2006 Volkswagen Jetta

I'm almost tempted to go right out and buy one for myself. This must be the most Audi Volkswagen yet. I've always felt that the previous Jetta did not offer enough value-for-money. After all, VW produces middle-classed automobiles, doesn't it? But the 2006 Jetta took so many pages out of Audi's playbook past and present that I'm beginning to be convinced otherwise.

The new Jetta handles impeccably and hugs the curves on the road better than any non-sports sedan I've driven. And I'm sure it can hold it's own against many of these. Preserving the character of the Jetta series, the clearance off the ground was decent, so it loves your cottage lane as much as the highway. This new incarnation resolved the main weaknesses of the old Jetta:

1) Power - The old non-turbo gasoline-driven Jetta offers only 115 horses, and despite the surprisingly smooth acceleration at any speed, lacks brute force. The new Jetta comes with a 5-cylinder, 20 valve, 150 hp 2.5 litre engine which helps a lot.

2) Fuel efficiency - I've always thought that the old Jetta was one of the least efficient 4-cylinder small cars around, and I suspect that could have been the tradeoff in order to maintain reasonable torque at all speeds with only 4 gears and limited power. Although the new 5-cylinder engine is spec'd to be a little less efficient than the old model, I actually think (having driven both) that it is in fact just a tad bit more fuel efficient, largely thanks to its more advanced 6-speed automatic transmission. [although I think you might be able to maximise fuel efficiency on the old Jetta by not exceeding 100 kph]

3) Lack of interior space - The legroom for backseat passengers used to be miserable. The new Jetta has noticably more room inside, and a much larger trunk as well.

There were a few other things about the 2006 Jetta that wowed me:

1) Transmission - The 6-speed automatic transmission meant that it (by definition) shifted more often than any 5-speed or 4-speed variant. Nevertheless, shifting was very smooth, though not indiscernable like in a Mercedes, but seriously I like to feel the gear change when I'm driving so that I know what gear I'm on. And in the event that I'm not sure, the display on the dashboard tells me exactly. It shifts down extremely readily when I jab down on the accelerator, and one can always manually shift the lever to the right (to enter tiptronic mode) and down to down-shift before accelerating if so desired. The 4-speed sport mode is fantastic. With peak torque rated at 3750 rpm, the sport mode looks like it can handle any road, and yes, this thing knows when not to shift up to a higher gear (which is the problem with most automatic transmissions on difficult roads). It's a pity I did not have the time to find a road challenging enough to test it to the limit.

2) Seats and stuff - Extremely comfortable. The velour fabric was nice. Not leather, but looks really tough. Comes heated of course, just like the Jetta of 2005. You can pay for leather of course, and for all sorts of fancy stuff like full power seat adjustments (the power incline adjustment comes standard), a multifunction trip computer (that tells you your fuel efficiency, compass, etc...), steering wheel audio controls, and others. Other standard features include rear air-conditioning vents, a driver's armrest (doubles as the cover of the between-seat storage) that can be adjusted for height, which is nice. And by the way, there is a 12V outlet in that between-seat storage so you can charge your toys and keep them hidden at the same time.

3) Flashing turn signals on the side rear-view mirrors. OK, I know this is no big deal but I've always had a fascination for these little blinking lights. And if you look close enough into the headlights, you will find that there are VW logos embedded in them.

Was there anything I didn't like about the vehicle? Well, it was kind of shaped like a Toyota Corolla. Despite the really large VW logos in the front and the back, a friend of mine actually asked me if it was a Corolla, but admittedly he approached it from the side. Then again, the Corolla is a really good car too, so that's fine. The other thing is that the new Jetta is based on a newly engineered platform, and I prefer to wait for some time to pass before making a commitment. I don't even buy the latest Pentiums from Intel.