out of the way here and now, shall we? In the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta the antiquated 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor makes its reappearance. We were calling this 115-horsepower mill a boat anchor a decade ago and it hasn't aged well. Its output is well below the base motors of the major Japanese competitors from Honda, Mazda and Toyota. In fact, in terms of output-per-liter, VW's 2.0-liter engine isn't much better than the 4.0-liter V6 with which Ford used to soil the Mustang. This engine only sees duty in the base-level S model of the new Jetta. This return of a truly base-level model for the Jetta is a relatively big deal for Volkswagen, which says it fears that some prospective Jetta buyers shy away from the model because they assume it's more expensive than it is. One wonders how proud the company is of this new entry-level model, given that it didn't let journalists drive one. (The company brought only well-equipped SEL models to its coming-out party.) Other than the reintroduction of the weak S motor, the powertrain options for 2010 look familiar to anyone who has paid any attention to VW in the last several years. The SE and SEL models use the carry-over 170-hp 2.5-liter inline-5. All of these gas-powered engines are offered with either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transaxle. By the end of this year, VW will begin selling the new Jetta TDI. It's powered by the same 2.0-liter 140-hp turbodiesel as before and is available with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The 2.0-liter turbocharged gas motor, offered last year in a Wolfsburg edition won't be available in the new Jetta until a version of that motor arrives early next spring in the sporty GLI model. The Return of Drum Brakes and the Beam Axle Volkswagen has also brought back drum brakes to the rear of the base S model as well as the middle-ground SE Jetta. Somehow, drum brakes remain significantly cheaper than disc brakes, which is probably why Honda and Toyota use rear drum brakes on the cheaper versions of their Civic and Corolla models. Volkswagen officials are quick to point out that they're proud of the braking performance and fade resistance of the drums on the Jetta, but again, no test car with drums was made available. After a generation of Jettas with independent rear suspension, Volkswagen has brought back the torsion-beam "semi-independent" rear axle to the model. All Jettas except the high-performance GLI will carry the beam rear end. The GLI, like the GTI, will use a fully independent multilink arrangement out back. That model is expected to debut early next year at the Chicago auto show. Again, the main driver here is to bring down costs. What else? Oh yes, the steering system has reverted to a hydraulic assist from last generation's electric assist. This is a cost-cutting measure that we as enthusiasts can actually get behind, since most electric-assist systems are still lacking in feel. Surprise and Delight Whew! So glad we're done with that portion of the story. Oh well, there is one more area of cost-cutting in the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, one that is actually more noticeable than any of the mechanical changes: the interior. Now we're led to believe by some in the industry that you don't care about the quality of interior materials quite to the obsessive level that dash-stroking car writers do. Maybe that's true. But we will tell you that, while the innards of the new Jetta are fully class-competitive, the interior is not likely to be the differentiator between the Jetta and its Japanese and American competitors that it once was. The otherwise agreeable interior design and layout incorporates less gleaming trim, more shiny plastic surfaces and fewer thoughtful touches. For example, the center console bin cover/armrest no longer has an adjustable-height function. Neither do its competitors. But pricey little touches like that allowed VW drivers to feel a bit superior to their small-sedan compatriots. It will seem incongruous to the average American car buyer, but at the house of VW, the hatchback (the Golf, in this case) is much nicer than the sedan sitting next to it in the showroom. The Cuts Don't Feel Deep It is a relief, then, to discover that these ominous-sounding developments do not drain all of the appeal out of the Jetta. It may be more obviously built to a price than VWs of the recent past, but it still operates with the same basic character that has endeared it to a couple generations of buyers. They will find the substantive feel of the Jetta a welcome differentiator from the more delicate, high-strung vibe of, say, the Civic. They'll also find that the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has better body control than the soggy Corolla. We don't think most owners would be bothered much by the fact that the Jetta has a relatively stiff ride compared to others in the class. And with the 170 hp and 177 pound-feet of torque provided by the 2.5-liter inline-5 of the SEL model we tested, they'll also find a fair bit more oomph than main competitors. It is a car that never really feels like it is straining. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta also evidences the well-judged combination of control relationships that we love in the Golf and GTI, with one obvious and odd exception. Both SEL Jettas we drove had the most awkward throttle calibration we've experienced in some time. From a stop, the first bit of pedal travel results in an unintentional jack-rabbit launch. This is followed shortly by an area of the throttle map that is less responsive than your average opium addict. So, despite your best efforts, you launch away from lights, looking to those in surrounding cars as if you're trying to drag race them. Then, as you approach the center of the intersection, the throttle goes flaccid underfoot and you think briefly that this is what it would feel like to accelerate under water. Then the other drivers surge past you, wondering exactly which variety of nimrod you might be. The steering isn't afflicted by such inconsistencies. It's a bit light and vague just off-center but is a generally trusty control, allowing for smooth arcs through the corners without requiring much correction. VW has also managed not to screw up a good thing with the driving position. The combination of height-adjustable supportive seats and a tilting and telescoping steering wheel means it's easy to get comfortable in the Jetta. American-Size Cabin We have no such complaints about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta's newfound size. The company has stretched the Jetta's wheelbase by just a hair under 3 inches. And while we don't always view bigger as better, the Jetta's stretch provides for a backseat that is finally comfortable for more than just occasional use. At 15.5 cubic feet, the trunk is generously sized. For 2011, Volkswagen has greatly simplified the available combinations of trim lines and stand-alone options. While the same four trim lines for the mainstream gas-powered versions carry through to 2011, there are only 14 build combinations instead of 148. This means that there are far fewer stand-alone options. The S model is the cloth-seat-sporting, 15-inch-steel-wheel-having el cheapo special. The SE is the volume player and it has one-inch larger steel wheels, cruise control and some chrome interior trim, among other basic dress-up items. The SEL adds an excellent navigation system with redundant screen and hard-button operation along with 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels and even more chrome trim. The six-speed automatic is one of the few stand-alone options and adds $1,100 to the bottom line. And the Final Price? Less generously sized are the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta's prices. The 2011 base S model starts at $16,765, including $770 destination charge, more than $1,500 less than the 2010 model. But, as noted, the old S had four-wheel disc brakes, the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine and an independent rear suspension. A fairer comparison is between the big-volume SE versions, year over year. The 2010 SE with a five-speed manual started at $21,095. The 2011 with the same basic spec starts at $18,965. The high-end SEL model, like those we drove, likewise sees a price drop compared to the 2010 model. At $23,265 the 2011 SEL with the optional six-speed automatic is $715 less expensive than the 2010 model SEL. The real range-topper in terms of price is the diesel-powered Jetta TDI that should arrive by the end of this year and will start at $23,765 with a manual transmission. Volkswagen estimates it will return a fuel economy rating of about 30 mpg city and 42 on the highway, compared to the 23/33 the company estimates for the 2.5-liter, manual transmission models. So VW's pricing blunts complaints about cost-cutting. Still, we can't help but feel that something more than just cost was lost in the translation. 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL First Drive
