The JetSet

The Jetta may not look flashy, but it's what's under the skin that makes it special.

Introduction

Volkswagen has been a late entrant to the Indian market, but now that it is here, it seems to have a single-minded mission: take over. It tested the waters successfully with the more humble and relatively unknown Octavia and then the Laura from the Skoda brand, and it launched the VW brand with the Passat. Now the Jetta, VW's bestselling model in the USA, has made an entry to lend more fuel the to the D-segment fire in the Indian market.

Exterior

If asked to say it in a single sentence, we would say that it looks like a Golf with a boot. At the same time, VW have put a lot more effort into the redesign - it doesn't sport an ungainly rear like the Indigo or the Dzire do. Only those with a keen eye for car design will find the profile slightly odd. Looked at head-on, it looks exactly like a 2007 Golf R32 with horizontal chrome strips added to the grille, but it isn't as aggressive as the Civic or Corolla Altis. The profile looks ordinary until you notice the slight increase in height towards the rear, which gives it a sporty stance. The rear is probably the best angle - relocate the registration plate to the bumper, and you've got yourself a mini-Passat! We've been confused a number of times by the lovely LED rings to say that the ordinary person might just mistake a Jetta for a Passat unless they saw enough of them on the road.

Build quality is top-notch, with excellent paint ('Red Spice' is our favourite) and shutlines that are small and consistent. The chrome window surround that the Comfortline trim sports lends a lot of class to the look of the car. We'd have liked the Jetta to have more spice to its looks, but we also have to admit that the mass-appeal looks will not offend any.

Interior

The Trendline trim is the base trim for the Jetta, and it is a sea of grey and black fabric. It is dull, but will not show dirt easily - something one will surely appreciate in our monsoons! The audio system has speaker components only in the front doors, which makes it sound shrill. A down-to-earth air-conditioner is present to cool occupants and ASR traction control is present to keep wheelspin in check.

The Comfortline trim is the top-spec trim and is available on the diesel model only. It features beige leather that makes the cabin appear bigger and more cheery than the funereal Trendline color combination. However, if you do purchase the beige interiors, be prepared for regular visits to the cleaner's. Beige interiors tend to be affteced badly by shoe scuff marks and get dirty very easily. The audio system is really good with controls on the steering wheel, and the two-zone climate control system makes sure both the driver and passenger are kept comfortable. ESP keeps the driver on the straight and narrow, and the auto-dimming rear-view mirror makes sure that the driver can see where he's going even on our roads, where expecting other drivers to turn their high beams off when they're following you is as effective as expecting the tooth fairy to leave ten bucks under your pillow for your front tooth. The Comfortline trim isn't available for the petrol Jetta.

Both trims offer powered mirrors with the driver's side mirror possessing greater curvature on the outer edge to eliminate blind spots. However, we wish they were a little bigger to help ease driving in congested city traffic. The seats offer a wide range of adjustability, but surprisingly, only the lumbar adjust is electrical, even in the Comfortline trim. Seat-back inclination has to be changed with the help of a rotary dial like in old Indicas! The lack of electric adjustability notwithstanding, a good driving position can be achieved in conjunction with the steering wheel that tilts and telescopes. The pedals are positioned well, but we wish that the dead pedal was a little wider, it is a little too narrow to be comfortable and only half your foot rests on it. The gear shift lever could have been shaped a little better as well. The steering wheel, stalks and shift lever all feel like they're made of quality material and have that built-to-last feeling. The air-conditioner and climate control are powerful enough, but we prefer the air-con unit to the climate control. The Jettas in the Trendline trim have violet dials paired with red needles - they can be harsh on sensitive eyes at night.

The amount of space inside is enough for two tall people to sit behind one another. The boot doesn't have the Passat's press-badge-to-open magickery, it is opened via the key fob or internal release. However, the boot is simply enormous - weekend family trips or a trip to the airport are never going to be an issue with the amount of usable space it offers. A thoughtful touch is a bag hook that the Comfortline offers in the boot.

Diesel noisy but better performer than petrol. Gearbox has lovely feel.

Engine, Drivetrain

Prospective Jetta owners can choose from a petrol or diesel engine. The petrol is a 1.6l SOHC workhorse that puts out 102bhp@5600rpm and 148Nm@3800rpm. The numbers don't seem like much when you consider competition like the Civic and Corolla are hovering around the 130bhp mark, but the engine is exceedingly driveable. Our in-gear acceleration times show the amount of torque this motor has spread over a wide range. If you're a petrolhead ruing the fact that the 170bhp TSI Jetta hasn't been brought to the Indian market yet, don't fret unduly. A little birdie tells us that a slightly detuned TSI that will run on regular fuel will probably be launched by next year, and testing is going on right now.

The diesel unit is the same one that does duty under the Skoda Laura's hood. This turbocharged unit makes 105bhp@4000rpm and 250Nm@1900rpm from 1.9 litres. That high torque figure means it is way more responsive than the petrol model, itself no slouch. The motor is raucous like all unit injector powerplants are, but the inside of the car is reasonably hushed when the windows are rolled up.

The petrol's five-speed shifter is positive, has delightful short throws and you're never in doubt whether you're in gear or not. This is a gearbox we love, even if we wish for better feel while slotting into third and fifth. The diesel's DSG is also the same basic architecture as the Laura's, but it seems to perform slightly better in the Laura. As we found out, 'S' mode really does shift faster and more intelligently than 'D' mode. One can have fun with the paddles behind the wheel as well. The gearbox will not let you downshift if it detects that the change of gear will take the engine beyond the redline, even in manual mode.

Low-speed ride is a little stiff, but handling faultless. We want more power!

Ride & Handling, Steering

The chassis is enormously capable, and bad roads are kept out of the cabin. Low-speed ride is a mite stiff, but moderate speeds upward the ride evens out. The Jetta is a Golf with a boot - that's more than enough information for enthusiasts. The petrol seems slightly more willing to change direction than the diesel, which is probably due the diesel's extra mass in its nose. The steering feels well weighted and provides a lot of information about what's going on under the wheels but lacks a little feel. However, it is dead accurate. The fine chassis can handle more power, so diesel Jettas with tuning boxes and of course, the TSI (when it eventually does get here) will not make the driver feel like the engine is overwhelming the chassis.

Safety is given high priority - at least six airbags are standard!

Braking, Tyres, Safety

Before one gets used to their initial bite, the Jetta's brakes feel grabby at normal speeds. This initial bite is much more useful at high speed; it helps reign in speed quickly and effectively. The brakes are powerful, and ABS helps channel that power effectively. The 205/55 R16 Continental Sportcontact 2 tyres also play their part - they have a lot of grip, and are fairly silent at speed.

In addition to ABS, the petrol has ASR (Accelerative Slip Reduction) which essentially is traction control. The diesel offers ESP, which is more useful as it keeps the car going in the direction the front wheels are pointing at all times. Six airbags (eight in the Comfortline trim) cushion the occupants should there be a crash, and the 'Plus' anti-theft warning system will make sure your Jetta doesn't get carried away in the dead of the night.

Price isn't VFM, but it will hold its resale value well.

Cost

At approximately Rs 13 lakh for the petrol Trendline and Rs 18 lakh for the diesel Comfortline (ex-showroom, Mumbai), the Jetta doesn't come across as a value-for-money proposition. However, consider that VW has positioned itself as a premium car maker in India - which they've taken special pains to do - and the build quality of VWs is among the best there is. You'll probably get better resale for your Jetta when you move on to your next car. This will make the money you spend on the Jetta well worth it. Don't expect spares and service to be cheap, though; you get what you pay for, and the Jetta has 'quality' written all over it.

Overall Evaluation

VW has been a relatively unknown brand in India so far, but that's about to change soon. The number of Passats and Jettas already on the roads are testament that India has got discerning consumers that are willing to pay for a quality product. The mini-Passat that the Jetta is, it delivers on the promise of quality, but at a price. We can't wait for the TSI to be launched, though - that will be a fitting powertrain for the brilliant chassis and will help it keep up in the horsepower stakes with its competitors. That, with slightly rationalized pricing should make this car more of a VolksWagen than it is now.

Useful touches

• Auto headlamps,
• Bag hook in the Comfortline boot
• Air-con vents for the rear seat

Painful touches

• Weak headlamps
• Violet dials in Trendline trim

Test 2

Engine Specifications (1.9 Comfortline TDI DSG)

1896cc, 4-cylinder in line, unit injector turbo diesel, 105bhp@4000rpm, 250Nm@1900rpm. View specifications

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Performance Test Data

Test Data

Engine Specifications

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Performance Test Data

Fuel Efficiency