The simpler Jetta
This Mexican-designed Volkswagen model cast was significantly larger
In its quest for world domination — which was its ambition until the scandal broke two weeks ago — Volkswagen Group had to think like Walmart and take costs out of the next-generation Jetta to give it a seductively low sticker price.
So while every all-new-for-2011 Jetta originated in the same low-cost Mexican plant, the cars earmarked for North American consumption were significantly de-contented compared to those bound for Europe.
American Jettas got a simpler, cheaper torsion-beam rear suspension in place of the European-market multi-link rear axle, and they made do with traditional hydraulic steering, while European drivers got more expensive electrically assisted steering gear.
The North American base model also used inexpensive hard plastics inside, simpler instrumentation and a four-cylinder engine that carbondated back to the Nixon administration.
Configuration The sixth-generation Jetta was primarily designed by Volkswagen Mexico under the supervision of the German headquarters. Unlike previous generations that resembled a Golf/Rabbit with a trunk grafted on, the new Jetta was cast significantly larger with a cohesive profile that looked more Audi-esque than bunny-like.
Dimensionally, the Jetta grew about seven centimetres in overall length, almost all of that assigned to enhance rear legroom. While physically larger, the redesign removed 45 kilograms from the curb weight — always a good thing.
Revered for its plush furnishings, Volkswagen had to abandon the soft, high-quality plastics inside and the handy centre armrest. However, the cabin still looked modern and attractive, and habitual Jetta buyers revelled in the new-found space. The trunk, as always, was airport-limousine huge.
To save development costs, the loss-leader entry model used the same eight-valve 115-horsepower, 2.0-litre four-cylinder that powered the third-generation Jetta in 1993.
More money bought the familiar 170-hp, 2.5-L in-line five-cylinder motor that is essentially one-half of Lamborghini’s 5.0-litre V10. It made an un-Lambo-like 170 hp and 177 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were available with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
The Jetta TDI featured VW’s common-rail Clean Diesel 2.0-L turbodiesel four that produced 140 hp and a stump-pulling 236 lb-ft of torque. It worked with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or VW’s optional six-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The 2012 model year ushered the return of the performance-oriented Jetta GLI, which not only used the GTI’s vaunted 200-hp, 2.0-L turbocharged gasoline engine, but also the European model’s multi-link independent rear suspension and other sporty tweaks.
In addition to the fuel-saving TDI engine, VW felt compelled to bring to market a gas-electric hybrid version for 2013. It sandwiched a 27-hp electric motor between the Hybrid’s new DOHC 1.4-L turbocharged four-cylinder and the seven-speed automatic transmission, yielding an especially spirited gas-saver.
For 2014, VW swapped out the oddball 2.5-L in-line five-banger for a new 1.8-L turbocharged four-cylinder that cranked out 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. And more of the European-model features migrated to all North American Jettas, including the independent rear suspension.
Driving and owning the Jetta In the European tradition, Volkswagen offered a number of powertrains to its customers, so performance varied by engine. The ancient 115-hp motor pulled the base model to 97 km/h in an anemic 11 seconds flat (and that’s with the stick shift).
The popular 2.5 did the deed in a reasonable 8.2 seconds. TDI fans saw their turbodiesel duplicate that number. The 2013 Hybrid was faster, taking just 7.9 seconds. Quickest of the litter was the gas turbo GLI, which took 6.8 seconds to 97 km/h, a touch slower than the previous-generation model.
Despite the need to remove costly suspension bits from the Jetta, German driving dynamics remained inherent to the car. The hydraulic steering provided some immediacy off-centre, and its directness inspired driver confidence. Ride qual- ity, although characterized as cushy, fell to the sporty side of soft, with restrained body motions and minimal roll in the German tradition.
Like horsepower, fuel economy ran the gamut from a little thirsty (the 2.5 five-cylinder leans closer to a V6 than a thrifty four) to spectacularly efficient in the TDI and Hybrid. Note that the turbo gasoline engines demand pricey premium grade fuel.
So what’s not to like? Despite Volkswagen’s advances in powertrain technology — that included the fastacting, dual-clutch automated manual transmission — some old VW mechanical bugaboos continued to crop up in the newest Jetta.
TDI owners have been plagued by high pressure fuel-pump failures, which sees the pump grinding itself to smithereens and contaminating the fuel system.
Engine restoration runs in the thousands of dollars. Other TDI faults include failed fuel injectors, bad fuel pressure sensors, broken turbochargers, intercooler icing and clogged particulate filters — and that’s on top of the emissions-test defeat device everyone’s talking about.
Engine coils may fail prematurely in gasoline models, sometimes cutting out on the highway at speed and stalling the vehicle. High oil consumption is an issue with the 2.0T turbo gasoline engine; owners have reported adding a litre as often as every 1,000 km.
Other reported weaknesses in the Jetta include short-lived air conditioners, lousy radios, broken horns and power-lock actuators, wonky electrical components, sagging door seals and trunk lids that open on their own.
Carcomplaints.com gave the 2011 Jetta its “Beware of the Clunker” seal of disapproval. Tell us about your ownership experience with these models: Hyundai Equus and Jeep Patriot. Email: mtoljagic@ca.inter.net.