Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta 2.0L TDI DSG Review

The once popular D-Segment of cars, which were a symbol of more power, more features and more luxury, lost its importance with the advance of feature rich less expensive offerings sitting at a segment below. The regular batch changed their preference giving larger weightage to convenience and of course lucrative pricing of such smaller cars but is it fair to think of them as a suitable replacement?

The new Jetta is surely not as it is better than before. It features sharper lines on the outside and a dash of luxury add-ons inside. But the real deal lies inside the hood where the 2.0L TDI engine sits. We take a deeper look at this new offering. 

This is the second time that Volkswagen has updated the second gen Jetta as the first one happened in 2013. The new version too doesn’t get loads of changes but minor tweaks to make the Jetta sold in India resemble its international counterparts with a furthermore sleek design than before.

To make sure the New Jetta looks wider, VW has altered the previous grille and made way for a new triple slat chrome embellished version. This gives a broader front car stance with a neat display. The headlight outline is narrower as it sits at the extreme corner, also acting collinear with the new grille. It features day time running LEDs arranged in an array running along the border of the headlights. The front bumper gets a revised fog lamp positioning.

The length of the new car remains same as there aren’t any significant changes done to the side profile. The five-spoke alloy wheels surely drop in a hint of performance which gels well with its elegant stance. The rear boot lid has been retouched with a new lip which integrates a spoiler in it. The tail lamps too have got an update with more detailing inside the assembly. Also to make the car appear wider, the lines and creases have been removed from the rear bumper.

The interiors of the new Jetta too feel understated as Volkswagen doesn’t believe in jazzing it up. Instead, the strong built quality paired with the sophistication leave a positive impression.

Firstly, it borrows the same flat bottom steering wheel as seen on the recently updated Polo and Vento series of cars. It features controls to access the multi information display on the instrumental console as well as buttons to operate the central infotainment screen. The MFD inside the chrome rimmed cluster has been updated as it now shows cleaner and crisper display. The addition of fatigue alert, which computes between the different inputs given to the steering wheel, cautions the driver with the help of a subtle chime.

The front dashboard also gets a faux wooden strip running along its width as well as on the door trims. It might not appear in sync with the understated style but then its presence grows on you, which also remains to be a subjective choice. The contrasting colour combination of beige and ebony looks interesting especially as it is complimented by the silvers and greys of the button along with the tree bark themed brown strip on the trims.

The Trendline variant misses out on a whole lot of equipment which comes as a standard on the Highline variant. Most importantly, it gets a central touchscreen unit with 8 Speakers while the Trendline variant gets a more basic system and 4 speakers. Also, the Highline variant gets dual zone air conditioning. One sore point remains the absence of navigation system.

The rear passenger space is comfortable with well cushioned seats and adequate support. The driver’s seat feels more equipped with electrical adjustments while the front passenger is left to adjust his seat with the help of a mechanical lever. The rear central armrest gets twin cup holders and a litre class storage option on door trims. The new Jetta also gets a generous boot space of 510L

The 2.0L TDI powering the new Jetta is a power unit as it has a unique mix of efficiency and performance. It is unlike any other engine in this segment and is a strong contender to be the best in the segment. It is also used in varied configurations across the range from VW stable.

The 1968cc four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine makes 140 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque. It is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission gearbox and an optional 6-Speed DSG unit on the highline variant. The smaller displacement petrol variants are offered with a manual transmission only.

In terms of performance, almost all VW cars rule the game and therefore we did expect the Jetta to impress us with its performance. The torquey diesel motor offers its peak across a wide range of engine speed starting from as low as 1750 rpm. It definitely comes in handy on highways especially at tricky situations which demand an urgent surge but then it also is useful inside the city where the engine is strained to perform at low speeds.

It offers three driving modes. The automatic is the best inside the city as it is quick to sense the throttle response and immediately upshift or downshift as and when necessary. Then there is the manual mode, which is more for the spirited and adventurous kinds. Using the well tucked shifter paddles behind the steering wheel, the shifting pattern totally depends on the driver. This is the most enjoyable mode as the DSG is extremely quick and precise to shift gears. Even the engine speed alters quickly to reduce the intermittent lag.

Ride and handling continues to be a forte as the suspension settings haven’t been changed. It does feel a bit heavy around corners especially if you enter at a higher speed but then it still manages to hold on to the tarmac giving enough confidence to be pushed further. In addition, the Electronic Stability Control along with Anti slip regulation (ASR) and Electronic differential Lock (EDL) make sure the vehicle remains in control. It also manages to absorb all the disturbances from the tarmac and isolate the cabin from them.

The new facelift does not make it a new car but even then the Jetta has been one of the best in the segment. No other car in this price range offers such an impressive ride and handling. It is only in terms of features, where the Jetta falls back. If one can manage to overlook it, this is indeed one impressive luxury sedan.