New Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 CRDI Diesel

Volkswagen Jetta is a very important model for the German auto giant Volkswagen across Europe and America and it is one of the mainline model that they make. The Volkswagen Jetta has been around since 1979 when Volkswagen (VW) introduced it as Volkswagen Jetta A1 followed by the Volkswagen Jetta A2 in 1984, the Jetta A3 in 1992, Jetta A4 in 1998 and ultimately the Jetta A5 in 2005 which was later introduced in India in 2008 when VW entered the Indian market. Well nothing was wrong with the outgoing Jetta. The exiting model looked solid, it had good build and equipment levels, it comes in 1.6 Petrol and a 2.0 TDi engine but as the segment grew the Jetta began to feel the threat from the onslaught of its rivals like the Chevrolet Cruze. And here we have the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta  - the latest generation that’s currently also sold across America and in Europe. We drove the All New Volkswagen Jetta through some picturesque country roads and highways of Udaipur in Rajasthan to get to know it better, read on to know exactly what we found out on the All New VW Jetta.

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Exteriors

The New Volkswagen Jetta in its sixth generation has grown much larger than its predecessors. The New Volkswagen Jetta stands at 4644mm in length over the earlier Jetta that had a length of 4554mm making it 90mm longer. The width of the New VW Jetta is 1122mm that’s 35mm more than the earlier Jetta that had a width of 1087mm. The height of the New Jetta is lowered by 3mm and now stands at 889mm, similarly the roof line and the bonnet length is also larger now. The New Jetta has a wheelbase of 2633mm. Let us describe the new design of the Jetta.

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The front of the New Jetta is taken over by the VW family look; you have the Passat – Vento face on the New Jetta that’s familiar now. The Jetta’s front has the touch of aggressive coming from the sharp edged headlamps that now have the segment first Day Time Running Lights (DRL) and a integrated turn light along with the high and low beams.

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The center grill is the family affair where you have two strips in chrome running horizontally between the headlamps and a nice prominent VW logo in chrome sitting on the center here. The new Jetta as mentioned is an all new affair. A fresh looking front bumper comes in that has a black and body color scheme on it. The air dams run low and round fog lamps look catch on them. The bumper runs low and has a nice sharp lines flowing through it. The length of the new Jetta has gone up and so has the bonnet size which is now slightly longer but sleeker and a bit low in height giving a sporty look upfront.

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The New Jetta has a longish sleek looking front fender that has also gone slimmer as compared to the older one. The New Jetta runs on 205/55 R16 tyres with 10 5 double spoke Atlanta alloy wheels on this the top of the line Highline variant. The other two Comfortline (mid variant) and the Trendline (base variant) get the Navarra 16incher alloys with the same tyre profiles. An all new design wing mirror with integrated turn lights on them looks sleek and aerodynamic. These fresh looking wing mirrors are fully electric and also can be folded and unfolded electrically when driving through bad traffic or when parked. A clean waistline runs through from the front headlamp through the fender and the doors and mates with the tail lamp. The body colored door handles is also redesigned.

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The sides of the New Jetta look clean and give a very elegant feel to the side profile. The glass area is large and sleeker due to the new roofline and overall design. Moving to the rear, this is the best profile according to us on the All New Jetta, styling quos from the Audi (also from the VW Group) are very evident which a big compliment to the new Jetta is.

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This rear end of the New Volkswagen Jetta according to us is the best looking rear currently among its segment rivals. The Audi tail lamps have a very distinctive and classy look on them and are one of the strongest design elements that we liked on the New Jetta. The rear bumper hugs the rear of the Jetta and has a black unpainted area on it that’s on the lower part as that’s the region that gets abused and bruised a lot. A curved reflector is placed on both the sides along with the reverse parking sensors that run across the bumper. The rail lid gets the extended tail lamp and a pushed in rear number plate area along with a large VW logo in chrome in the center and new Jetta and 2.0 TDI written on either sides prominently. The rear glass panel is at a nice angle complimenting the sloping roofline. A fresh looking roof antenna resembles again like taken from an Audi, nice touch. What is missed is a Sun/Moon roof that we expected at least on the top of the line Highline version of the New Jetta, we are told that after a lot of research and study of the market VW engineers opted the Sun/Moon roof out of the Indian Jetta.

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Part aggressive, part elegant is what we can best describe the exteriors of the New Jetta, clean flowing lines, best in class rear end (boot and tail lamp) make the New Volkswagen Jetta looks very different from the current league of cars that it rivals in the segment. The fit and finish on the exteriors is unmistakably German and typical high quality marksmanship is very evident. The body panels are very well put together and have a very uniform weld lines and seen in High quality paint. The doors open and shut with a distinctive thud which shouts its German class and build quality. We have to also mention very good looking Atlanta alloys that heighten the sporty stance of the New Volkswagen Jetta.

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Interiors

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Step inside the New Volkswagen Jetta and first thing that you notice is the high quality of the cabin area. A two tone dash made of soft rubbery plastic in black and beige colored lower end looks fresh. A thick wood insert runs across the dash adds to the richness of the cabin. AC vents have a chrome lining around them. The AC vents can be opened and shut individually as and when needed. Clear instrumentation with all the needed tell-tale lights spread out. The RPM on the left and Speedo with a thin chrome lining on the right side are clean to view. There is a center Multi Function Display in the center of the dials that reads out all the important parameters as and when you toggle through the main menu. The steering is a three spoke affair that’s leather wrapped and has the multi control buttons on it for audio, Bluetooth and to control the MFD menu. This steering can be adjusted for height and reach manually. The steering on the New Volkswagen Jetta feels chunky to grip and the dash of chrome on it adds a bit of glitz. The center dash basically housed a single zone AC unit while we would have likes the New Volkswagen Jetta sporting a Climate control at least on the top end variant.

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The new Jetta Volkswagen Highline comes with an RCD 510 touch screen 6 CD changer – FM/MP3 unit and gets and 8 speaker audio output. There also are the much needed AUX and USB port on the center dash while an iPod connector is neatly tucked away in the glove box. The touch screen panel is easy to use and also doubles up as the reverse sensor warn screen while reversing. The gear shifter on the six-speed manual remains the same as its predecessor, good to grip with perfect shift actions. The six-speed DSG Automatic Jetta gets a nice short shifter with a dash of brushed metal strip on it. The seats have nice light beige leather upholstery on them.

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Drivers seat has a 12 way electric adjusted for reach, height etc while the front passenger seat can be adjusted manually for height reach and incline. The seat has ample under thigh support and its back is well contoured to give good comfort to the front occupants. There is a center armrest between the front seats which should have been moveable to adjust according to the drivers arm adjust. At the rear seating is for three passengers with three height adjustable headrests. There is also a foldable center armrest that can be used when seating two passengers at the rear. The rear comfort level on the seats is top notch with the seats perfectly in size with adequate under thigh and back support. The AC also lets out two vents between the front two seats for the rear passengers.

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The interiors of the New Volkswagen Jetta are well appointed with best in class fit finish and high quality of materials being used. The switches, door handles and knobs have a nice German click to them and feel long lasting. The increase in length on the New Volkswagen Jetta has automatically increased the in cabin space. Leg room and headroom along with shoulder room is at abundance on the front and at the rear seats. There are many thoughtful storage bins and can/bottle doors spread all across the cabin.

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Engine – Suspension – Drive

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The New Volkswagen Jetta gets the top of the line 2.0 Liter (1968cc) CRDI Diesel engine that makes 140PS @ 4200 RPM and has a max torque of 320Nm between 1750 -2500 RPM. The Jetta has two transmission options, a 6 speed manual and the famous DSG (Double Clutch) 6 speed automatic gearbox.

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VW claims a mileage figure of 19.33kmpl on the Manual and 16.96kmpl on the DSG Automatic Jetta as per ARAI testing.  Rest assured as this is a very powerful and fuel efficient engine that is also seen on the top end Automatic Skoda Laura as both belong to the same VW Group.

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We test drove the Manual Volkswagen Jetta initially and were surprised by its sheer acceleration and smooth shifts. The Manual Jetta easily touches the 100kmph mark in the 2nd gear in straight line. The shifts are very precise and smooth. Steering feels equally weighted with ample feedback and lively. We touched the 175kmph mark on the Manual and the Jetta was willing to do a lot more.

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On our way back we drove the 6 speed DSG Automatic version and were all smiles. This is a gem of a gear box that does duty on Audis and Skodas along with VW cars. The double clutch shift box is very intelligent with gear shifts going unnoticed with zero lag in between. There is more than enough power at all engine RPM on both the Auto and the Manual Jetta.

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The power is very linear and very nicely spread across the RPM. The New Jetta handles much better than its predecessor with very crisp and precise steering inputs. Body roll is absent or negligible even while cornering on the sharpest bends. The New Jetta deserves all the praises in the drive and handling department. A stiff suspension set up has been tuned on the Jetta that further enhances the ride quality and handling. ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) is standard across the three trim levels of the New Jetta that adds the icing on the cake making the Jetta the best handler in its segment.  The braking is taken all wheel disc with ABS with ASR and EDL. You also get an Hill hold function. The Jetta becomes the first car in its segment to get 8 airbags.

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Verdict

With the earlier Jetta, VW marked its entry into India and was hell bent to prove itself and its brand virtues, now with this the latest generation Jetta VW has gone many steps ahead. The good Jetta has just gone much better. The 2.0liter 140 PS CRDI engine is one of the best engines from the Volkswagen Group and mated to the six speed manual and six-speed DSG automatic gear box becomes a superb package.

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The earlier Volkswagen Jetta was a good European looker and the latest Jetta being a much more stylish and trendier car. Unmatched fit finish and superior ride quality are only a few virtues that the New Jetta has just acquired. With prices starting at 14.12lakhs Ex Delhi the competition to the likes of the Chevrolet Cruze, Renault Fluence, Skoda Laura and the Toyota Altis just got meaner with the New Volkswagen Jetta entering the ring.