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Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta for years has felt more upscale than its competitors, offering a premium vehicle experience not found in other segment cars. The all-new 2011 Jetta at least in upper trim level does a nice job of advancing the Volkswagen Jetta mystique. As before, there’s a quality to the overall feel of the car that belies its new lower price. The perception has been for at least a decade that you may pay more for a Jetta, but you get more. Volkswagen has sought to keep the “get more” part of the equation intact for 2011 Volkswagen Jetta while tweaking the “pay more” part in favour of the customer.
The new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta says it has cut prices to the tune of $6,300 for the base Trendline model, which now starts at $15,875. And it’s possible to drive off in an up-level Jetta Highline with a 2.5-litre 5-cylinder engine making 170 horsepower matched to a 5-speed manual and loaded with such desirable amenities as navigation, keyless start, simulated leather, a full-featured audio system with satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a wide range of safety features for $26,235. So this price cutting begs the question, from where did these savings come? We like to think Volkswagen has made better use of its resources, streamlined the manufacturing process, and passed the savings on to the car-buying public. This is certainly a possibility, but VW has also made changes to the car aimed at cutting cost.
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| 2011 Volkswagen Jetta |
On paper, some of these alterations appear to be taking a step backward, but we found through a couple of weeks of driving in eastern North Carolina, northern California, and the Los Angeles area that Volkswagen has done an excellent job ensuring that the Jetta has lost little of its Teutonic prowess particularly in the upper trim level. Changes include the following: replacing the independent rear suspension with a less expensive torsion beam setup, replacing the rear disc brakes with drum-type brakes on the bottom trim levels, replacing the electric power steering with the more traditional hydraulic power steering, replacing the gas-strut linkage in the trunk with old-style gooseneck hinges, and offering far fewer equipment combination choices.
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| 2011 Volkswagen Jetta |
Despite the perceived “downgrades,” we found the driving experience nearly identical to the well-done 2010 model. There’s one big difference that should make current and former owners smile and prove a strong selling point even against the aforementioned mid-sized sedans a noticeable increase in passenger space.
In Canada, the Jetta is being sold with five trim models: Trendline, Trendline, Comfortline, Sportline, and Highline. For now there are two gasoline engine choices, the long-running 2.0-litre 4-cylinder generating 115 horsepower and a delightful 2.5-litre 5-cylinder making 170 horsepower
and 177 pound-feet of torque. The Trendline and Trendline models are only being offered with the
2.0-litre engine. The Comfortline is available with either engine. The Sportline and the Highline are only.
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| 2011 Volkswagen Jetta |
The choice here is a no-brainer. We would look beyond the base Trendline model, which comes with
the 2.0-litre, and opt for the Comfortline at $21,175 with the excellent 5-cylinder engine, or if budget allows, move up to the Highline. We found that the 2.5-litre had rewarding performance in all driving
situations mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It can accomplish a 0-to-60 run in around 8 seconds, excellent time for an engine rated at 9.1 L/100 km city and 6.5 L/100 km highway when
mated to the 6-speed automatic. If you consider the smaller engine for gas consumption, forget it. It actually averages 0.5 litres more per 100 km city and 0.4 litres more on the highway.
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| 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Interior |
The switchgear is intuitive, the gauges clear and easy to read, and the standard navigation system in
our test car was simple to operate. What we did notice inside was a little less Audi and a little more
plastic than the previous car. But the workmanship fit and finish appeared first class. We think the new Jetta styling offers a mixed bag a bit disappointing to us, but safe and inoffensive. The Jetta lost some of its allure in 2005, especially with the younger generation, going from a somewhat timeless shape throughout the first half of the decade to a trendier look.
Sales dipped and the fall-off was attributed more to the styling than any other single element. Maybe that’s why the designers this time decided to present a conservative stance eschewing the trendy for a look that should stand the test of time and offend no one. The new Jetta is what we think of as handsome, but it won’t turn heads.
