Volkswagen did not have a very good 2015. We all know about the Dieselgate controversy. The car that was mainly infected by it was the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.
But if you are looking for a cleaner fuel option, the company even makes a Petrol version of it.
Volkswagen India launched the 2015 Jetta this year which was a minor upgrade of the outgoing Jetta. It’s a D-segment sedan that faces competition from the likes of Toyota Altis, Hyundai Elantra and Skoda Octavia.
The new Jetta got minimal updates this year like a redesigned front bumper, grille, headlamps with LED lights and a new set of tail lamps.
The Volkswagen Jetta is priced at Rs 15.67 lakh Ex-showroom, New Delhi and in that price it offers a lot more than what its competitors have to offer.
In terms of the build quality, the Jetta offers the highest quality of German engineering. The only car that has to offer such premium quality in this segment is probably the Skoda Octavia. In terms of the look, the VW Jetta is subtle and sober with a commanding road presence. It’s not as flamboyant as a Hyundai Elantra or the Toyota Corolla Altis.
Once you step inside the VW Jetta, the cabin is welcoming and luxurious. It does not promise you an Audi or a Mercedes type of feel, but it’s definitely up there. The steering wheel is borrowed from the VW Polo, but comes with more buttons and assist functions than one would require to use on the Indian roads.
Measuring at 4644mm in length, the Jetta is the longest car one can buy in this segment. So the back seat comfort and legroom in this car is pretty good. This German sedan is even longer than Audi’s A3 that measures at 4456mm in length.
So if you are looking for a ‘Laambi Gaddi’ with luxury this fits in the bill.
The Volkswagen Jetta is powered by a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine that churns out 120BHP @ 5000rpm and has an effective torque of 200nm @ 1500rpm. It’s not the most powerful D-segment sedan out there, but the pulling power compensates for a joyous driving experience. The engine is mated with a 6-speed manual transmission that is very smooth to operate.
The company claims the fuel economy to be 14.69 Km/l, but during our mixed usage of city and highway driving it gave us a 12.3 Km/l which is not bad considering that the cars power to weight ratio. But still, it’s on the lower side as compared to Toyota Corolla Altis or Hyundai’s Elantra.
The car drives like a dream and one can easily manoeuvre it in city traffic. For rear seat passengers, the pothole bumps in Jetta are minimal.
For safety, this sedan comes loaded with a lot. You get 6-Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Hill Hold Control and Traction Control System (TC/TCS).
The Volkswagen Jetta comes in six colour options that are not garish. So it does not attract a lot of attention to it.
Overall, the Volkswagen Jetta TSI is a complete package with German ingenuity. The best part, however, is that this one is clean, unlike its Dieselgate cousin.
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