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CA2008 Volkswagen Jetta
More power, wagon available. edited by New Car Test Drive
Driving Impressions
Turn the key in the Volkswagen Jetta S, SE, or SEL and you're greeted by the raspy growl of a five-cylinder engine. It's definitely an in-your-ear sound that will find favor with those who appreciate mechanical Sturm und Drang. We like it, but it might be annoying to drivers who'd rather talk on the phone.
As soon as the Jetta pulls away from the curb, there's a feel of solidness and a sense of high quality. Volkswagen invested in structural rigidity, and it paid off in ride quality and handling.
The five-cylinder engine is tuned for instant gratification, and we like it. Throttle tip-in is aggressive, especially when the automatic transmission is in Sport mode. Upshifts and downshifts then occur at higher engine speeds. The engine does not provide any braking while driving downhill, however, and we'd prefer that it did for the control it provides.
The 2.5-liter never felt underpowered in a week of testing on freeways, over mountain passes and around town, nor did it seem like it was running out of breath at high rpm. Its rasp turns a bit strident when the accelerator is fully applied, but it's more a growl of power than a whine of discontent. With increased power and torque for 2008, the factory now claims that a manual-shift Jetta can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 8.2 seconds; the automatic in 8.5. And that's with the same EPA ratings as last year: 21/29 mpg, City/Highway, for both the manual and the automatic.
We can attest that the Jetta will cruise all day long at 90 mph and, given an autobahn or race track to explore, will reach almost 130 mph at its top end. The 2.5 is a very flexible engine, and it delivers power when needed, no matter the gear. Raw speed is not what this five-cylinder does best, however.
The six-speed automatic with Tiptronic does just about everything an automatic transmission should do. In full automatic mode, the transitions between gears are quick and slip-free. Slam the gas pedal down and downshifts are crisp, and the transmission holds the chosen gear until redline before swiftly shifting up to the next gear. Switch to the manual mode by moving the shift lever into a gate to the right. Pushing the lever forward in the manual mode chooses a higher gear, while pulling back selects a lower one.
The Jetta's handling is rewarding, inspiring confidence on curving mountain roads. The Jetta carves through a corner with precision, and body lean is almost non-existent. Entering a corner too quickly is easily corrected with the excellent four-wheel disc brakes. ABS helps the driver maintain steering control while braking, while Brake Assist ensures maximum brake force during panic stops. The Jetta's high-tech traction aids provide a greater envelope of safety yet do little to diminish the driving experience.
We think this is the best-handling front-wheel-drive car Volkswagen has produced. It benefits from its multi-link rear suspension, instead of VW/Audi's traditional twist beam, along with a carefully designed MacPherson strut front suspension. The Jetta is a well-balanced car, with little or no sense that the front end is doing the work of both pulling and steering the car.
The steering is sharp. It not only adjusts to speed, providing more assist at low speeds and higher effort on the open road, but through electronic control of the steering column it automatically corrects the car's direction when such external forces as crosswinds threaten to move it off track. It's a bit disconcerting at first for the car to do something a driver expects he or she will have to do, but in short order the self-correction becomes a welcome improvement.
For slippery conditions, all but the base Jetta S come with an electronic differential lock, or EDL, that varies power to either front wheel depending on which one has more traction. Anti-slip regulation, or ASR, reduces engine power to both front wheels if slip is detected. Essentially a form
