First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta

The arrival of Volkswagen’s newest version of an old stalwart, the Jetta VI, will always be a fine opportunity for misty eyed reminiscence over the ones that came before. The latest arrival made even more touching in this case, by it coinciding to the very day, with Volkswagen SA’s 60th birthday celebration. The old adage that we’ve all been exposed to or had a family owned Jetta at some point, but I guess that rings true for any Volkswagen really.

It was a champagne coloured Jetta II that my parents decided to rely on throughout the 1990’s and in so doing it became the humble family car that ushered in the end of Apartheid for the Leathern household. It was the car we took to the streets in – in 1995 after a triumphant Rugby World Cup. It was the car my best mate Anton and I used to roll down the driveway, in our Matric year, before starting it up down the road and skiving off for a night out on the town. It was during one of those illegal excursions that I had my first driving lesson and nearly reversed into the river at Magnolia Dell in Pretoria – that was way before ‘park distance control’ my friends, the kids have it way too easy these days. With my yard test waxed, I then may or may not have turned onto the N1 onramp into oncoming traffic, Anton and I didn’t do any more night time driving lessons after that.

But rather than just hear me bang on about an old, gold Jetta, understand the point I’m trying to make is that our old VW really was like a family companion, like the household pet. It wasn’t fancy, or emotive, or sporty, or great for posing in, although how Anton and I tried… It was what family cars used to be way back when – a time when all cars were family cars. This is a good thing, because staying true to its spirit shall we say; the new Jetta VI steers clear of these emotive qualities too. It’s an inoffensive shape of metal with five doors, four wheels, and a few more airbags then before, and that’s about it.

What it is though is bigger than the outgoing Jetta V, 90 mm longer with a wheelbase increase of 73 mm and 510-litres of boot space. And more efficient thanks to the range of clean and frugal TSI and TDI engines: a 1.2-litre TSI (77 kW), a 1.4-litre TSI (90 kW), and a twin super- and turbocharged 1.4-litre TSI (118 kW) which can shunt it to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds and top out at 221 km/h. The diesel range starts with a highly efficient 1.6-litre TDI (77 kW) which produces so little CO2 it falls beneath the taxation line and returns 4.5 L/100km, and a 2.0-litre TDI (103 kW) which returns just 4.8 L/100km and has been tuned acoustically for a better exhaust note. The 1.6-litre TDI can be fitted with the seven speed DSG gearbox.

Volkswagen have refreshed the front styling to bring it in line with the new VW corporate identity and are also adamant that none of the new Jetta’s body panels are shared with any other VW. A fantastic effort in design subterfuge considering it looks identical to both the Polo Sedan and the Passat give or take a few mm’s here and there. But then again also somehow not, if specified nicely the Jetta is every bit as handsome as you’d expect, but go for a standard one in an unassuming colour then be prepared to blend. This particular Jetta is built in Mexico and the reason for this is, the US is a market Volkswagen want to attack head on with this car, hoping to take some of the glory away from the dominant Honda and Hyundai sedans over there.

Three trim levels are available as always: Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Standard features include climatic air conditioning, multi-function steering wheel, CD/Radio with 8-speakers, six airbags, ABS, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP), 16-inch alloy wheel and hill hold control.

The new Jetta is tremendously comfortable with everything just where you’d expect to find it and never seemingly more than a fingers stretch away from you. The handbrake lever has even been repositioned to free up more space for larger cup holders. The Americans will love that. The Comfortline Jetta’s get cruise control over and above the bottom of the wrung Trendline and the top of the range Highline specification gets bigger 17” wheels, 15mm lower suspension and the chrome interior package.

Does the new Volkswagen Jetta VI lack a bit of sparkle, a bit of zing? Arguably, yes. It’s a brand name with legacy, as Volkswagen was at pains to point out to us at their 60th birthday party and as I’ve experienced for 15 years of my childhood life. However, with it so neatly fitting as the middle child in the VW sedan range between Polo sedan and Passat, and the hottest one only being a 1 400cc, I hope for Volkswagens and the Jetta’s sake, they haven’t taken away too much of an emotive appeal. Never underestimate the consumer’s aspirational wants and needs. But crucially, there isn’t a whole lot wrong with the new Jetta VI either, nothing in fact, and that is sort of like my old, gold Jetta used to be. This new Jetta VI will make a fine fist of getting 17 year olds into mischief on their first night time driving lesson… and I see that park distance control is only an optional extra for the youngsters, which makes me very happy somehow.

Pricing includes a 5-year/90 000km maintenance plan, a 3-year/120 000km warranty and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.

Ray Leathern has been test driving and critiquing cars for four years now. You’ll find his work at autocirca.com, the Mail & Guardian and of course, right here on SACarFan.

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