Volkswagen Jetta 2006+

nippononly

and the Jetta GLI will have this.....and of course, will sticker for MORE than the A3, if the info so far is correct. Of course, that kind of makes sense - the A3 is the five-door GTI in essence, and sedans are more popular than hatches here, so the Jetta should theoretically be a little more than the hatch. But I like the Audi interior a little better. Of course, the Audi doesn't have the 5/60 powertrain warranty of the Jetta/Golf/GTI.

To me, the A3 is appropriately stickered at $25K, and the Jetta GLI (which will have at least package 1 equipment, and probably a lot of package 2) is also a $25K car, but the 150 hp 2.5L five is kind of a bad joke (just as the 2.0 base engine from the last car was in ITS day), and should be priced WAY lower. I'm talking 15-20% lower.

mazda6s

Where did you find pricing info on the GLI 2.0T?

jeffyscott

from: http://www.iihs.org/news_releases/2005/pr042405.htm

The 2005 Volkswagen Jetta earned good ratings in both frontal offset and side impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Plus the Jetta is the first vehicle to earn the top rating of good in every individual measurement category (injury measures, head protection, and structural design) of the Institute's side impact test. This car is designated a "best pick" for side crash protection, and it's a good performer for frontal crash protection. The performance of the Jetta in these tests plus its acceptable rating for seat/head restraint design in rear impact tests make it the top-rated car overall in the inexpensive midsize class.

nippononly

I only have seen speculation so far, which pegged the GLI at $26K, when it arrives. If they can charge almost that much for a 2.5 with package 2 and still maintain a straight face, my thinking is that if anything, this price speculation is on the LOW side.

alpha01

Thats a particularly impressive showing in the side impact test, and VW should be commended. However, I was surprised that the vehicle didnt earn a 'Best Pick' for frontal, though it still scored quite high.

~alpha

ivan_99

Remember, MSRP and sale price (rebates?) may be significantly different.

I’m not sure if you’ll see the 8 grand off like you do for domestic suv’s, but I suspect the high 2.5L prices will not remain at their current level…or they won’t sell any.

nippononly

Normally I would agree whole-heartedly. I think VW, however, may be hindered in offering large cash back because of the really awful buying power of the dollar vs the euro right now (and I would be looking for a good $3K back on most trims of the 2.5, maybe a little less on the VE). Yes, dealers will obviously discount the way dealers have to all the time. But I bet sticker for the GLI comes in ABOVE $26K. They were already charging $30K for the R32 last year without batting an eyelash (and exchange rates have gotten worse since then), and I don't even remember what the last GLX was going for, but I bet the new GLI will go for at LEAST that car's price on the sticker.

jeffyscott

The Jetta is built in Mexico, so not sure how much impact the Euro exchange rate has on pricing.

nippononly

it impacts how much profit they get to send home, for starters...

ivan_99

Not sure, cause I’m making this up, but I think that most of the cost of new autos is the R&D and not the assembly labor…though I think labor still is a significant cost (or savings as in out-sourced labor).

Ideally I would like a well equipped GLI 2.0T DSG for around $25K…

jeffyscott

On vwvortex Jetta V forum someone has posted the changes for 2006 model year. Looks like they are decontenting the 2.5. For 2006 the difference between the 2.5 and value ed. appears to be only that alloys will be standard on 2.5. That and I assume they are sticking with cloth/velour on VE and "leatherette" on 2.5. The VE continues to have almost no options available.

I would assume that this means the base price for the 2.5 will be just a few hundred more than the value.

The 2.0T engine with 200 HP will also be available for 2006.

Supposedly these 2006s will be arriving in August.

curiousg

I have also heard that the Jetta GLI will be south of $25k. Hopefully all this is true - I would love a GLI where I could have basically package 1, those swanky plaid seats, and navigation. GLI supposedly has HIDs standard as well.

ivan_99

I do think prices will stabilize to a more “appropriate” level.

Audi just released prices for the A3 and they have the 2.0T with DSG for 26K MSRP. This is without the “options”, but comes pretty well loaded as it is…plus you get the Audi service.

and…of course…who says you have to pay MSRP.

jeffyscott

Despite the decontenting the 2006 2.5 Jetta apparently will have MSRP only $100 less than the 2005.5. This is again from info posted on vwvortex forum.

jeffyscott

Correcting myself some more...the 2.5 apparently still has the upgraded radio and 6 CD. So for the extra $2390 (MSRP) the 2.5 adds the following to the VE for 2006 model:

Leatherette
Power backrest
Folding front seat
Chrome window trim
16" alloy wheels compared to 15" steelies
Premium sound system w/ 6-disc in-dash CD changer
Rear seat armrest
Rear seat storage in armrest
Rear seat cupholders in armrest
Trunk pass-through
Chrome exhaust pipes

Compared to 2005.5, the 2006 2.5 loses heated seats, dual climate, multi-function computer thingy, and some lighting features while adding alloys.

jeffyscott

That GLI is not something we would want. But, if I wanted more than the value ed, that would be the one to go for as it is the only other way to get cloth.

What is/are HIDs?

robr2

What is/are HIDs?

High Intensity Discharge lights. They use a gas inside the bulb (usually Xenon in automotive applications) which when heated provides a very bright white light which is superior to current halogen systems. Originally found on high end lux cars, it is now trickling down to us the unwashed bourgeois.

ivan_99

The only problem I found with HID’s is that there is a definite cut off point where the light shines. So you can see to a certain point, where it is really bright, but past that line, it is pitch black. Regular lights “bleed” past this line where it slowly gets darker, but you can still see (a little).

This normally is not a problem in the city but on the highway (where you can never use brights because of all the traffic) I was always trying to look further because…it was dark…and I was traveling at highway speeds. It didn’t make for a relaxing drive not knowing what was 20’ in front of your car.

On the plus side, they are amazing in the rain. Coming from HID’s to non HID’s in the rain I checked multiple times to make sure my lights were on; I seriously thought they were off.

nippononly

will they then make the moonroof a stand-alone option for the 2006 Jetta 2.5?

It's pretty surprising to see decontenting after only half a model year, and with no decrease in price.

mevande

The new Jetta news to prove it is a much more reliable car than the prev. version. I have two friends who swear they will never buy anything "Volkswagon" for they have had one problem after another.

ivan_99

I find “first hand” reliability experience is much more of an influence on my purchasing decisions than “official” published figures.

I find it difficult to get into any Odyssey since 50% of the people I know have had transmissions replaced.

I’ve had good reliability with Audi so I’d have no problems with the new VWs (until I’m proven wrong)

jeffyscott

According to postings on vwvortex forums, sunroof is in a package with $1500-1600 list price. Might be standard on the 2.0T.

It also weird that they are reconfiguring the option packages already.

nippononly

Uh huh. In that case I wonder what else you get in the package that includes the moonroof (since we know it is no longer alloy wheels!). I would hope it is standard on the $26K GLI. Plus it goes with the image. Is a moonroof standard on GTI? Every one I can recall ever seeing had a moonroof, that much I know.

jeffyscott

GLI reportedly will start at about $24,400 for 6 speed MTX. Option package one for GLI is supposed to be Sunroof, Satellite Radio, 115V Power Outlet - $1,460.

GLI also gets the zenons (which I now now are aka. HIDs), 17 inch alloys, and compass/computer standard along with the 2.0 turbo and cloth seats.

If you go to JettaV forum on vortex there is a lot of detailed information posted regarding 2006. Look at threads titled:

Pricing for full 2006 Jetta V lineup

and

2006 JETTA CHANGES POINTS

nippononly

I view any info on prospective pricing very circumspectly right now, because the dollar remains in the dumper, and there are still six months or so before we see this model at dealerships. But I do kinda wish they had added a few hundred $$ to the GLI's base price and made the moonroof standard. I do not need that other silly junk in the moonroof package.

jeffyscott

Actually its only 3-4 months. The 2006s are supposed to arrive at dealers in August.

leadfoot_ed

VW needs to take care of their cars' poor reliability issues. Until then, I won't be buying any new VWs in the near future. They are, however, nice cars WHEN they are not in the shop for unscheduled service.
**************************************
Amen to that! My thoughts exactly. I had an '00 GTI VR6, and loved the way it drove, but the honeymoon was soon over after repeated unscheduled service visits. It will be a long time before I visit a VW dealer again. The only thing that would bring me back is a powerful diesel option (140+hp, 220+lbs/ft.). But rumor has it the upcoming Dodge Caliber is going to have the 140 horse VW TDI as an option. That's probably my next car.

dewey

Similarily to the lacklustre activity in this forum, Jetta sales dropped 31% in May compared to last year.

http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh36725_2005-06-02_07- - - - - -37-35_l0233187_newsml

BUT the geniuses in VW claim victory. Why? Because they expected sales of 6000. Actual sales in May 05 were 7912. In other words they beat expectations by almost 33%.

This victory looks quite hollow when you consider May 04 sales of the dated Jetta was 11494. In fact a depressing 31% sales drop from last year

Only VW can reinterpret Failure as an amazing Success. Keep up the good work! Unfortunately these guys are not as smart in offering cars that can compete!

robr2

Well if their goal was 6,000 and they beat it then it was a success. Now it's doesn't look good compared to last year, but it still beat expectations.

alpha01

Meaning VW's actual GOAL is to sell a piddling 72,000 units in one calendar year?
I believe the best year for the older Jetta was in the 150,000 unit range, yes?

~alpha

robr2

Have no idea. They only state the month of May. The more important question is - were those sales more profitable than those last year?

dewey

VW's existence depends on a strong dealership network. A strong dealership network depends on volume The Jetta is VW's bread and butter car in terms of volume.

Higher margins with significantly lower sales for Jettas are just not going to cut it for VW. VW is not a niche Porsche or Ferarri brand. Unlike these marques, VW needs volume.

jeffyscott

You may be right that this is just spin by VW. On the other hand it may be that expectations were lower than normal because of limited selection in the initial cars that were sent to dealers.

I believe TDI started coming in the middle of the month, 2.0 turbo is yet to come along with the GLI version.

micweb

It takes a while to get the word out that there is a new Jetta. Also, after seeing the new Jettas around now, I don't think they are that "exciting" to look at. I was really impressed by the remodelled Mk IV Jetta but the Mk V Jetta is a little ho-hum. All grown up but a little bland.

merc1

After reading that I think VW is in a little bit of trouble. I don't see where a "surge" will come from with prices so high on the Jetta. Now the smart thing to do would be to revise Passat pricing before it goes on sale so they don't make the same mistake. They need that small SUV and Concept C Convertible fast.

M

maurcedes2

Two years ago, I ordered a TDI wagon from my local dealer. It got here, and like an idiot, I decided not to buy it and instead to keep the old decrepit Mercedes wagon for the five years I had said I would keep it. Well, you know what happened - high test gas hit $2.75 this winter and the Maurcedes kept breaking down. So I kicked my self in the butt for making a big mistake.

But now that I saw the photo of the NEW Jetta wagon, I can forgive myself. By the time it shows up in a TDI model, I will have kept the Mercedes for that cursed 5 years, I will be thoroughly sick of driving it and repairing it, and the new Jetta wagon is actually a little sporty, almost......sexy? Just because a middle aged woman chooses to drive a station wagon doesn't mean that it has to be KLUDGY. And, yes, however practical the previous Jetta wagon was, it was not the least bit stylish.

Anyone got any more pictures? Any more info on when the TDI wagon might show up? Any guesses as to whether the Maurcedes will last that long? 221,000 miles and counting.

dewey

They need that small SUV and Concept C Convertible fast.

And hopefully at the right price!

dewey

The BIG advantage of the new Jetta wagon TDI will be increased cargo/passenger space(a key reason why many buy wagons) . Dont know many details about the upcoming wagon==but it could be very interesting with a more efficient TDI engine(assuming VW changes diesel engines from the current model).

Regarding your Mercedes? My wife has a 83 MB300D. It is a gem and up to now problem-free! Good luck with your Mercedes!

venus537

since VV was still selling mostly the "older" jettas, why would you expect a signicant bump in sales?

it won't be until the 06 model year when the full model range will be available. Since the dealers were so desperate for the new jetta, VW introduced a limited model range with limited colors to appease them. the DSG (which is getting fantastic reviews from the Audi A3) and 2.0t should generated positive buzz and more dealer traffic.

why VW started out the way they did is a mystery to me. ditto for the pck 2 jetta being available with the 2.5.

jrct9454

Sure has been dead here for the past month...

Went to the local VW man today with a friend whose Passat needed an oil change. While there, we drove a new Jetta TDI. I wanted to try the DSG trans, but the only cars they had on the lot were manual.

First impressions - we were pleasantly surprised. Quiet, good ride [both noticeably better than the previous gen Jetta], same fore-aft room as the current Passat, enormous trunk. I plan to try it again with a DSG-equipped car. My interest is almost exclusively the diesel, but for giggles, I might try a 2.5 just for comparison.

This dealer [and most in our area] have lots of inventory but very few of anything I'd be interested in - row upon row of Pkg1 and Pkg 2 five cyl cars that they can't sell because the prices are [what a shock] too bloody high. I want a base TDI with the DSG and nothing else; there appear to be maybe 4 of these cars within 1000 miles of us right now [Portland OR area]. VWoA has, as usual, misjudged what the market seems to really want and how much it wants to pay - anything with an MSRP under 23k is moving, and everything over that isn't.

I also plan to try a Prius and an Audi A3, both of which are higher-priced but with some benefits with the extra $ - nice functionality [hatchback configuration], better dealer in the case of the Audi, paid maintenance - you get something for the extra money.

What I really want from VW, the good people in NJ seem uninterested in giving me: a diesel Golf Plus. The dealers are really unhappy about the delays in the Golf rollout, but that's another story, and even when the new Golf is here, the Golf Plus probably won't be part of the mix - we get another stupid crossover instead.

Anyway, the Jetta was a pleasant, mildly unexpected surprise. More test driving to do...

allhorizon

Apparently, Jetta sales are increasing:
9127 for June, up 15% from last year. And that is still without the GLI.

Also eagerly waiting for the Golf/GTI, here. If I feel rich, I may get the A3 before then, but what is an Audi w/o quattro? (nose-heavy gas-guzzling 3.2 doesn't count).

fish8

I didn't think the new '06 TDi were out yet...

jrct9454

A5 TDIs are available at just about all dealerships, but in very limited numbers. Most are Pkg 1 cars, which hold no interest to me, and DSG cars are even more scarce. But no, you don't have to wait for the '06s to get a diesel in the new body.

One presumes [and I hope] that availability of the diesel with the DSG automatic improves as the summer wears on. I don't know when production officially switches to the '06 model year, but when they do, alloy wheels are apparently going to become standard on the base car.

[List of changes for '06 here...]

http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cfm/newsid/2050628.001/volkswagen/1.html

alpha01

Thats a misleading number. According to a very knowledgeable source on the Jetta thread (regular, not the '06 thread in the Future Vehicles section), here is the break down:

"They did at least apparently did sell slightly more of the new Jetta in June 2005 than they sold of the old one in June 2004 (8007 vs. 7912). In addition to the 8007, they also sold 1120 leftover old Jettas in June 2005."

So, the new version sold a whopping 95 units more than the old version in the same period of last year. Is that supposed to be impressive when comparing a redesign to vehicle in its last of SIX model years? TDI and GLI available or not, the true comparison point is NOWHERE near 15% better than the previous version, at this point.

~alpha

allhorizon

Thats a misleading number...

Not misleading to me. I never said or would think, this early in the model year, that the ones sold were all the new model. I also did not say it was impressive. It may be called impressive given the current sales slump most models and manufacturers are experiencing, and given VW's "reliability" image problem. It is, I think, good news to people who like VWs in general (and maybe not the Jetta in particular), because the Jetta is so important to American sales of VWs (while, unfortunately, American sales have not been or have not been made important to VW). So, some reasonable sales numbers, or a boost in sales, may mean more models available, or at least may mean a continuation of VW presence in the US, which is a good thing both for fans and for competition.

jrct9454

...but the inventory numbers at our local dealers tell the story - this car is moving only when the price is right, and that means roughly $22-23k or less. The P1 and P2 cars, regardless of drivetrain, are sitting, gathering dust. The VE and diesels [too scarce yet for any real impact], and base 2.5s, don't stick around long.

Good car, "ambitious pricing" as Car & Driver put it.

Last month was a roaring fire in the car business, thanks to GM's kick-start; the fact that VW didn't participate much is a testament to VWoA's flawed strategy for model mix and pricing.

nippononly

in '06, when the alloys at least will be standard. But it is still a mistake to put a moonroof in an expensive package, rather than making it a stand-alone option. The Audi A3 has the "sky view system" as a stand-alone, so how come VW can't do the same with the Jetta?

And of course, the standard auto climate control will disappear for regular 2.5s, right?

And these days, no car in the $22-24K sticker class can have only 150 hp, let alone from an unenthusiastic 5-cyl engine like this one. Now, put the 2.0T in all the cars except the VEs, and THEN you would be talking.

birdboy

Why are'nt fog lights available on the new 06 Jetta or passats. I use mine frequently on my 02 passat.

Thanks

dewey

The car, competing in an increasingly crowded segment of compact sedans marketed to young parents, was outfitted with a five-cylinder engine developed specifically for the North American market to offer both acceleration and fuel economy.

What genius in Wolfsburg decided that the Jetta in our continent should be designed for young parents? If you design a car for a pretty dull market segment, dont you think you will end up with a dull car? No offense intended to young parents, in fact I am a semi-young parent myself(ok I confess I am middle aged)--but why target a Jetta to a group that is most suitable for a mini-van?

fish8

Just wanted to share what I read recently in a newspaper article about the new '06 Jetta. The head of VW of America stated that the new Jetta has been "disasterous" as far as reliability goes. They apparently are having problems with the plant in Mexico....again. Things never change I guess.