VOLKSWAGEN Jetta 2019

Body, cabin and cargo space

The new Volkswagen Jetta looks bigger than before because it is. With length now just over 470 cm, for example, it is 5 cm longer than the outgoing model and a full 32 cm longer than 15 years ago.

Curiously, interior dimensions have slightly diminished. Still, the Volkswagen Jetta remains one of the most spacious compacts on the market, with plenty of room for two adults in the back.

The front seats display typical German firmness, which did not displease our testers. The seats slide far back, have a long cushion and are quite low. Ideal for tall drivers, they were sufficiently off-putting for our shorter testers that they would not buy this car. A fixed and too-short centre armrest replaces the former sliding, height-adjusting one. Note to those interested: the latter is still used in the Volkswagen Golf.

The rear bench seat is too low for good thigh support but does have a well-shaped backrest. The floor is still not level when the two sections are folded, which can hamper the loading of long items. Volkswagen has also eliminated the pass-through that let you load long items like hockey sticks without having to fold one of the outboard seats—but again, you can still get it on the Golf.

The Jetta’s trunk remains one of its strong points. The specifications indicate a 41-litre reduction in volume, but it is still wide, high and long enough to accommodate lots of bulky items. The lid still lifts completely thanks to a spring mechanism, and an interior handle makes it easy to close.

The dashboard is sober and functional, in the purest Volkswagen tradition. The centre stack is oriented towards the driver. Its touchscreen is a bit too sensitive, but it is responsive and easy to master. We would have preferred real buttons, rather than the touch controls surrounding the screen, but at least there are knobs for volume and tuning. All trims offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Execline and GLI trims feature a completely digital, highly customizable instrument cluster that enhances the appeal of the cockpit. Finish is otherwise quite austere, and certain cheap plastics are a throwback to the former—and much less expensive—generation of the Volkswagen Jetta.

Other highlights

Access is complicated by the low seats and doorsills. The doors open wide in the front but not enough in the back.

Convenience: heated seats now standard. Heated steering wheel available only with Winter package on the Execline and GLI. Limited storage.

Interior lighting: as usual with Volkswagen all switches are lighted. Dash lighting was insufficient for certain of our testers; its control is buried in the centre screen menus, to the detriment of safety. Several testers like the dash’s ambient lighting, included in R-Line package and Execline and GLI trims.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and automatic emergency braking
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Pretensioners for front seatbelts
• Five head restraints, adjustable in front and on middle rear seat
• Rearview camera
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control (included in Driver Assist package, Highline, Execline and GLI; non-available on Comfortline models)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

Visibility

Good to the front but wide B-pillar creates a large blind spot on driver’s side for people of average height. Small door mirrors compensate in part; the blind-spot monitoring system does the rest but it is not available on Comfortline models.

Headlights: the LED reflector low-beams on Comfortline and Highline models are too weak, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, whereas on Execline and GLI models the LED projector high-beams are too weak. Standard automatic on/off control and automatic high-beams.

Inspection

We noted the following points in an inspection at a CAA-Québec technical centre:

• Hood supported by an unusually flexible stand
• Driver-side placement of the windshield washer reservoir is more dangerous during a roadside fill-up
• Volkswagen provides a separate battery ground, practical for a battery boost but very difficult to access with standard cables
• Excellent corrosion protection everywhere underneath the vehicle
• Rear torsion-beam suspension much simpler to maintain than the former multilink setup.
• Access traps in wheel wells for bulb replacements
• Fragile paint: despite the thick coat, it already was scratched, with less than 1,000 km on the odometer; paint protector is recommended

Mechanical overview

A few years after the Golf, the Jetta moves to Volkswagen’s MQB platform. The highly modular structure is now used by all of the group’s models equipped with a transversely mounted engine and front-wheel drive. It is also obviously suited to the all-wheel-drive derivatives, including the Golf SportWagen and the large Atlas SUV.

Both the structure and body include a high proportion of ultra-high-strength hot-pressed steel, which increases rigidity and reduces weight. The torsion-beam rear suspension accounts for a further weight loss of 20 kg, compared to the former multi-link setup. The sporty-minded GLI still uses the multi-link suspension and is more firmly tuned than the others (the latter also stands for Comfortline models with the R-Line package).

All “regular” Volkswagen Jettas are powered by the same direct injected 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder that appeared on the lineup in 2016. It is rated at 147 hp this year, 3 hp less than in 2017. Maximum torque is maintained at 184 lb-ft, available at 1500 rpm.

An eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the former six-speed. It will be the transmission of choice for the majority of buyers, but enthusiasts can still opt for the six-speed manual, available on all trims.

The GLI is still distinctive for its more energetic engine: 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, compliments of the same 2.0-litre turbo engine found in the Golf GTI. In addition to the manual gearbox, the catalog lists a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic with shift paddles. A mechanical limited-slip differential supplies power to the wheels, and adaptive dampers optimise the grip according to Eco, Sport, Normal and Custom drive modes, which also modify steering, throttle and transmission response.

These drive modes also appear in the R-Line package and on Execline trim, along with electronic torque vectoring, which acts on the brakes to improve cornering.
Other highlights

Fuel efficiency: Natural Resources Canada indicates a combined city-highway fuel consumption of 7 L/100 km for the Jetta. We came close to achieving this official rating with a result of 7.1 L/100 km on our combined route. One of our testers managed 6.4 L/100 km, mostly on the highway, with four adults and several suitcases on board. Impressive!

Driving impressions

The Volkswagen Jetta may not be the low-cost sport sedan it once was, but it is still one of the most fun-to-drive cars in its category. All of our testers appreciated the capacity of the turbo engine at low- and mid-level rpms; merging and passing manoeuvres are energetic and easy.

The new automatic transmission contributes to the quick acceleration by downshifting without delay. That is fortunate, because it is equally quick to shift to higher gears to promote fuel efficiency. In so doing, it creates a very unflattering engine note. The sound improves in heavy acceleration, then quiets down at highway speed.

Composed and stable on the highway, the Jetta can also wind through curves with confidence. It follows the chosen path without noticeable understeer in sporty driving. Body lean is apparent, but the return to a torsion beam does not cause the rear-axle hop felt with similarly equipped rivals. However, the R-Line sport shocks are not able to stop all road defects from reaching the interior.

The Jetta does not disguise its “jumbo” size, for a compact. It is not as agile as certain of its rivals, starting with the Mazda 3, with its more direct and better-weighted steering. The Jetta’s steering is a bit too light, though Sport mode improves road feel somewhat.

The GLI will no doubt change this perception, but it will come at a price. We hope to test one soon to assess the situation.

Other highlights

Braking: pedal finally firmer after years of spongy reaction. Quick and easily modulated response. Straight and stable emergency stops.

Driver assistance features: all systems intervene nearly imperceptibly; we did not even feel the need to deactivate the lane departure alert during our test, which is rare. Included in the Driver Assistance package, adaptive cruise control does not include a regular mode, which may displease some drivers, though it is one of the most efficient and progressive on the market.