2019 Volkswagen Jetta Revealed

The seventh-gen Jetta is based on VW’s MQB platform and packs plenty of additional features  

Volkswagen took the wraps off the new Jetta at the 2018 North American International Auto Show a.k.a Detroit Motor Show. The new Jetta, now in its seventh generation, will go on sale in the coming months in North America. Here’s what the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta packs. 

New platform: MQB 

The sixth-gen Jetta was one of the last relatively affordable cars from Volkswagen that was not underpinned by the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform that made its debut with the current Audi A3. The seventh-gen has now finally switched to the MQB, which it shares with cars such as the Skoda Octavia, Superb, VW Passat and VW Tiguan, among others. As a result, the new Jetta has grown considerably in almost every direction. In fact, it is just 65mm shy of the current Passat in terms of length.

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Dimensions

• Length: 4.702mm (+43mm)
• Width: 1,799mm (+21mm)
• Height: 1,459mm (+6mm)
• Wheelbase: 2,686mm (+35mm) 
• Boot Capacity: 510-litres (unchanged)

New design and features

The Jetta has adopted Volkswagen’s latest design direction for sedans, resembling the Vitrus (second-gen Vento), which was revealed in November 2017.

Pictured: Volkswagen Virtus 

While it does look like a grown up Virtus, the swooping coupe-like roofline in both the Virtus and Jetta is inspired by Volkswagen’s flagship sedan, the Arteon. Nevertheless, the new Jetta still looks unmistakably a Volkswagen with clean and typical VW design language. 

Pictured: Volkswagen Arteon 

The new Jetta features full-LED headlamps at the front and a larger grille than the previous model. However, we feel that the new grille is a bit bland and is nowhere close to the Arteon’s expressive grille design.

Pictured: Volkswagen Arteon 

Volkswagen has, on the other hand, taken a completely different route with the Virtus’ front grille, which is sleeker compared to the new Jetta’s. Though it is purely subjective, Volkswagen could have added a sleeker grille in the Jetta like the one in the Virtus or could have taken inspiration from the Arteon's. 

It is the same story at the rear as before: mimicking sedans from Audi. The wraparound tail lamps are pointed inward and feature a licence plate between them just like the previous model. The coupe-like roofline imparts a new character to the seventh-gen model compared to the sixth-gen and so does the integrated lip spoiler. 

The Jetta’s new dashboard looks inspired from the Virtus and the new Polo. It gets VW’s second-generation Active Info Display and an all-digital 10.2-inch instrument cluster that made its debut in the new sixth-gen Polo in 2017.

Adjacent to the digital instrument cluster is a large driver-centric touchscreen infotainment unit, same as the Polo/Virtus. In terms of features it offers 10-colour ambient lighting system, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, power driver’s seat with memory functionality and 400-watt Beats audio system

Engine and transmission

The US-spec model will be powered by VW’s 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine, same as before. The engine puts out 150PS of max power and 250Nm of peak torque. It comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, while a new 8-speed DSG automatic (dual-clutch) is optional. The 1.4-litre TSI turbo petrol was also available with the previous-gen Jetta in India. If the automaker plans to reintroduce the sedan in the country, expect the 1.4-litre TSI along with VW’s staple 2.0-litre diesel engine.

Indian market introduction? 

The Jetta was discontinued from the Indian market in 2017 and the segment it belongs to isn’t doing particularly well here. Volkswagen’s plans of not launching the Jetta in a key right-hand drive market like Europe further weakens the case for Volkswagen to bring the newer version to India.

Pictured: Previous-gen Jetta 

If VW ever plans to relaunch the new Jetta in India, it will be probably around late 2019 or 2020, and via the same CKD route (completely knocked down). In fact, the current Passat also took a couple of years to land in India post its international debut. Meanwhile, VW would be busy strategising the replacement models of the Polo and the Vento. 

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