KELSEY MAYS
Living Editor
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2005 Volkswagen Jetta (Anela Holck/Asst. Photo Editor
The Volkswagen Jetta is an interesting breed. It is unofficially called a premium compact, meaning it’s not much bigger than a Civic or Corolla, but is priced a few thousand dollars more and, with a few option boxes checked, considerably beats both in luxury features. It doesn’t quite match up to the midsize Accord or Camry, though, because both are larger, more powerful and slightly more expensive.
This means young families and high school kids stretching their parents’ “entry-level car” budgets will both show up looking for the same vehicle.
For VW, that has been a winning formula. Consider that from 2000 to 2004, the company sold 645,335 Jettas in the United States. That’s more than 40 percent of the company’s total U.S. sales, while seven other models sat alongside at one point or another, during that period.
The new fifth-generation Jetta has some big wheel-wells to fill. It went on sale this past March as a 2005 model, though some fourth-generation Jettas also get 2005 designation. The new model is larger, more extroverted and more powerful than the outgoing version, yet still priced low enough to compete with top-end compact sedans.
Though there are three engines, including a high-mileage diesel variant and a performance-oriented, turbocharged one, the majority of new Jettas will come equipped with the base motor: a 2.5-liter inline-five that makes 150 horsepower and 170 pounds-feet of torque. It matches with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
My test vehicle was a beige Jetta with the base engine and an automatic. Don’t be fooled — although the transmission offers both sport and manual shift modes, it hardly turns the Jetta into a sports sedan.
There’s a bit of lag stepping down, but thanks to its six gears, the transmission allows quick access to the engine’s torque curve. Volkswagen claims 90 percent of the 170 pounds-feet is available between 1,750 and 5,125 rpm, and I don’t dispute that — upon toeing the accelerator, power comes early and stays late. In contrast, a vehicle with a low-torque engine would require a lot of revving before the desired thrust arrives.
It’s a welcome change from the previous Jetta’s 2.0-liter engine. The 2.5 is by no means muscular, but it’s certainly peppy enough to safely maneuver into the passing lane. The gearbox’s sport mode holds lower gears and downshifts faster, and flooring the gas kicks down up to three gears without too much delay.
For a relatively cheap, high-volume engine, my only complaint is the volume. It idles roughly and clamors loudly when pushed even slightly at low speeds. At full steam, it’s harsh enough to drown out the radio. Unorthodox designs like these — five transversely mounted cylinders with double overhead cams, instead of a more conventional four-cylinder layout — often sound coarse, but Volkswagen may quiet things down in successive productions.
Power reaches the ground through a four-wheel independent suspension that allows significant body roll and doesn’t isolate bumps all that well. The steering system uses a new electromechanical setup that Volkswagen claims offers additional assistance at low speeds and increases the vehicle’s overall straight-line stability. It makes parking lots a breeze and gives the Jetta an easygoing demeanor, but it also lacks much road feel and seems very artificial through the corners. Don’t expect any adept handling from this car or its Michelin Energy all-season tires, which would rather plow through corners than grip them.
But this Volkswagen is far more likely to be used as a suburban runabout than a sports car, and in this respect, it lives up to its duty well.
The cabin is fresh and appealing, if a bit conservative. A center console integrates audio and climate controls into a clear, well-marked interface, and virtually every knob, button and slot about the interior is tailored toward user-friendliness. Consider some notable details: a display on the instrument panel reminds drivers to fasten their seatbelts and release the handbrake, the owner’s manual is color-coded and even the gas cap release illuminates at night.
Entry and exit is fairly easy. I can’t imagine any driver not finding the right position. Even in the base model, the seats adjust eight ways, the steering wheel tilts and telescopes, and the center armrest ratchets up and extends outward for varying lengths. My test car had power seats that made the fitting process even simpler.
The seats themselves are not that great, though. Seats should hold occupants into corners or, as a trade-off, at least be spacious and allow some lounging. The Jetta’s are neither. Blame it on the compact interior, but the chairs are too narrow to offer much lateral support and too thin to feel that comfortable.
The backseat offers slightly more headroom than the last Jetta and significantly more legroom. Whereas the previous model felt downright cramped in back, this new version gives passengers adequate breathing room and a center armrest with two cupholders, an option that should probably be standard equipment. The armrest also opens up into a felt-lined storage compartment, but the tradeoff is that once folded up as a seatback for the unlucky middle passenger, the thin cushion doesn’t have much padding.
There is a cavernous trunk in back — it measures 16 cubic feet, larger than a midsize Nissan Altima’s trunk — but the Jetta is not a big car, and despite this fifth generation’s larger size, it still receives industry classification as a compact vehicle.
Small doesn’t mean cheap, and the Jetta feels premium in many ways. Even the base Jetta Value Edition, which starts around $18,500, comes with soft-shut grab handles, keyfob-integrated remote entry and one-touch power windows. Six airbags, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes and front seat head restraints that move forward during a collision to cushion against whiplash are also standard.
The uplevel Jetta 2.5 adds dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-disc CD changer and several other perks for about $21,000. But pile on the options, and things get hairy. With the automatic transmission, power leather seats, a sunroof and alloy wheels, my test vehicle (a Jetta 2.5) weighed in at $26,740.
I have two reservations about the Jetta, and one is that price. At close to $27,000, there are roomier alternatives with better engines, including Volkswagen’s midsize Passat. Keep the luxuries to a minimum (seriously, does a Jetta need rain-sensing windshield wipers?) and a safe, premium car can be had for well under $20,000.
The second reservation is build quality. Except for some optional wood trim that feels cheap and slippery on the gearshift handle, fit and finish are generally fantastic. Actual execution, however, doesn’t add up. During a week of driving, I heard plenty of squeaks and rattles from the A-pillar, headliner and dashboard. It might be an anomaly for this specific car, but considering that the fourth-generation Jetta was no star in reliability — Consumer Reports lists it as a “Bad Bet,” while J.D. Power and Associates gives it only average grades for initial quality — there are some legitimate questions concerning this new model.
But people still like it. Despite the lackluster reliability scores, J.D. Power reports that both the fourth-generation Jetta and this new one earned top marks in driver appeal, and the 47,000 buyers Volkswagen estimates that have bought a new Jetta since March can’t be too wrong.
Why do owners love their Jettas so much? It’s because of the little things: pegs that keep both front floor mats in place, a grocery bag hook in the trunk, a radio that provides individual knobs for fade and balance, rather than burying them into some auxiliary menu. There’s a lot of common-sense innovation that Jettas are famous for – and at such a low starting price, it’s why the car is such a hit.
Ultimately, for Volkswagen, I suppose that’s what counts.
10-06-2005
