Volkswagen Jetta puts comfort systems in performance package
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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The tester sedan, top compact model in an economical line from Europe, commanded the driver's attention during an initial spin due to its energetic personality and the precise action of all mechanical parts.
Step on the accelerator and it zips through gears.
Cut the wheel and this one follows quickly through exacting turns, balancing on that thin line separating characteristics of oversteer and understeer.
Drop a wheel in a pothole and you'll feel the effect transfer through steering wheel to arms to driver's mind, but your body will barely mind as the suspension seems to dampen all bumps with independent controls at each corner.
Check out the interior arrangement and you'll find two firm bucket seats in front and a bench for three in back, with a load of perks for comfort, plus instruments and controls which behave like the car -- firm and precise.
Of course, exacting road manners are what you should expect from a touring sedan designed and built in that no-nonsense manner only the explicit Germans can effect.
What you don't expect from such a German vehicle is a price tag approaching the realm of reason.
But reasonable pricing has always been the centerpiece of cars which carry that familiar VW emblem of Volkswagen. The name itself -- translating as "people's car" -- seems to suggest as much.
In this case, the model is Jetta. Perhaps more than any other in VW's fleet, Jetta earns the people's car tag.
It provides a respectable amount of room for five adults to travel in comfort, contains a bona fide trunk and other storage spaces to stow all gear, offers a choice of engines which range from economical to exuberant, stocks a long list of standard convenience items, then still keeps a lid on the bottom line.
Just how affordable is it?
Base prices for the four Jetta trim levels extend from $14,675 to $21,100. Max out a top Jetta with V6 power and you'll still spend less than $24,000 and gain an asset no Asian import can match: German mechanical manners.
A week's worth of driving experience in the latest Jetta equipped with new safety systems and the V6 engine revealed this stunning value. It also felt so tight and precise and right that after my tests everything else on the road -- save ultra-expensive German touring sedans -- seemed loosy-goosy, flimsy and, well, not quite as right.
What makes Jetta feel so good?
Maybe it's the impressive mechanical mesh of all parts, the firmness of underpinnings for bucket seat bolsters, the quiet and efficient hum of its muscular engine, or the all-business attitude of Jetta's interior furnishings -- as a whole, it exudes an attitude of fine craftsmanship and automotive mastery.
To appreciate it, take one for a test drive.
Any of the models will do, but a personal choice would be Jetta GLX with souped-up power and sporty gear.
It lurches to action yet in a quiet and efficient manner, hangs ten around any tight turn you encounter and seems ever willing to push to the edge of performance.
Heart of Jetta GLX is the optional 2.8-liter V6 engine, which produces 172 hp and delivers the bulk of its torque at relatively low rpms.
Speed is electronically limited to 130 mph, well beyond legal barriers, but you can run up to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds.
This Jetta's slant toward speed and sport shows up with exterior modifications, such as its rear wing spoiler and power sunroof, and interior upgrades for sport bucket seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Also, it rolls on larger 15-inch wheels and drops the front independent suspension slightly to increase agility in sport maneuvers. New gas shocks and a performance-oriented stabilizer bar firm up the rock and roll, while an integrated traction control system checks wheel spin during rapid accelerations.
Prefer economy over action?
Then consider Jetta's new TDI. This is a Volkswagen which drinks diesel fuel but gets around that traditional diesel engine plague of washed-out performance by adding the novelty of turbo-charged induction.
The TDI only produces 90 hp but still can climb up to highway speed in short order. As a bonus on an autobahn it earns close to 50 miles per gallon of diesel fuel.
Jetta's model parade begins with the GL edition which stocks the naturally-aspirated 115 hp version of TDI's 4-in-line 2.0-liter plant.
A nice manual 5-speed stick shifter comes with base Jetta, but an automatic 4-speed is offered optionally for $875, which must be added to the list price of $14,670.
Although it's the entry edition, Jetta's GL is anything but basic in content.
The list of features includes everything from power-assistance for tight-turning rack and pinion steering to an anti-theft alarm and central power door locks, reclining front bucket seats with driver's height adjustments, center console and storage compartment, front intermittent wipers and rear window defogger, folding rear seatback with fold-out armrest, even a tachometer and daytime running lights.
For a car from Germans who follow the less-is-more principle of interior design, Jetta GL surprises.
But Jetta was the first Volkswagen to break beyond the image of VW's "Bug" of a car, bringing a measure of comfort, plus good performance figures. Then VW, overwhelmed perhaps by Asian imports with so many bells and whistles, lost its identity in our domestic market in the 1980s. Now VW emerges with competitive products and noteworthy pricing.
A step above the GL in comfort and luxury comes with Jetta GLS, starting at $16,725.
The GLS Jetta utilizes the same 110 hp engine of GL, but adds perks like air conditioning, power windows and heated power outside mirrors, cruise control, tilt steering wheel and a stereo sound system with AM-FM radio and cassette deck.
Options are limited but include a package of cold weather equipment such as heated front seats. Also, anti-lock brakes apply to GLS, and for GLX, leather upholstery.
1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
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| 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact notchback sedan |
| Model Options: |
Compact notchback sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
97.4 inches |
| Overall Length: |
173.4 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 2.0-L I4
SOHC 2.0-L I4 TD
DOHC 2.8-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS opt.
GLX: Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
I4: 23/30 mpg
V6: 19/26 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 14,675 to $ 24,000 |
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