One of the things I fell in love with the first time I drove a Jetta was the way it felt. It was a good combination of nimble and sporty with a poised german demeanor.
It was 2006 and I was still living in Colorado Springs at the time. I was interested in a pre-owned 2003 GLS. When we got to the test dive, I remember the sales consultant, Jennifer, asking, “are you ready for a real driving experience?”
I couldn’t wait.
What attracted me most to it was the sound of the turbo spooling as the engine took in a deep breath of mountain air. The effortless pull of the low-end torque as we ascended steep hills. The readily available power as we merged onto busy I-25. And the body stayed flat and stable as we powered through the curves. It was light and agile. All of which left a huge grin on my face.
The quality of the materials were not far from what I would see in BMW or Audi. It was a well-equipped European sedan for my tight budget.
In recent years, with volume leaders such as Honda and Toyota in the crosshairs, there was some cost cutting to make the starting price more competive. However, Volkswagen was very careful selecting quality materials for the points on the vehicle you touch everyday. Points like the shift knob, hand brake and steering wheel. However, journalists are quick to point out the use of hard plastics instead of the soft-touch vinyls. They claim the interior is “too bland.”
Well, VW executives were listening, and have addressed those issues for the mid-model refresh. And after spending a short time in one, I got a nostalgic feeling of the first time I drove a Jetta. I couldn’t help but think, “iiiiit’s baaaack.”
The interior maintains it’s minimalist layout, but the piano black trim with touches of chrome gives it a more upscale feel. The new multifunction display and steering wheel design ties it to the new Golf. The revised front bumper cover and radiator grille give the Jetta the appearance of a wider, more agressive stance. And the slight ducktail in the trunk lid and Audi-esque tail lights give it a sleeker look.
Volkswagen wasn’t just concerned with giving it a new look, there are also new safety and technology packages including a Lighting Package with interior ambient lighting, bi-xenon headlights with adaptive front lighting system and LED daytime running lights, upgraded multifunction display, and front fog lamps with static cornering lights available across all trim levels.
The S is still the base trim, but you no longer have to go up to the SE trim to get the comfort features you’re looking for. The S gives you the fuel efficient 2.0L four cylinder with 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic with tiptronic. There is a S with Technology now available, with a suite of features previously only found on SE and higher. These features include power adjustable, heated exterior side mirrors, multifunction steering wheel with audio and telephone controls, adjustable front center armrest with storage, rearview camera, bluetooth connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio with preview, Premium 8 touchscreen interface, KESSY “Go” – keyless access only (no push-button start/stop), cruise control and trip computer.
The SE is relatively unchanged. The awesome 1.8L TSI carries over, packing an additional 16 lb/ft of torque. Also the 16-inch “Sedona” alloy wheels are now standard. Otherwise, you can expect the MDI as standard, along with the RCD 310 with SiriusXM satellite radio with preview.
New for 2015 is the Sport Edition (the one I’m going to get). This will appeal to customers interested in the sportier look and feel of the GLI. It features a sport suspension (body lowered by approx. 15mm), 17-inch “Joda” alloy wheels (black with diamond-turned surface), a rear spoiler, and the Lighting Package with fog lights and taillight assembly with dark colored lens. The interior features leather-wrapped shift knob, hand-brake lever, and steering wheel, driver lumbar support, sports seats, heated front seats, rear view camera, RNS 315 navigation system with touchscreen radio and 6 speakers, Bluetooth and SiriusXM satellite radio with preview.
The SE with Connectivity gets the new 16-inch “Arlington” alloy wheels as standard. There is now a navigation package which adds the RNS 315 touchscreen navigation and KESSY – keyless access with push-button start/stop. There is also a new safety package with forward collision warning system, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, and an upgraded multifunction display.
The top of the line SEL features all of the above with 17-inch “Lancaster” alloy wheels, Climatronic dual-zone Automatic climate control with activated charcoal air filter and soft-touch dashboard.
Volkswagen has not announced the pricing of the 2015 Jetta, but Motor Trend reports it will range from $20,790 to $25,995. It should start arriving at dealerships late September. Hybrid and GLI models are expected later this year.
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