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Volkswagen Jetta 2006+
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And you want to eliminate one of our choices. :confuse:
As I said before, I am glad that they gave me the choice of a non-turbo engine that uses regular gas. I don't want a turbo. If I wanted a turbo I would have simply waited for the 2.0T or the GLI.
For gas engines, aside from the two small engines at 102 and 115 HP...which VW probably figures would not go over well in the US, the europeans get a 150 hp (2.0 FSI) and the 200 hp (2.0 FSI with turbo charger). The US gets the 150 HP 2.5 and the 2.0 turbo. So don't really see an issue with engine choices.
The europeans do get two diesel choices instead of the US's one. But the market for diesels is much larger in europe than in the US.
If you consider the car an "abomination", why do you even care what engine it comes with?
The lack of fend flairs or and hard, edge makes the car comes across like everybody’s worst nightmare of the future after Ford dumped the Jelly Belly-shaped Taurus on us. The Jetta GLI’s got the same presence. Only taller. Really tall. Standing next to the car I wondered if this was VW’s new off-roader cousin to the Touareg.
The slab sides of the vehicle are only broken by simple, plane and very small door handles. Otherwise the side of the car could be mistaken for a poster – it’s that flat and shapeless. The spoked, flat, banal seventeen inch wheels don’t help matters. Lacking any depth or shift in angles, the least flattering view of the car comes from the side.
Out back the c-pillar rushes down to a stupid-looking spoiler and some of the worst taillights since Toyota’s Altezza/Lexus wannabe IS300. The trunks got verve only because so many incongruous ideas congregate on the woeful vehicle’s hindquarters. The Jetta couldn’t look any less Germanic in origin – nothing clean, tight, purposeful, sturdy or striking about the car’s appearance.
Popping the door, and sliding into the leather-lined buckets I felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. The interior’s merely an update of the last generation Jetta. That’s a mixed bag. Strong, super thick A-pillars still block sightlines. The expansive dash actually forms to some kind of giant basin near the windshield as if one of those huge NASA satellite dishes served as a design inspiration. They took the bad dash of the Jetta Mrk IV and made it worse.
The center console’s not totally different – stacked with stereo on top and AC down low. I’ll never warm to that kind of design. The stereo belongs lower, as it’s so rarely touched and its readout it totally unnecessary. I listened to it for about 5 seconds I couldn’t care less about the radio. Dual zone climate controls continue to decorate the lower portion of the center stack. The AC seemed just as loud and worthless as the Mrk IV’s.
Stealing a cue from Audi, the Jetta’s now got those weird plastic braces running from the lower stack to the center console. What purpose does it serve beyond adding more plastic for me to bang my knee into? The center console possesses two hardened, unforgiving mini cupholders (cupholders stink anyway). The last generation’s worthless, flimsy arm rest has disappeared, replaced by a large, more Byzantine and preposterous design. It bends, it twists, it slides, it converts into a Ginsu knife the damned thing does everything but strongly support an elbow. I leaned on it and hard a loud pop quickly, I pushed it into the standing guard position so as to hide my vandalism from VW’s employees. Oops.
Doors close with the same reassuring heft as all VWs. The bodies on these cars always feel so tight! Nobody else produces that vault-sensation quite like VW/Audi. Those doors, mind you, seem lifted directly from the last generation. The materials seem to cover the doors, the handle’s the same, the window controls are mounted the same way (and as I always say, in the wrong place) and even the trunk/gas release buttons are the same as the old Jetta. Did they even bother engineering anything new?!
Ah but get your hands on the steering wheel and you feel something right. It’s small, leather and thick – sort of like Dr. Tobias Funke. Slide a hand under the column and there it is tilt and slide. Yeah everybody else is doing it but VW’s still does it best. Their steering columns can be arranged infinitely. Very nice. And those gauges, while Spartan in number, look great.
I leaned back in the leathery seats and felt something great. Oh these suckers grip you. Very nice. I’m not a towering, corpulent American – sort of the antithesis of Joe Average – so the seats made me feel like Goldilocks: just right. A lumbar control made the seats squeeze me tight as if getting a hug from a female Russian weightlifter I knew long story. Nice padding on the underside too. Overall they felt wonderful.
But they were cursed with VW’s ergonomic blight: their version of manual seats. Manual seats are fine simple levers normally allow forward, back, tilt of seat and maybe raising and lowering. Not the VW design. They’re so good at interiors that for some reason they go all Corky the moment it comes to seats. Want to raise the seat? Pump a handle like a milk maid at the well! Want to recline a bit, hope those wrists are built up as you’re gonna have to twist a 15 inch diameter know 1 entire rotation to move the seatback a degree. It’s arduous work. Only the front lever to move the seat fore and aft works as a human would expect. For 28k I expect normal seats or power memory seats.
I depressed the shiny aluminum brake pedal and turned the key. The little 2.0 turbo burbled to life. It’s not aggressive sounding but it does sound tougher than the old 1.8T. I reached down and moved the shifter into D. Or tried. The button for controlling the DSG is odd and doesn’t move easily. Eventually I forced the shift lever – which is mounted in the center console – into D. I believe D stands for dorky as the car’s shift habits in D mode are delightfully silly. I pulled out of the parking lot and by 45 mph the car had me in 6th gear.
Screw that, I slapped the shifter over to +/-. The shifting was in my hands. And a computer’s control. No matter as I slammed my foot down and felt the heft Jetta surge forward with authority. The little engine rocketed up and moved through the gears with video game precision. Holy crap this sucker flies.
The DSG proved intoxicating. Shifts snapped by so fast there wasn’t time to consider they had occurred. Boom – next gear – boom – next gear. I was in fourth doing 80 and the car wasn’t trying. In fact the little grumble from the engine gave no concept we were doing anything that might be illegal.
Not everything was rosy in the world of DSG/2.0 marriages. As stops the car enters a weird glide phase. I’ve felt it on other DSG/2.0 combos, so I know it’s not my imagination. The car goes to neutral and it feels totally uncontrollable and disturbing at first. Additionally, the paddle shifters mounted on the wheel are a tad small. These buggers actually control a clutch, so I don’t find them as jokey as the semi-auto toys on most cars, but their super Smurfy size make them a tad useless. I’d rather something bigger and make ‘em shiny too. I like shiny stuff. (continued)...
Also at normal freeway speeds – 80-90mph, the wind whistles terribly around the roly-poly shaped car. It’s a noisy, howling sound that fills me with all kinds of dreadful memories, like seeing bad so-called horror movies. At this point, only tire noise is acceptable when driving normal speeds.
When it comes to handling they’ve certainly tightened the Jetta GLI up over its Mrk IV sibling. The lousy beam axle’s gone – replaced with a normal IRS. Also, the torque steer’s so muted I can’t recall ever feeling it, even when accelerating hard out of corners.
The porky GLI feels pretty agile in switchbacks if one is maybe 50-75% over the speed limit. It feels almost athletic until you need to bleed off more speed and you realize understeer is very real and the car’s massive weight, matched with baby brakes makes this car anything but a hardcore handler. The car’s super high ride height also works against it in transitions and sharp corners, contributing to substantial body roll and front-end dive. Yikes. More than once the car gave me many simultaneous feelings – we’re not slowing down, not turning and this damned car is going to flip over .forward!
For 28k the car’s way overpriced and out of its league. At 25k loaded with leather, moon, xenons, etc, the car could be considered reasonable. After all, it’s a VW so expect to pay 2-3k less than MSRP – so 22-23k seems in line for this car. The engine’s an astounding, pulse-pounding little work of art (efficient too) and the tranny should be available on every car in the world (it’s that good). But the cramped interior, super high ride height, tall body, cruddy brakes, and sloppy handling mean this is not a car that’s in the sports luxury class. It shouldn’t be priced so high given how poorly it stacks up against the likes of cars in the 27-35k range (yes a 30k model is easily possible). Likewise, the GLI’s way too expensive when compared to the Mazda3 and Subaru WRX – two econobox cars that deliver value and supreme fun.
Here’s to hoping the GTI is lower, lighter, tighter in the corners and equipped with decent brakes. That might be the perfect little racer when matched with the 2.0 and DSG.
1) Huh???? IS300?
2) Is looking like a COPY of a TOYOTA a good or bad thing? I, personally, think that it looking like aCorolla is a BAD thing. VW's have always been distinctive and had a Europena feel. A corolla has neither a distinctive nor a European feel. A Corolla is built to be standard transportation.....getting from point A to point B with no fuss or trouble.
3) Tc? Scion?
Well, nobody wanted $20-28K for a Corolla. And since when "genuine German engineering and styling" was to copy econo car from Japan?
The car looks just horrible. Correction: it looks horrible when compared with its predecessor. From really far it is kinda OK, but when you get closer than 10 feet, it gets chunky, disproportionate, lamps are just like corolla and nose - ouch!
I think if there was an award for biggest disappointment of the year, it would win by a landslide. A couple of other similar awards, like greatest misfire, most idiotic pricing, etc. Piech must go!
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Oh, I don't know - maybe because I've owned VWs (Mk1 through Mk4) for over 25 years, not to mention doing engine rebuilds, suspension mods, and general maintenance on them as well. Let's say I'm a bit of an automotive enthusiast who was disappointed when the MkV Jetta arrived on the scene. They took what was an appealing car and basically "turned it Japanese" .
2. You didn't mention the Jetta look exactly like a COPY of a TOYOTA compact which sold best in the world.
3. Dude, get a Tc.
It is? Huh, you know my income, eh? Do you realize what I own now?
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The more I see this car on the road the more the styling grows on me. It's definately not as character rich as the previous generation, but i like it non the less.
Now what we all want to know please elaborate on:
A lumbar control made the seats squeeze me tight as if getting a hug from a female Russian weightlifter I knew long story.
The weightlifter was just a joke. I peppered a lot of odd references in there ("Arrested Development", nursey rhymes, etc).
I've heard the GTI will be 300-400 lbs lighter than the GLI, so that should help handling. Hopefully VW will lower the car's stance too. German models of the Jetta and Golf are considerably lower than the ones we get here. Weird. someone said it was to help side impact ratings. True?
Even with all my smack, I still love that engine/tranny. Can't help myself.
25/32 mpg also pretty good
With revolutionary DSG if they keep the price within a couple g's of say a TSX (slower, worse mpg with 6MT) I can see this being a winner.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
regards,
kyfdx
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2018 430i Gran Coupe
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A new 1.4L (turbo & supercharged) version produces:
170 hp / 177 ft/lb (1750 – 4500)
39-47 mpg on Euro tests, so not really comparable, but even the low end is pretty impressive.
These stats would make a fine “base” engine.
Not sure of the cost of this engine when comparing it to the 2.5L. I always thought the development and production of a turbo was more than a larger engine even with more cylinders, larger cams, valves etc so I’m not sure if the cost with a super charger AND a turbo charger would be any cheaper than making a 170hp version of the 2.5L (low torque of supercharger is always nice).
Those are in imperial gallons, subtract 20% for US gallons. I wished VW would clarify when releasing its material - this practise is just not acceptable.
At any rate, the 170hp TDI (the other new engine for the Golf GT) is the one I have been talking about. If VW has any sense, they should make it available in the US the day the new Diesel fuel regulations take effect.
Mileage should read
7.2 l/100km ~ 33 mpg
5.9 l/100km ~ 40 mpg
And that is the Euro (non EPA) test...
Perhaps hybrids wont be a “waste of money” once gas tops $5 a gallon.
I read, somewhere, that VW will be bringing hybrids as well but I won’t hold my breath.
Personally I would pay the equivalent of $5 a gallon for an alternative to oil/crude/gas just to give the middle east the big middle finger
Personally, I could envision buying a Golf in a 1.6 to 2 liter version of the twin-charged engine. And of course, it could be an upgrade path for the 2.0TFSI, if the technology proves itself and is not too costly/heavy.
The 170hp 2.0TDI, on the other hand, I could easily see in a bunch of VW/Audi cars in the US. Don't see why it wouldn't be introduced at some point with the upcoming new Diesel regulations. What bothers me is that in the past, VW has quite regularly been late and behind in the US market even when they owned some technological advantage.
Probably true, despite the fact that the majority of drivers seem to be afraid that they will break their car if they go over about 3000 rpm.
Selling based gas mileage may become more effective than selling based on HP numbers, if gas prices stay high.
Probably true, despite the fact that the majority of drivers seem to be afraid that they will break their car if they go over about 3000 rpm.
Crazy, but so true, isn't it? The sad part is that after introducing the 2.5 as a base engine, VW has made it really hard for themselves to put anything like these new developments as a base engine. What would they call it? A bargain-basement economy engine that happens to cost a little more than the base engine? Tough sale even if you can laud its low-end torque. Plus, on their own account their sales numbers for most models are too low to offer many engine models. I'd say, bite the bullet of higher assembly-line production costs and offer more engine choices to get out of this catch-22! What we need is people with some guts at VW and VWoA!
I'm going to a 300-mile trip tomorrow to break it in and see if it'll somehow adjust those components that needs adjusting.
And one more thing, the sales guy said that it's ok to put 87 octone even though it says on the manual that it requires (recommend?) 89 octane. Is there any difference?
Thx
If the sticker says regular, it will run ok, but if the manual recommends midgrade or premium, it will run better with the recommended fuel grade. If the manual REQUIRES midgrade, don't use regular no matter what the salesman says. Although you have a 2.5 normally aspirated engine and not a turbo, it's instructive that last year some 1.8 turbo owners getting service at my local dealer tried to use regular grade gasoline although premium is required, and experienced such driveability issues that the service department at my dealer posted a sign warning turbo owners not to use regular.
VW is a premium brand and if they say you MUST use a grade, you really have to, and if they RECOMMEND a grade, you will benefit if you use it (but won't hurt the engine if you use a lower but authorized grade of fuel).
Thanks for your input chief.
I don't think I'd keep driving with the problem you are describing, never had anything like that with ours.
Something doesn't sound right. Did it do that on the test drive? If you have the automatic, it sounds like the gear isn't engaging right away, and you should check that out, quickly. A new car shouldn't do that. As for the gas, the VW manual says that you can use 87 in a pinch (even on my GLI) if there's nothing else available, but that you should use the higher grades as per the book on a regular basis. You won't get the advertised horsepower and probably not the fuel economy if you use 87 octane fuel as the engine will compensate.
As for the cooled glove box, it's just a small vent, so the difference isn't dramatic (I had it in my 98 Passat and again in my 06 GLI). Perhaps the vent is blocked, but again, have the dealer check it out. I suspect VW will continue to falter in the JD Power 90 day survey if what I'm reading on these kind of threads is any indication.
I have been driving my 2006 jetta TDI w/ DSG trans for about a month now, and have put 5000km on it so far. I noticed slow response of accelerator as well, and it has not changed. After a month of driving I have become used to it and assume it is normal behaviour. I recall reading a road test that decribed the same symptom. Other than that, the car has had no problems. I will talk to dealer about the throttle delay at my first service. DSG trans is nice, but would be better suited to a car with more power, however, with gas at 1.25/litre, my choice of TDI was the right one. I will keep posting future issues.
Cheers,
GH
I test drove a different vehicle and landed with this one instead. The test vehicle was different and both cars only differ in color, both automatics. The feel was different, suspensions were different, and it was sturdy unlike what I have. Weird. I also just found out that last July, they had a recall on the gas supply clamp. It kinda sucks.
"After having just been released, the New Jetta faces a major recall. Over 39,000 vehicles will be recalled. The recall was intiated at the request of the NHTSA and covers Jettas with the 2.5-liter gasoline engine. A fuel line supply clamp in the engine compartment may not be positioned correctly. This could cause a leak or even a fire if it is not inspected and fixed. It is typical for any new model to experience the pains of recalls, but it is unfortunate that the recall involves such a sensitive system."
Since I bought mine only this week, they should have fixed mine, right?
Had it in once for 5 minor issues (one outer door panel very slightly mis-aligned, steering wheel a little off-center, 1/2 of rear dome light not working, the fuel line clamp recall, one rear door lock not fuctioning properly, and we also had them change the settings so that all door unlock when car is turned off) all of which were taken care of in the one visit.
As far as specs go, the Jetta 2.0T is faster and has better mileage. They are around the same size and similar weight. The Jetta requires premium, not sure on the TSX (think so). The Jetta makes much more power down low so it should feel more powerful in day to day driving. If you live at a high altitude the turbo in the Jetta will still make the rated horsepower, whereas the TSX will not (it’s calculated at sea level).
The Jetta has a one year (10k mi) better drivetrain warranty and better rust warranty (not sure how often that matters anyway).
Both get Good on the IIHS frontal offset with the Acura getting best pick, Jetta has best pick for side impact (no test on TSX)
What would persuade me in the Jetta direction is the DSG transmission. I find it amazing that you could get better mileage and performance (when compared to a manual) out of a transmission that let’s you shift when YOU want, but also gives you the convenience of slapping it in auto when shifting gets annoying.
As far as dealerships it all may depend on your area, and you will visit them for warranty service, so you should find one you feel confident in.
With the Jetta being the first year model I can guarantee there will be issues (I had many with my 03 Accord) as there were with the TSX.
I wouldn’t feel bad about picking one over the other, although my nod goes to the VW.
If you really want to get the new Jetta this year, consider a lease with a term less than the manufacturer's warranty (which is a generous warranty) and make sure to get all regularly scheduled maintenance at the dealer to keep the warranty in effect.
There are also a couple of VW "tricks." First, use 5-40 synthetic oil, as provided at the VW dealer, even for the 5 cylinder; it is a Euro spec oil specifically designed for VW and other German makes. VW specifies long (10,000 mile) oil changes and you shouldn't even think about this long without the synthetic (which is spec'd for the car, although they allow you to use 5-30 if 5-40 is not available. Please note that most dealers, shy about insisting on 5-40 full synthetic, offer 5-30 dino oil as an alternative, so don't go by what the service desk tells you, RTDM.
Second, use premium gas. The 5 cylinder engine has adaptive engine tuning and runs optimally on premium. Regular won't hurt it, but you will lose responsivenss and power, and possibly pick up more engine knocking at low rpm under load.
Third, don't have anyone but VW do oil changes. Besides the obvious difficulty of finding 5-40 oil at oil lube shops, the manual calls for using new drain plugs at every change to prevent damage to the oil pan. At the dealer, the plug is only a couple of bucks, but obviously lube shops don't carry them. Besides, I have had lube shops strip oil pans by overtightening.
Fourth, do follow the manual for service. It calls for VW fluids, and you should use them since their coolant is very unique, for example. It also calls for brake fluid changes every two years regardles of mileage, to preserve optimum brake performance, and spark plug changes (unless the 5 cylinder is different) every 40,000 miles.
I have found dealer service to be excellent, although prices vary considerably among dealers. Considering VW is a premium import brand, VW service is cheap, on par with service on Toyota's.
The Acura will undoubtedly have better resale value and probably fewer long term problems. The VW will be a little "higher maintenance" but probably a lot more fun.
One thing you can't overlook is the incredible, Volvo-like safety offered by VW: side air bags, side curtain air bags, 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS, stability control, and one of the few passing scores for the brutal side impact crash tests at IIHS, the insurance institute crash test. That is why I bought my VW's, and I felt safer in them - plus the incredible driver ergonomics. VW is truly for the enthusiast, and worth a little extra attention.
True. This actually was the first time I bought a car that I haven't driven before signing a contract.
After putting almost 1k miles over the long weekend, the jerking stopped and I am now happy using the DSG trans. I am also getting a descent gas mileage.
Here's my personal review of the car.
PROS:
- DSG
- 6 disc frontload CD-mp3 readable player (converted 170 songs to mp3, burned it to a single CD and it's so sweet. I still have 5 empty slots to fill )
- Trunk space
- Interior space
- A lot of standard features specially safety features incl. 8 airbags
- Body style
- Well-placed clusters
- Cup holders
- Sliding visor
CONS:
- Engine noise after a cold engine start- first 10 seconds is annoying
- Tried changing settings for interior and exterior lights but didn't work. I still don't have footwell lights even after I set it to ON and at 100%
- Opposite to the exhaust, on the right side facing the back of the car, there's a missing small cover or panel.
- Wind noise on the freeway
- Auto-open trunk door is temperamental. It works and it doesn't.
- Suspension on bumpy road is between average to uncomfortable
- Called Service 4 times in 2 days to setup an appointment and always gets the voicemail. Still waiting to call me back. :mad:
Overall, I think it's a descent daily driver car and as long as it doesn't stall, I can live with most of the cons for now.
Yup...that'd be the "base" we've been having discussions about; the Turbo with Manual or DSG achieves a higher rating than the 2.5 with Auto.
I just come to the conclusion that the 2.0T is that great of an engine and the 2.5 still delivers on it’s mission of providing adequate acceleration and mileage at a modest price (sound like a VW rep).
Have you, or more importantly your wife, had an opportunity to drive the 2.5L back to back against the TSX?
The TDI a consideration? $3+(if you're lucky) per gallon ouch.