What's the news?
Volkswagen has given the Jetta a facelift and the new model is available to order now, with the first cars arriving in December. There are three trim levels - S, SE and GT - and prices start at £18,815.
Exterior
Changes to the styling are said to reduce drag by ten per cent. The front bumper has been reshaped while the radiator grille is new, with three horizontal fins. A small lip has been added to the boot lid and extends across the rear wings. Below this there are new tail lights and a redesigned bumper. SE models are distinguished by 16-inch alloy wheels while the GT gets 17-inch wheels and lowered suspension.
Interior
New designs of fabric trim are used on the seats and doors, the steering wheel is new and the instrument layout has been revised. A number of safety systems are offered as options on the new Jetta for the first time, including Blind Spot Detection with Rear Traffic Alert. Standard equipment includes DAB radio, air conditioning and electric windows. The SE adds Bluetooth, Multi Device Interface and a leather multi-function steering wheel. New ambient lighting is fitted to the GT version along with sports seats and a multi-function trip computer.
Mechanicals
All engines feature BlueMotion technology including stop-start and battery energy recuperation. The base unit is a 1.4-litre TSI petrol with 125hp, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. There is also a 150hp version of the TSI engine, which can be ordered with manual or seven-speed DSG transmissions. Two 2.0-litre diesels are also available, with 110- or 150hp; the former comes with five-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmissions while the latter gets six speeds in both manual and automatic guises. The 110hp diesel has the best economy and emissions figures with 70.6mpg on the EU combined cycle and 105 grams of CO2 per km.
Anything else?
Prices for the Jetta SE start at £20,145 and £21,715 for the Jetta GT.
John Lambert - 13 Aug 2014