VW’s 2015 Jetta comes with a jolt
German duo: A Volkswagen sedan and hatchback, sporting two vastly different turbocharged engines, go head to head.
This week: 2015 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T SE.
Price: $26,160 as tested. (The 1.8T SE started at $23,650, and added $995 for fog lights and $695 for the safety package.)
Marketer’s pitch: “More. With an extra helping of more.”
Conventional wisdom: Edmunds.com liked the “spacious interior and trunk; good fuel economy and performance from turbocharged engines and available Jetta Hybrid” but not the “weak, inefficient base engine; high price of hybrid and diesel-powered TDI; middling handling and steering capabilities; mediocre touchscreen displays.” Reality: Jetta with a jolt. What’s new: The Jetta — getting a little long in the tooth since its 2012 redesign — gets freshened styling and improved fuel efficiency for the 2015 model year, say the Volkswagen press materials.
On the road: The car handles like a Volkswagen, crisp and competent with just enough zing in the suspension to feel fun.
Up to speed: The Jetta 1.8T is fun enough to drive. The 170-horsepower 1.8-liter turbo is head and shoulders above the 115 horses pulling the standard 2.0-liter four and a little more than the 150 of the TDI.
Overall, though, the Jetta was a sprightly performer in straight lines and on curves, and plenty of fun.
D is for Dog?: I love the Volkswagen clutch for comfort and ease of use, but the German sedan I tested came with a six-speed automatic with Drive, Sport and Shift mode. At first Drive seemed a bit of a dog, but some extra accelerator pressure cleared that up.
A large-car feel: The ride felt smooth and refined, even on rough roads.
Inside: Despite the revamps midway through this sixth generation, the Jetta interior still is not much to write home about. The rectangular vents reside in a plain black vinyl dash. I’d expect something more interesting from Germany.
Outside: The refreshening hasn’t gussied up the exterior either. Jettarolla, as the other auto writers have said.
Fast feedback: The gauges are clear dials that are easy to read and informative. Driver’s Seat: The seats leave a bit to be desired. The contour is nice, but lack of thigh support can reduce back muscles to tears. The seat raises and lowers on an axis, which means Mr. Driver’s Seat can only tilt himself forward like he’s in a lift chair, not raise the whole seat up higher in a straight line. I suffered the lower back and shooting leg pains of sciatica the week I tested the car, which went away afterward.
Keeping warm or cold: Volkswagen heater controls remain among my favorite: Three simple dials for fan speed, temperature and location.
Play some tunes: Volkswagen’s intuitive radio controls don’t require a lot of touch-screen time.
A steady speed: The cruise control system is new and unimproved. What used to be a clear separate stalk has devolved into six buttons, including separate buttons to raise and lower the speed by ones or by fives.
Below, the volume control’s icons are not clear.
A look around: Visibility ranks among the best I’ve tested. Automakers are forgetting this key ingredient more and more nowadays.
Night shift: Lighting inside is good — outside as well.
Friends and stuff: The rear seat is roomy — legroom, foot room and headroom are all superb. I did bonk my head on the way in, so watch those rear door frames.
The console bin is really tiny. A CD case seemed to smush inside it. But there’s a decent-sized tray in front of the shifter. The Jetta trunk can hold plenty, though, almost making the case against the hatchback Golf.
Fuel economy: The trip odometer keeps resetting itself, but I got some good numbers. One mostly highway trip hit 36 mpg. On other highway-heavy rides I averaged low 30s. Once around the country was high 20s, and a lot of stopand-go driving kept it in the low 20s. So overall, for a Volkswagen with a hot-rod engine, it achieved excellent mileage. And regular unleaded is fine.
Where it’s built: Puebla, Mexico.
How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the gasoline-powered versions will fall well below average in reliability.
Next week: 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI SEL.