While driving the new Volkswagen Jetta from Pune to the tourist town of Mahabaleshwar, we decide to perform an experiment. We try and locate Jetta’s competitors—Hyundai Elantra, Skoda Octavia and Toyota Corolla—on the way. One by one, as we find these cars, we try and attract the attention of the occupants—talking to them about our car. To our surprise, it is only after we tell them that we are driving the new Jetta, do they realise the fact. We further observe that, during our 250-km two-way trip, very few people have given our car a second glance. The nip-and-tuck job done on the Jetta, it appears, is far too subtle to be noticed by people on the road. While the Jetta has been one of the best executive sedans available in India, yet it hasn’t been able to attract customers. Since 2011, the car has sold only about 9,500 units. Will this facelift change the fortunes of the Jetta?
Exterior
Volkswagen’s design is all about simplicity. The changes to the Jetta are on similar lines—not substantial but enough to keep the interest in the car alive. The front gets a new grille, new bumper, new airdam and fog lamps. The bi-xenon headlamps incorporating LED daytime running lights, however, remain the same. While the changes are minimal, the redesigned front gives the Jetta a wider stance. The side profile remains exactly the same; even the alloy wheel design has been retained. The rear section gets new tail-lamps, new bumper, new reflectors and a reworked boot-lid. In fact, the rear gets Audi-like treatment and looks first-rate.
Interior
Step inside the cabin and what first attracts your attention is the multifunction flat-bottom steering wheel. It feels excellent to hold and the one on the automatic variant gets paddle shifts. Then there is a new twin-tube instrument cluster that gets a fatigue detection system—which recommends a break from driving when it senses (based on steering inputs) that the driver is losing focus. The new Jetta also gets a passenger airbag deactivation switch—a safety feature in case you wish to place a child-safety seat in that area. The car gets six airbags as standard and there is a unique brake-pad wear indicator. A change we were looking forward to is a redesigned dashboard; however, Volkswagen has chosen not to tweak it. All variants of the car get cruise-control, while none of the variants get a sunroof. There are parking sensors, but there is no rear camera.
There is a huge amount of legroom and headroom at the rear. The under-thigh support is excellent too. The Jetta has been, and remains, an excellent car for people who like to be driven around. The boot space, at 510 litres, is impressive. As far as cabin quality and fit and finish levels are concerned, the new Jetta is the best in class.
However, some features are missing. While there is a port for charging iPhones in the front storage box, there is no USB port. And there is no keyless start button, now a common feature in even cars a class below.
Engines
The engines remain the same—the 1.4-litre TSI petrol which produces a maximum power of 121 bhp and the 2.0-litre TDI diesel with an output of 138 bhp. The petrol is mated only to a six-speed manual transmission, while the diesel additionally gets the DSG gearbox. Unlike sibling Octavia, which is based on the Volkswagen MQB platform, this Jetta is based on the old PQ35 platform. This explains why the Jetta doesn’t get the 1.8-litre TFSI engine that the Octavia boasts of. (The 1.8 TFSI is an MQB-specced engine.)
The petrol is available in Trendline and Comfortline trims, and the diesel is available in Trendline, Comfortline and the top-end Highline trims.
Ride & handling
First, the petrol. While 121 bhp doesn’t read too much for a car this big, the 1.4 TSI is a rev-happy engine. The six-speed manual transmission further enhances the driving pleasure; the gear-shifts are precise and very smooth. The engine easily takes the car to three-figure speeds and even overtaking at such speeds is not much trouble.
The TDI diesel is one of the best motors in the business—it is very refined, quick, and is relatively quiet. It pulls the car relentlessly and there is no apparent turbo lag. The reason is that the TDI engine generates a huge amount of torque—320 Nm. Just nudge the accelerator pedal and the car effortlessly surges ahead. NVH levels in both petrol and diesel variants are impressive. Mention must be made of the fact that the DSG in the Jetta diesel is not a seven-speed box seen in the Octavia but a six-speed one. However, even this box is one of the best in the world of cars and shifts gears at the speed of thought; you also have the option of manually changing gears using paddle shifts on the steering wheel.
The ride and handling is extraordinary, as always. We encountered a lot of bad patches during our day-long drive and the suspension absorbed most bumps. The steering is light yet communicative and, at moderate speeds, you can even feel a pebble under the front tyres. Even sharp cornering manoeuvres in the Jetta are fun—on the serpentine Mahabaleshwar-Pune ghat section, the Jetta rode very confidently; even at speeds above 80 kmph, there was minimal body roll.
Verdict
Is this nip-and-tuck job enough to change the fortunes of the Jetta? Unlikely. While the Jetta—from Rs 13.87 lakh for the petrol and Rs 15.08 lakh for the diesel (ex-showroom, Mumbai)—is priced competitively, the competition is either more advanced or gets more features to fascinate the buyers. The 2016 Jetta concept, which was showcased at the Beijing Auto Show last year, would clearly be a game-changer for the company in India. Until then, the company would hope that this facelift is able to keep the interest in the car alive.
Just on cosmetics:
What’s nice
* Feels very premium
* Spacious rear seating area
* Six airbags, ABS, ESP
What’s not
* No USB connectivity
* No sunroof
* DSG only with diesel
Alternatives: Skoda Octavia, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Renault Fluence