2005 Volkswagen Jetta : A blast to drive!

A few weeks ago, I read in the local city advertising paper that the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta is 1/2 the car of one of their high end sports cars - the Lambo Gallardo. I believe he mentioned the fact that VW owns Lamborghini, and that that car has a 5.0 L V10. Compare that with this Jetta that I test drove, a 2.5 L 5-cylinder. So I asked the sale guyjokingly if the Jetta is half the car that the Gallardo makes itself out to be.

Since that's out in the open,I'll start with some talk about the engine and fuel economy. Now, being a 2.5 Litre, you know that this car isn't going to be the most fuel efficient ever, considering it's 50% larger than a 1.7L Civic or 1.6L Hyundai Accent. Having said that, it really isn't all that bad. The numbers compare well to the 2.5L engine found in the Subaru Impreza(23/30mpg), with the Jetta being approx 22/30 mpg city/highway respectively. So you really have to be prepared going in to possibly only get somewhere around 200-250 miles per tank for city driving. But,if you're reading this review, and you're interested in this car, you might not be that worried about the gas prices. Heck, for the same price as a base Jetta, you can get a brand new Prius.

As far as the transmission is concerned, I test drove a 5-speed manual transmission. I have absolutely no complaints with it. It was smooth as silk, and responded beautifully to my every shift. When I downshifted prematurely to slow the car down, it didn't like that, and the engine rumble was enough to remind me that I should use the brakes more often(especially in my own tiptronic). I wouldn't describe the Jetta's manual tranny as a short-shift job, but it's not far from it. If you want to go from one gear to the next quickly, it's extremely receptive in that sense. The tranny never felt reluctant or loath to any of the driving it was put through, even when the sales guy was trying to show off(really,guys...save it for the highway. City streets and parking lots are for Civics and old Tercels =) )

Speaking of reluctance - or lack thereof - I was pleasantly surprised by how submissive the engine was. It catered to my every need. When I took it easy on the car, keeping my speed under 30 miles(50 KM), it was extremely smooth and quiet. When I really strung the engine and the tranny out, I could tell it was working hard, although the engine was not loud at all. It's loud enough that an enthusiast can pick it out from your usual city noise, and will enjoy the ride that much more because of it. Merging onto the highway will never be a problem. 150 horses may not sound like a lot, and it really isn't(unless you're talking about the Mazda 3) ;). However, there is plenty of torque available at all RPMs - the car never hesitated for a moment during the test drive. The Jetta felt every bit as eager and powerful as the Impreza 2.5 that I drove a month or two back. I'm impressed by VW, and feel that they really learned their lesson with the old Jetta. To put it nicely, at 2 Litres and 115HP, it was a real slacker. Even when you stepped on it, the car didn't feel zippy or willing to cater to your demand for power. Although the upgrade in the Jetta's base engine might cost a few thousand more for MSRP, potential buyers will already be spending enough coin that a thousand or two more won't make much of a difference. The brakes in this car were excellent, thanks in part to the ABS. I only felt it kick in once or twice, but it was enough that I knew it was there. I think the ASR traction control also had something to do with it - the Jetta really tore up the curves, and quick U-turns were handled without a problem. In fact, the Jetta has some great standard features that other cars don't have.

Take for example their neat little side-turn markers integrated into the rear-view mirrors on both sides of the car. True, it does look like they cheaped out on it - the Acura TSX's indicators on the rear-view mirrors are much more upscale looking - but at least the idea is there. As long as it's visible from outside the car, I have no qualms with it. Air conditioning comes standard with this car, as you might expect. That's always good. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe some other cars in this price range - such as the Mazda 6, Subaru or base Accord - come standard with air conditioning. They always try to get you with option packages that eventually end up costing too much. The sales guy explained to me that the air conditioning is almost always on. Of course there's a button to switch it off, but press that same button and you'll turn on the recirculation mode. Integrated into the air conditioning system is a neat little feature that can cool the glove-box if need be. You just lightly turn one of the air vents in the middle of the centre console, and some air is redirected there. So if you like carrying around a bottle of water or pop, there you go! One thing I noticed was that the cup holders in the centre console were very small. Don't go upsizing your Mcdrink if you buy the Jetta. Truly one of the best standard features of the Jetta is the standard front heated seats with one power adjustment - the rest of the controls for moving the seat up or down,etc. are manual. The heated seats might only come standard here in Canada - it has known to get quite cold in winters - fortunately, Vancouver is largely immune to the cold,flaky stuff. Although if you ever get a chance, I hear Whistler is "the bomb".

Besides the few neat gadgets(I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface), you'll also find power everything inside the Jetta. Of course, for the money you're paying, VW would be crazy not to have power mirrors, windows and locks. Cruise control is also something that's always nice to have if you're going to be doing a lot of highway driving, and the Jetta has this feature even on their optionless base models. I didn't get a chance to look at the inside of the car at night, but from the brochure, it appears to be quite plain looking. To me, as visible as the dash is, it doesn't inspire excitement or intrigue. It seems like they couldn't make up their mind between making it look fancy shmancy and hip. The centre console looks a wee bit cluttered - a problem I seem to have with many of these compacts. The dials for the HVAC are nicely laid out, with three side by side below everything else. But the buttons to control the audio system(if my eyes don't deceive me) are too closely placed together - there's even separate buttons to tune the fader, balance, treble, etc. Honestly, I like it much better the way they've done it in the Mazda 3 - press the "edit" button, and you can scroll through each option, changing it as you see fit. Why clutter up the middle of the car. Overall this detracts from my opinion of the car, but not the engine.

The seats were comfortable enough. It's difficult to get a sense of how well they'll wear over time. One might also anticipate problems with the heated seats or electrical systems, given VW's history. I'm not saying they don't make good cars, but the number of lemons per hundred vehicles shipped out is still higher than that of say Mazda or Honda. Volkswagen has largely done away with much of the "German" feel of the car - at least to my eyes. From the inside, the old model Jetta's dials and overall feel inside seemed unique, and very similar to that of the BMW. While I felt it was an upgrade over my old Civic, it just didn't feel like luxury to me. At the same time, I didn't get excited by it either. In contrast, the 3's interior when I first saw it made me do backflips. A year down the road now, while I'm not breaking my back with excitement, I still appreciate how nice and sporty it looks. Speaking of negative things to say about the new Jetta, I must point out that some of the dials and buttons they used - especially for the radio/CD player felt and look cheap. The car I drove back-to-back with the Jetta, the Kia Spectra, had several buttons that not were not only soothing to the touch, but also had a nice appearance to them. The same can't be said for some of the Jetta's controls. I especially dislike the steering-wheel controls. You have to see them to believe it. Small, ugly little black buttons. The car I test drove had 2 or 3 little buttons with pictures of a telephone on it. I inquired, and found out that this option is not offered in Canada. SO WHY is it in the car? If they're going to cater to different audiences(differences in certain controls, features, etc. such as the heated seats), why not built specific cars for designated countries, as Mazda does it? Although, as I say that, something at the back of my mind makes me mention the fact that the 3 does have a little space for a dial or knob of some sort at the bottom of the centre console which is missing...so it's not perfect.

It's not perfect, but I'm going to be a rebel and say I actually like the new design. From the front, you can tell it's still a Jetta. From the front-side, it appears as though VW has added some style to the car - something the 2000-2005 lacked. Yes, VW probably stole some of the workers from Toyota's factory when the good old Corolla Car Co. wasn't looking. And goodness knows how VW will get away with such a "unique" design. I for one hope Toyota sues them. VW must be infringing upon some copyright or other. If anything, the overall design is an improvement. I like the way the grille shines in the sunlight, blinding everyone in front of it. In a way, it says you've arrived. If I heard right, Xenons or HIDS are an option with this car, or come with one of the higher trim levels.

In terms of safety, VW has gone above and beyond the call of duty. The doors are heavy,and close with a pleasing click. If you're a bookworm, you might struggle to close them. Bodybuilders need not worry. Four airbags are standard, and side-curtains are available as an option. I believe I was quoted $250 for the curtains - very reasonable for one's piece of mind, and less than 1% of the car's MSRP - nicely done. That's not to say you'll be safer in this car as opposed to a Volvo S40. I'd take the V any day of the week given their track record(although from my own personal research on the NHTSA's website, some of Volvo's cars do not have 5-star safety ratings in all tests. They just might not be as safe as the dealerships will have you believe. Yup, you'd never suspect that sometimes car dealers exaggerate the truth and twist your arm, while they're stealing your arms and legs during the sale.

So,what was the sales guy's answer? "You'd be surprised", he said..."you'd be surprised". I really am. It's certainly no Gallardo, but this car is plenty fast. For my needs : I'm someone who likes a bit of power now and then, but mostly sticks to the speed limits(thanks to the cops' speed traps) - this car would have more power than I could ask for. It never left me wanting more. Full throttle acceleration didn't seem to tax the engine as much as it did in the RSX or the Spectra, and it provided a much smoother, quieter ride. The only real thing standing in potential buyers' eyes is the MSRP. Let's face it : the new Jetta is ridiculously expensive. As such, my advice would be to test drive EVERYTHING else available. If you still feel that the Jetta is the one, wait for a good rate, and lease it first. Just remember : the MSRP is always negotiable. Negotiate the MSRP down, and you'll get a lower monthly lease payments. It's as simple as that. If you find over a few years that the car is reliable, as fuel efficient as VW will have you believe and as fun to drive, buy it at that time. Return it to the dealer and after a week or two, go back and haggle the heck out of them.