VW Jetta 1.4 TSi The Eco-Jet

The VW Jetta will soon be adding a Petrol variant to the already existing Diesel version. The Jetta Diesel was the only option available to buyers but not any longer, the VW Jetta 1.4TSi Petrol is here. We drive the yet to be launched sedan from VW exclusively for you and find out the real reason for VW to introduce a petrol engined Jetta in today’s ever rising petrol prices.

The VW Jetta Diesel was launched last year and has sold in good numbers so far. You would ask yourself why launch a Petrol version of the Jetta when the petrol prices are rising on weekly and monthly basis, well the reason No1 being that there may soon be a Diesel Car tax introduced on all diesel cars , reason No2 the VW Jetta comes armed with an super-efficient 1.4 TSi engine that can easily put a few mid segment sedans to shame in terms of fuel efficiency and performance figure. Read our review of the VW Jetta TDi Diesel here

Exteriors

The basic design and the appearance of the VW Jetta TSi Petrol remains the same as the Jetta TDi Diesel. The VW Jetta TSi stands at 4644mm in length, 1122mm in width and 889mm in height. The wheelbase and ground clearance too remains unchanged. The basic design of the VW Jetta is pleasing to the eye and is loaded with elegance and comes with tons of unmistaken German build quality. The paint quality is superior as compared to its competitors. We had said this during our Jetta TDi Diesel review and can’t stop ourselves to say it yet again that the Jetta has a striking resemblance to the Audi A4 when seen from the rear or rear 3 quarter profile.

The chrome package is also seen on the Jetta TSi which includes the front grill, lower front bumpers in the air dam area and the window sills. The new VW face with smooth flowing lines make the VW Jetta look a class apart. The VW Jetta TSi drives on Goodyear Eagle NCT5 tyres with spec of 205/55 R16. The only difference that one can spot on the outside between the Jetta Tdi and the Jetta TSi is the TSi monogram on the boot-lid while the diesel has the TDi emblem stuck out.

Interiors – Cabin – Equipment Level

The interiors of the VW Jetta TSi remain the same as the Diesel counterpart. Leather upholstery and roof lining in light beige shade makes the cabin look larger and airy. Wood inserts on the dashboard and on the door pads enhances the rich feel in the cabin. The dash is made of the special plastic material which feels soft when pressed with fingers, typical VW quality.

The instrumentation is clear and well-spaced out on the console with red needles and red backlight theme in use all around the cabin. The short throw 6 speed gear changer feels just in the right position and helps in quick gear shifting.

Drivers and front passenger seats are manually adjustable for height, tilt and lumbar while electric seats are left out. The three spoke steering is leather clad and comes with all the multi-function buttons mounted on it to run through the MFD (multi-function display) and music. You also get a single zone climate control and an AC vent for the rear passengers mounted between the front seats. USB and AUX connectivity are also standard along with the music system that hits out good audible sound. The touch screen audio system is left out of the package and in turn is a less graphical single CD/MP3 radio unit.

Storage bins and bottle/can holders are spread around the entire cabin along with a neat armrest storage compartment. The front seats are very supportive offering a good comfortable feel when seated. The rear seats can seat three adults abreast and two people when you open the centre foldable armrest. Cabin space is good with lots of leg room and headroom all around.

Auto dimming centre and wing mirrors which are also electrically adjustable and auto folding are a part of the equipment. Like on the outside the chrome package also finds good place in the cabin, the gear stalk surrounds, AC vents, steering inserts, all the dials for the climate control and audio system gain from the chrome lining making things look more attractive. The VW Jetta being a product of true to the German engineering and workmanship oozes of top quality materials and build quality all around. The cabin is pin drop silent and once you shut the doors and close the window glass you can hear nothing from the outside world very easily.

Engine – Transmission – Suspension

The VW Jetta TSi we reviewing is mainly because of the new Petrol engine that is claimed to be super-efficient and powerful, let’s find out the reality. The VW Jetta TSi is powered by a 1.4liter (1390cc) turbo charged, direct injection petrol engine that hits out a very healthy 122bhp and produces a generous 200Nm of torque. This TSi petrol engine is mated to a six speed manual transmission.

The unique USP of the 1.4 TSi engine is its low end power delivery and high fuel efficiency combined with good drivability. If we had not sneaked a peek at the specification sheet of the 1.4TSi engine we would have never realized that this is a 1390cc capacity engine the reason being the drive feel and power available at hands makes you feel you driving a much larger capacity engine car. The pull at low end speeds and city crawling style is very much diesel like with abundant supply of torque at hand at all times.

The muscularity and the economy of this 1.4 TSi unit is very much like the oil-burner about it but the upper extremities of the rev range have plenty to offer. You can rev the engine in any gear to the 7k RPM mark and the engine does not complain a bit. On the contrary you can shift to the 6th gear at speeds of as low as 50-55kmph and the Jetta TSi chugs ahead is linear style without missing a beat.

This is a highly refined engine which is ever ready to be revved hard. The difference between the TSi engine and a normal CRDI Diesel engine is that the power delivery on this the TSi unit is more linear fashioned and refined and unlike the sudden burst of power on the Diesels.

The short throw gear shift feels sporty while shifting and the gear ratios are tuned more for city and traffic driving conditions. The steering feels light and the feedback is good overall. The driving abilities on the VW Jetta TSi are improved mainly due to the weight loss because of the lighter Petrol engine coming in place of the heavier Diesel unit. Touching speeds of 185kmph during our run was very easy (0kmph to 100kmph in 11secs) and the quick initial pick up will never let you realize that the engine under the hood is a small 1.4liter unit.

The refinement of this 1.4 TSi engine is high and is more tuned for economy, city driving than out right performance. The ride quality on the VW Jetta TSi is extremely comfortable with the India spec suspension being tuned perfectly for the rough roads that we drive on. The road mannerism of the VW Jetta is high quality and the car feels safe and secure at all speeds. The suspension is tuned on the stiffer side but that makes the handling and drive a lot sportier.

The ride quality is perfect and you often forget that the car you driving is a mere 1.4liter engine car. Also bear in mind that the VW Jetta 1.4TS would be competing with bigger engine cars but the main USP here is a mixed bag of fuel economy and performance all in one. On our short run we managed to get the best fuel economy of 14kmpl and a worst of 10.5kmpl which should speak a lot of what this engine is capable of in true sense.

Verdict

The VW Jetta 1.4 TSi is a good overall package for someone who wants the refinement of a petrol engine and fuel efficiency of a diesel and the bulletproof build quality of a German car all in one. The W Jetta 1.4 TSi would be available only in the base Trendline and the Comfortline that we tested; the top end Highline variant won’t be available on the 1.4TSi spec.

The prices for the VW Jetta 1.4TSi are not out yet but we expect it to be priced at least 1 to 1.5lakh lower than the diesel counterpart making it a good deal at the end of the day considering what it has to offer. The VW Jetta 1.4TSi is a clever package and makes a lot of sense to buy.

Competition Check

The VW Jetta 1.4 TSi competes with the likes of the Skoda Laura RS , Honda Civic , Toyota Corolla Altis , Maruti Suzuki Kizashi which are all petrol sedans in the segment.