2010 Volkswagen Jetta Review – A Promising Passat Junior
The name change isn’t just for kicks. Outside the continent of Europe, four-door saloons are generally more popular over hatchbacks. In America where additional space of whatever form in an automobile is always welcomed, the Jetta (that’s Bora for the rest of the world) is the most popular European passenger car for many years running, accounting for 40 per cent of all Volkswagens sold there. In fact, the Jetta has the rare distinction of being launched first in North America before Europe, and it is only produced in Mexico.
Closer to home, the Bora has lived a relatively quiet existence, regarded by many as ‘boring’ next to its more illustrious hatchback sibling and the iconic Beetle. The new Jetta -based on the Mk5 Golf- is supposed to change all that. With the underpinnings all well and sorted, the styling would have to be the major factor. But instead of just grafting on a boot to the Golf, every panel aft of the B-pillars is distinct to the Jetta, and for inspiration, VW looked to big brother Passat.
The resemblance is plain to the eye; the V-shaped grille (the new face of VW cars from here on), raked side profile, and the high but truncated boot lid spells junior Passat rather than booted Golf, and perhaps recognising that the rest of the world have different preferences compared to Europe, VW has applied a generous amount of chrome on the radiator grille and copied the Passat’s ‘brilliant’ LED rear lamp design, both of which might just prove to be a big hit here. In fact, take away the branding and the Jetta can even pass of as a product of Japanese styling.
Apart from the retuning of the rear suspension, the Jetta is mechanically identical to the Golf, right down to the latter’s driving dynamics, which isn’t a bad thing to inherit at all. Impressions were registered mainly on a 150bhp 2.0- litre FSI with six-speed manual, and us you would expect, compromise between handling and comfort is well judged, perhaps a little on the firm side, but along with the accurate zero-slack steering, reassuring brakes, smooth gear shift and a torquey motor (that picks up revs cleanly even it allowed to lag in a ratio too tall), it’s hard not to appreciate the competence of the whole package.
The interior of the Jetta is where the straight copy of the Golf might not be the wisest choice; you won’t find anything wrong with the ergonomics nor its usability, but the design is efficient to a fault, lacking the flair of say a Fiat or a Renault. Of course, we are talking about VW, the car maker that often places efficiency and quality above all else, and there’s nothing in this made-in-Mexico Jetta to suggest otherwise. In fact, every bit you touch suggest “premium”, from cup holders, to the switchgear, to the plastics that line even the “unimportant” areas of the dash. Driving the Jetta makes you wonder if it’s worthwhile to pay premium prices asked of by luxury brands.