Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options

Canadian City Jetta

akbossakboss Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Volkswagen
Hello all,

Way up here in Canada VW is trying out something pretty cool. They're taking the 4th-gen VW Jetta/Golf, giving it a mild makeover (mostly superficial) and cutting the price. At my local dealership, they're asking $16,900 CAD for the City Jetta to start, whereas up here a new Jetta 2.5 starts at $23,475. I can handle the older 2.0L 115hp engine, and its got some cool features - new 6-speed slushbox, aux/mp3 stereo, disc brakes, central locking, etc. I love the car BUT, from what I understand the electrical is a nightmare. Do I want to buy this car or just keep looking? Just wondering if anyone with VW mechanical experience can offer insightful suggestions here.
Tagged:

Comments

  • Options
    inhaliburtoninhaliburton Member Posts: 4
    Hi akboss,

    I was looking at the CITY Jetta Wagon at a VW dealership in Kingston. I live in Haliburton, but get down there occasionally. Nicely appointed for the price.

    Will there be a CITY Jetta TDI? If so, I'm gonna wait.

    Can you explain what you meant regarding "electrical nightmare?"

    Regards from Hailiburton, ON.
  • Options
    kennbeekennbee Member Posts: 5
    All I can tell you is I was a happy man when I found out (in 2006) that I could still buy a Mk4 Jetta. I really dislike the Mk5 Corolla-Jetta - I'm sure it's a good car but if I wanted a Toyota I'd buy one from them.

    The best part about the "City" line is not the price but the fact that you can get one without all the nasty expensive-to-repair unnecesaries like air conditioning (I live in Canada!) or cruise control (I like to drive my car) and power windows. The last only because I have read so many horror stories about windows dropping into doors - continuously.

    Sadly, VW has "japanimated" the "City" cars by sticking on the Chinese front and rear ends that they use in the Asian market. Just makes them look like their Japanese Mk5's. Thankfully I was able to get mine with the European styling intact so there was much rejoicing.

    Oh, and there is no "City" Jetta wagen so you either got old stock or someone at your local dealership was playing silly buggers with the badging.

    And now, to do something with the motor. I think VW must have put a lot of time, money and resources into getting only 115 bhp out of the 2 litre motor. I mean, you'd have to try really hard to get that little power out of a 2.0 motor. But that's for a later date. Right now I'm really enjoying the car. We took a three week trip over Christmas along Route 66 and now, after a year of owning the car, we have 48,000 km's and have had no problems whatsoever. And I have to say that Queensway Volkswagen have been great. Buying and servicing has been painless and they've always been helpful.

    Enough o' my yakkin'... All I can say is let's hope VW eschews the Japanese styling for the Mk6's and goes back to building European designed cars.
  • Options
    inhaliburtoninhaliburton Member Posts: 4
    I'm told that when the clean TDI arrives, it's likely that the "City" line of VWs will be discontinued. Their reasoning is, why sell a ceapie VW when you can sell one that's well over over $20k. Much more profit and VW are going upscale where the bucks are.

    There will not be a TDI intruduced in the City line.
  • Options
    kennbeekennbee Member Posts: 5
    Sadly, no TDi for the "City" lineup. I was told (in 2006) they were committed to the City cars for three years so that explains why, I suppose - they were awaiting the updated diesel motor.

    Funnily enough, if you look at the VW Canada sales statistics (see www.pocketrocket.ca), the Mk4 City Golf is the biggest seller - with the Mk5 Matrix-Rabbit and the Mk5 Corolla-Jetta close behind. The Mk4 City Jetta sells about half the amount. I guess if you're only going for the price it's not worth the extra $1800 for a boot instead of a hatch - although, as a VW aficionado, I prefer the Jetta as it's more upscale ya know.

    But they did use the City lineup as a way to compete in the mid-ground market. When we were ready to buy our first new car (2006) we thought we should (for once) do some comparative shopping. We looked at the Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5 and some kind of Saturn - all comparably priced. Then we drove the Jetta. Comparably priced - no comparison. We bought a $30,000 car for $20,000. You just can't beat that!

    I only know that my garage looks cracking with my Mk2 and my Mk4 side by side... oh no, now I'm starting to get weepy.....
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles