2010 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...

In Japan, they shrink trees. In city centres, it's squeezing people together in concrete hutches. In the car world, it's downsizing engine capacity. But while you're aware that the trees are small enough to sit on the coffee table and that the apartment is small because it has only room for a coffee table, the trick about downsizing cars is that you'd be hard pressed to pick the difference.Welcome to the next phase in car makers' task of weaning us off big cars. Within a decade, you may be driving a two or three-cylinder car and, probably, finally understanding why Fiat Bambinos made so much sense in the 1960s for financially-strapped Italians. Volkswagen is thinking small to gain energy efficiencies but you'd never pick it.Engine and gearboxAmong its new small-capacity models is the Jetta 118TSI. The gobbledygook is 118kW and the TSI indicates it is both supercharged and turbocharged. That is, the supercharger works from idle through to about 3500rpm when the turbocharger takes over. You get punch from idle right through to the red line without even knowning what's happening under the bonnet.The boot wears a 118TSI badge but one thing it doesn't tell you is the engine capacity. Maybe you don't need to know. Certainly, in performance terms it feels like a 2-litre, maybe a 2.2. It's quick off the mark and the seven-speed automatic direct-shift gearbox (DSG) flicks from ratio to ratio like a card shark dealing a hand.You can play along as well because the box is sequential and the gearlever can be shuffled forwards and backwards to maximise performance. But, after a short time, you recognise that the gearbox can do the job just as well as you and with a lot less effort on your behalf.The engine is hungry to offer performance, free in the way it wants to rev and seamless in its power delivery that starts from idle and wants to go straight into 7000rpm. Watch the trip computer and you'll notice that only when you savage the accelerator does the fuel consumption numbers increase. Take it easy or cruise the highway and the Jetta will deliver 6s and 7s in the litres/100km readout.Body and spaceThat consumption is really good considering that though the Jetta is basically a Golf with a boot, it has a stupendous cargo-carrying ability. The boot is huge - bigger than a Commodore apparently - and has a full-size spare tyre beneath the floor. The rear seats split and fold down to boost luggage room. And it's not shy when carting people either, able to haul five adults - though four is preferred - with good leg and headroom.DrivingRide quality leans towards firm but the dampening doesn't jar occupants and the kiddies won't be upset - any more than they usually are. Volkswagen offer a sports suspension on other Jetta models that further tightens the suspension but, honestly, you don't need it. Handling is superb. Like the Golf, the Jetta makes the driver feel instantly at home. The seating position - with height adjustment - and the tilt-telescopic steering wheel fits all sizes. But it's also the way it drives. The Jetta sits confidently on the tarmac with excellent steering feel and strong - almost abrupt - brakes.It will corner hard and fast before giving way to understeer and should surprise many drivers used to more exotic machinery. It just feels right. The icing is the drivetrain. The engine is revvy and the DSG box is very responsive. There are times when the box can be too responsive. It's not always smooth on take off, with a bump from the box as all the oily bits connect, and a sudden prod on the accelerator pedal will show some indecision. But that's at odds with the way it smoothly slides up and down the seven cogs when in motion.Pricing and equipmentThe Jetta comes in five models and this, the 118TSI, is the cheapest petrol model starting at $30,990 as a manual. As tested, with all the fruit - and believe me, it's very well equipped - it costs $33,490 plus on-road costs. Cabin treatment is clinically German with switchgear that works very well and set into an attractive dashboard that reflects high build quality.I recognise that lockable gloveboxes aren't necessarily a deterrent to thieves but I appreciate that an owner can store personal items with some peace of mind.Features include front and rear parking sensors, eight-speaker iPod/MP3 audio with single CD player, cruise control, trip computer and a climate-control dual-zone airconditioner with pollen filter. More important is the standard seven airbags, stability control, tyre pressure warning and five-star crash rating.I forgot two things: This is a well-designed yet somewhat indescript sedan. You will love the way it works but compared with a Mazda3, for example, is as flashy as a cardboard box. The second thing is the engine size. Not that it matters but it's a puny 1.4 litres. Drive this thing and you'd never believe it's this small. In Germany, they shrink engines.VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 118TSI DSGFEATURES: Dual-zone climate aircon; 8-speaker iPod/CD audio; 7 airbags; park sensors; cruise controlOrigin: MexicoPrice: $33,490Engine: 1.4-litre, 4-cyl, supercharger, turbochargerPower: 118kW @ 5800rpmTorque: 240Nm @ 1500-4500rpm0-100km/h: 8.5 secondsFuel: Premium unleadedFuel tank: 55 litresEconomy: official 6.6 litres/100km; tested 7.2 litres/100kmGreenhouse: 153g/km (Corolla: 175g/km)Transmission: 7-speed DSG automatic, sequential; front-driveBrakes: 4-wheel discs, ESC, ABS, EBD, brake assist, hill start assistTurning circle: 10.9mSuspension: Front - MacPherson struts; Rear - multi-link, coilsWheels: 16-inch alloy, 205/55R16 tyres; full-size spareLength: 4554mm    Width: 1781mm    Height: 1459mmWheelbase: 2578mm    Weight: 1406kgTow (max): 1400kgWarranty: 3yr/100,000km, roadside assistService: 15,000kmRATING: 88/100RIVALS: Honda Accord Euro ($35,490) - 85/100Mazda3 SP25 ($31,920) - 87/100Toyota Corolla Ultima ($30,690) - 83/100