Volkswagen Jetta FSI sedan 2006 review

But while it's stylish and, lowered by 15mm, has you feeling closer to the ground, the Jetta doesn't feel quite as sporty as it claims to be. Rather than appealing to young drivers, it seems to be better suited to an older, more sophisticated demographic — a car parents or grandparents are more likely to drive.

A glass sunroof is available for an extra $1890, which might jazz it up and make it a bit trendier but its appearance is still more elegant than sporty.

Given it is such a nice-looking medium-sized sedan, complete with a small spoiler, chromed-frame radiator grille, rear LED lights and a stylish shape, it seems fair to expect the comfort of the vehicle to be in the same class. But this is the Jetta's main problem.

Even a 20-minute trip leaves your body a little sore, not helped by the bumpy ride, with the stiff sports suspension failing to cushion the driver from pot holes and dents in the road.

The seats are too hard, as are the armrests, and no matter how much you try, you just can't seem to get comfortable.

Perhaps spending the extra $2000-$3000 for leather upholstery would solve the problem.

Space, on the other hand, is more than sufficient. The Jetta is longer than its predecessor, the Bora, and the Golf, on which it is based. There is plenty of storage space, with separate compartments under the front seats, and an impressively large and deep boot. Cabin space is also roomy and comfortable, although with three adults in the back, legroom can be a little squashy.

The interior is dressed up with all the perks of a luxury car, including a leather steering wheel, leather handbrake lever grip and gear knob, cruise control, maximum-speed warning, reverse sensors, six-stacker CD, dual climate control and doors that automatically lock when you drive. The red and blue lights on the dash and stereo are a little too bright and distracting, and become irritating over time, especially on longer trips.

Six airbags come as standard.

The Jetta is available in three models, all 2.0 litre, four-cylinder engines, with six speed transmission. The first test car was the base model manual FSI, valued at $35,290.

It handled quite well and gear changes were smooth with 110kW of power at 6000rpm and 200Nm at 3500rpm, but it wasn't until we tested the Turbo FSI that the excitement really kicked in.

It is a little pricier, at $39,990, and available only in automatic, but it's worth every cent for that extra boost in power. Once you accelerate and feel the torque of 280Nm at 1800-5000rpm, and the power of 147kW at 5100-6000rpm, you won't want to turn back.

There was a bit of a lag, with the torque coming on abruptly, which actually made the ride more enjoyable as the car flew once the turbo kicked in.

Apart from the hard seats, the only complaint came from a passenger who shall remain nameless, who claimed the driver was "hooning". Hard to resist, though.

The turbo is also available in diesel and starts at $37,790. Braking is good, with ABS as well as electronic stability.

Overall, the Jetta is an impressive car, but because of the comfort factor, it was hard to feel truly satisfied.