2009 Volkswagen Jetta Reviews

Graham Smith reviews the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 VW Jetta as a used buy. A three-box version of the Golf, the Jetta is best driven with a clutch pedal. New VW cashed in on the soaring popularity of the Golf by adding a bootlid and rear window in 2006 and calling the variant the Jetta. For all intents and

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the used Volkswagen Jetta 2009 - 2011.

Volkswagen Golf, a solid and sensible German car, is a major player in the European car market and in the last decade has made its mark in Australia as well.Those who need a practical car, but who enjoy driving will find the Golf goes a long way towards meeting each of these conflicting needs. Golf is a pleasant car to drive with good handing and sharp steering feel to let you get involved in what the car is doing, and with plenty of road grip even when pushed hard.These cars remain comfortable even on rough bush roads, though they are more at home in the suburbs than the far outback. These days Golf is a medium-sized car, having grown in size over the years, mainly to provide the extra space needed for occupant crash protection.There's some more interior room as well. In Europe, Golf is often seen as a full-sized car and it’s not unusual to see them carting four large adults about.Aussies tend to regard them more as transport for a family with preteen children, but if you live in an inner city area in Melbourne of Sydney you may need nothing more than a Volkswagen Golf to fill all your motoring needs.Golf is sold as a three- or five-door door hatchback. A ‘Golf’ four-door sedan was called the Bora from 1999 until the launch of the fifth generation model in 2005, when it was renamed Jetta. Boot space is substantially better than in the hatches and the four-door models are certainly worth consideration.VW Golf Cabriolet was sold until 2003. It has good roll-over protection for an open-top car and still offers a reasonable amount of space in the back seat. Access to the boot is difficult due to the odd location of the hinges. The Cabriolet was replaced by the New Beetle Cabriolet, but in a surprise move, VW reintroduced the Golf Cabriolet in 2012.Engines come in various guises: petrol and diesel; with four-, five- and six-cylinder units. Four-cylinder petrol engines are the most common, coming in capacities of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litres. The 1.6 will suit most drivers, but those who like to drive hard may find it a bit dull. The 1.4-litre is a brilliant, relatively recent, design and the little turbo unit provides performance with economy.Volkswagen in Australia started a big push in the diesel field several years ago and these engines are now far more common than in the past. With capacities of 1.6, 1.9 and 2.0 litres they provide plenty of grunt and turbo lag isn’t too bad.Those who enjoy a really good drive should consider the VW Golf GTi. A fun machine for the keen driver, it’s rapidly becoming regarded as a classic in the Australian hot-hatch market.Then there's the Golf R range of extreme hotshots. These traditionally had a large V6 engine – 3.2 litres in a smallish car gives plenty of performance. These are tagged as Golf R32. The latest model, launched in 2011, takes a different tack, going for 2.0 litres and a high-pressure turbo. Disguising the smaller size of the engine is the change of name to simply Golf R.Six-speed manuals arrived with the fifth-generation Golfs in 2004 and are popular on the used scene. The DSG gearbox, also launched in 2004, is a self-shifting manual gearbox. It provides far better performance than the old-style four-speed automatics used until 2004.This VW is a relatively easy car to work on and spare parts are not overly expensive. The dealer network has expanded from a low point during the mid-1990s and nowadays we hear very few complaints about parts availability or servicing.Insurance charges are about average for an imported European vehicle on most Golf and Jetta models. The high-performance Golf GTi may attract higher premiums, the Golf R32 and Golf R almost certainly will.Interiors generally stand up well, but some older Golfs that have been kept in the open continuously may suffer from sun-dried dashboard tops. Feel and look for uneven tyre wear, particularly on the front wheels.Look for scrapes on the bottom edges of the front mudflaps, they will often drag on the ground if the car has been cornered hard. New mudflaps could be a suspicious sign. Engines should start quickly. Listen for untoward engine noises, especially when it’s cold.Look for smoke from the exhaust when the engine is driven hard, particularly on long uphill runs. Make sure a manual gearbox doesn’t crunch on fast downchanges.Check that dual-clutch transmissions are positive in their shifts and don't hesitate too much at very low speeds. Be sure the brakes pull the car up evenly. If ABS is fitted you should feel a pulsing through the pedal during hard stops.Rust isn’t common in Golfs and is more likely to be the result of bad crash repairs than vehicle design. If you do come across any have the car inspected professionally or pass it up for another one.If there’s a problem in a used car get it fixed before you buy it. Don’t fall for the sales persons’ trick of saying you can bring it back later and everything will be sorted out then. It can be a lot harder then...

Add a few key accessories and not only is it back, but it’s on the favourites list.  Using the tried-and-true fashion strategy VW has brushed off its local Jetta range, added a couple of key engines and a range of fresh and upgraded trims and put the ‘Golf with a boot’ back out into the market to go head-to-head with the Mazda Mazda6, Ford Mondeo and Subaru Liberty."The changes are a combination of some new engines and models that came available to us from Europe and our desire to adjust and reposition the model range for Australia," Volkswagen Group Australia spokesman Karl Gehling says.  "There are now five engine options, a range of new features and the entry price now starts at $28,990 for the new 1.6-litre diesel."DrivetrainsThe 77kW 1.6-litre turbo diesel, coupled to a 5-speed manual ($28,990) or 7-speed DSG automatic ($31,490), is one of two new powerplants in the Jetta range, the other being the high-end 125kW 2.0-litre turbo diesel available with the 6-speed DSG gearbox and Highline trim only for $38,990.Gone from the previous model range is the manual version of the 103kW 2.0-litre TDI, available now only with the 6-speed DSG ($35,990). The petrol offerings start with the 118kW and 240Nm 1.4-litre twin-charger turbo/supercharged unit from the Golf coupled to the 7-speed DSG ($33,490) or 6-speed manual gearbox ($30,990).The hero engine remains the 147kW (280Nm) 2.0-litre twin-charger coupled to the 6-speed DSG and available only in Highline trim at the same $38,990 as the top diesel offering.Equipment and fit-outApart from the new engines and price repositioning the changes to the model line-up are all to do with trim and cosmetics. There are no external metal changes to set the 2010 cars apart but trainspotters will be able to identify a unique range of alloys for the Jetta along with the addition of front and rear parking sensors.Inside the cabin the parking sensor improvements flow through to a graphic display in either the radio head-unit screen or the navigation screen. The steering wheel from the new Golf VI has been included as a standard fit along with a restyled instrument cluster and a selection of richer trim options.The cabin is as comfortable and spacious as it has always been with the seats a good compromise between sports support and comfort and space generous in the front and adequate for two good-sized adults in the rear.  One of the biggest surprises in the Jetta is the huge boot space available. For a mid-sized sedan the luggage capacity is cavernous — and can bed increased to even higher levels through the split-fold rear seats.Standard features across the range include front, side and curtain airbags, stability control, electronic differential lock, anti-lock brakes with EBD, automatic hazard lights on emergency braking, central locking, heat insulating tinted glass, 16- or 17-inch alloys, tyre pressure monitor, dual-zone air-conditioning (semi-automatic in the 77TDI), stereo with MP3 compatibility and trip computer.OptionsThere is no shortage of optional extra equipment to enrich the Jetta, including metallic paint ($700), electric sunroof ($1900), satellite navigation (from $2500), leather (from $3000), bi-Xenon headlights ($1900) and sport package — including 17-inch alloys, darker tinted rear windows, front fog lamps and sports suspension — from $2000.DrivingOn the road the Jetta rides on the fifth generation Golf platform — hence the Golf-with-a-boot tag the car has worn since it was launched more than three years ago — and suffers no diminishing of the hatch's performance characteristics by the addition of the larger body.  The surprise package of the new engines is the eco-friendly 77kW diesel. The little 1.6 is a wonderfully composed unit with a truly surprising strength through the mid-range allowing it to be driven for either super-sipping economy or a more enjoyable enthusiasm without ever offending the green lobby.VW says the engine is capable of a combined cycle of 4.9L/100km in manual and 5.0L/100km through the DSG with sprint times of 12 seconds from standstill to 100km/h. It certainly feels quicker than that and the real eye-opener is how strong the engine is in the hills, holding top gear in manual quite comfortable while hauling two adults through a moderate climb.There is the almost compulsory dash-mounted flasher to suggest maximum efficiency gear changes but if you are prepared to give up a tick in economy changing gears in sympathy with the engine makes the entire experience a touch more enjoyable for the driver.VW JettaPrice: from $28,990 to $38,990Engines: 1.6L/4-cylinder turbo diesel, 77kW/250Nm; 2L/4-cylinder turbo diesel, 103kW/320Nm; 2L/4-cylinder turbo diesel 125kW/350Nm; 1.4L/4-cylinder twin-charger, 118kW/240Nm; 2L/4-cylinder twin charger, 147kW/280NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, 6-speed DSG, 7-speed DSGEconomy: 4.9L/100km (77TDI), 6.0L/100km (103TDI), 5.9L/100km (125TDI), 6.6L/100km (118TSI), 7.8L/100Km (147TSI)RivalsMazda6 (from $29,100)Ford Mondeo (from $31,990)Subaru Liberty (from $33,990)