2011 Jetta: Newer and cheaper

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Philly

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Autoblog
Thanks to a leak from the boys at Auto Express in the UK, we can show you these few shots of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, along with a couple of salient details. Unlike all previous versions of the compact sedan, Volkswagen didn't just graft a trunk to the Golf hatchback to create the Jetta; instead the platform was stretched between the wheels to create a roomier package and more real estate for distinctive styling.

Our European friends will reportedly be getting their choice of a 104-horsepower 1.2-liter TSI, a slightly larger 1.4 TSI with 121 horses or a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter TSI, all burning gasoline. On the diesel front, a 104-horsepower 1.6 TDI kicks things off, followed by a 2.0-liter TDI with 138 ponies.

Stay tuned for more information as VW officially releases the rest of the details on its next-generation Jetta, and in the meantime check out the three leaked images in our gallery below.
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I think it looks alright for a $15k sedan. I'm hoping there's a sweet looking GLI variant sometime. I'd never get one but I'd like to see VW do a version of this that doesn't look super boring.

Also, do we have any idea of what engines are going to be in this thing yet?
 
They should scrap VW and just call it Aubi.
 
nb4fire

Srsly.

But I'm more with Omnis on this... the styling is also getting worse I feel. Now it is getting kind of generic feeling. Well, more so than it did before, but now it is bad.
 
Looks nice. I like the front end, but I can't help but think

An outside source
unconditionally interferes with the
design of these VWs,
intentionally, sometimes.
 
My general feeling is that, if you're going to make a car look super plain, it better be super-ultra aerodynamic at the very least. I wonder what the numbers are for this thing.
 
Azuremen
But I'm more with Omnis on this... the styling is also getting worse I feel. Now it is getting kind of generic feeling. Well, more so than it did before, but now it is bad.
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I agree. VW needs to do something a little more distinctive with their cars. This thing looks so 'generic German' that it's not even funny. Leave the generic styling to the premium brands who are trying to appeal to a lot of people. Let VW build funky and cool cars for people who don't want just another appliancemobile.
 
I haven't cared for the new front grille (besides on the Scirocco) on anything VW.
 
-> Umm, I don't know...It looks like the current-gen Kia Optima!

2009-kia-optima-front-angle-588x422.jpg


2009-kia-optima-2.jpg


-> I like the exterior design overall very much! But please dont tell me tht the Jetta will go head-to-head against the TSX, Kizashi, & Sonata (or upcoming Optima)? I kinda not liking the idea of a bigger Jetta. Will that nullify the existance my beloved Sportwagen? :nervous:
 
I like how Volkwagen Jettas kept a similar look for quite a long time in the old days, over a few generations, but now it's changed into this that looks China's attempt at copying an Audi.
 
I like the high beltline and the soft roofline, however the design was flawed by the front and Audi-like rear, VW need and can be more original than this.
 
German is not about funny.

No but you're right.
Since audi brought us the single frame grill, all audis look the same. Even the S- models are not as destinctive as before.
And Vw is the same. Looks to golf-ish (infact exactly the same) in the front and the end is to much A6.

I drive an older Audi (S3 '02), and owned 4 audi's till now (audi 100, a3, a6, s3) love the cars, but i'm not quite sure if the next one will be an Audi (only if the R4 comes with the tt-rs engine).

They need to differciate the models.

Generic
 
I love how VW said a little while ago that "we're moving away from the Audi-fronted cars that nobody liked".

Clearly what they meant was "we're sticking the Audi bits on the rear instead."
 
So yeah, I'm the only one who prefers this to the previous gen then, which to me looked like a squashed Passat. And the Passat isn't an attractive car.

The Mk4 Jetta(/Bora) is still streets ahead though.
 
homeforsummer
So yeah, I'm the only one who prefers this to the previous gen then, which to me looked like a squashed Passat. And the Passat isn't an attractive car.

The Mk4 Jetta(/Bora) is still streets ahead though.
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I like the Passat :(

Never liked the current Jetta though. It just looks like a lumpy Golf as far as I'm concerned.
 
Isn't the Jetta considered a 'family car' in most parts of the EU?

So if it's a German Corolla, then the box-it-came-in styling seems about right.


M
 
homeforsummer
So yeah, I'm the only one who prefers this to the previous gen then, which to me looked like a squashed Passat. And the Passat isn't an attractive car.

The Mk4 Jetta(/Bora) is still streets ahead though.
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I thought you'd be bouncing off the walls about the 1.2 engine :odd:

[EDIT] Just realised how simplistic the panls are. Nice budget cutting.
 
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New deets:

  • 2.5L I5 and 2.0 TDI will be the engine choices at first.
  • Torsion beam rear suspension.
  • Pricing starts at $16k.
  • It is supposed to compete in both the mid-size and compact market.

Also there is this:

303li5z.jpg


That's just atrocious. I'm disappointed that the 2.5 is carrying over. I don't particularly like that engine. Pricing would have been better at $15k, especially with all the decontenting that it looks like they're doing. It should be a good car to go after the Corolla and Civic with, but VW really shouldn't be aiming there. I'm sure they could manage a lot of sales if they chose to compete with the Mazda3 instead, which is what they really should be doing.

Eric.
I haven't cared for the new front grille (besides on the Scirocco) on anything VW.
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I agree. It really just does not look good at all on a sedan. The Golf and Polo can pull it off, but it has just looked stupid on everything else they do. And that's a shame because I think that if they did it right and put a lot of effort in, it could look sweet.

EDIT: Apparently that $16k price tag is with equipment like Air con and a radio. And it will also be available with the 2.slow 8v I4, with a whopping 115 hp. VW, just bring us the TSI engines. Please.
 
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///M-Spec
Isn't the Jetta considered a 'family car' in most parts of the EU?

So if it's a German Corolla, then the box-it-came-in styling seems about right.


M
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In Britain I believe the Jetta is considered "Geoffrey, why has that Golf got a boot?".

But yes, it's basically family car sized. The Passat is generally too huge and expensive for the average Joe with 2 kids.
 
///M-Spec
Isn't the Jetta considered a 'family car' in most parts of the EU?
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I don't see why it couldn't be a family car here in the states either. Jetta's aren't exactly small. You could easily fit mom, dad and two kids plus all their crap in a Jetta pretty easily. You'd have to get the estate version if you wanted to take the dog though.

Philly
  • 2.5L I5 and 2.0 TDI will be the engine choices at first.
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I'm not really fond of the 2.5L engine either to be honest. It never really felt that great and it's big. I don't have anything against I5's either like a lot of people seem to for whatever reason.

===

Overall I like I the new Jetta, the styling its a little bland but at least it's not awful like a lot of cars and it's something that you'd get tired of. It looks extremely German though and I think will be better suited to European's tastes rather then us in America, but who knows. I'm just dying to see how quick someone drops it and does the poke and stretch with a set of BBS rims though :lol:.
 
-> By far, this is my definition of a Jetta:

The Mk.IV GLI
bentley.vg05.jetta.gli.2005.jpg


^ Best looking, the most Euro-centric, and (IMO) the most balanced. :indiff:

-> The current one (Mk.V) looks bloated CUV-ish Golf Town Car. This new Mk.VI is completely unacceptable, it is more of a Santana successor than a Jetta.

VOLKSWAGENSantana-medium-2467_1.jpg


:indiff:
 
Jondot
In Britain I believe the Jetta is considered "Geoffrey, why has that Golf got a boot?".

But yes, it's basically family car sized. The Passat is generally too huge and expensive for the average Joe with 2 kids.
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Over on that side of the pond. The back seat of a Jetta is rather disappointing, on par with the back seat of any other compact, which aren't generally considered family cars.
 
All-in-all, I can't say I'm surprised, but I'm not exactly disappointed. The fact that the car is larger but still weighs about 100lbs less is pretty impressive, and it shows that, at least in some regard, that they're "getting it." Kinda.

The styling isn't exactly inspirational, but it really isn't on the MKVI Golf either. Hell, most of the rest of the VW line. The Jetta is the bread-and-butter car for the American market, and I wouldn't expect Volkswagen to make any outrageous changes to the car. Compared to most of the cars out there right now, the Jetta is an attractive, up-market alternative to the Cruze and Corolla, presumably packing a fairly impressive list of standard features into the basic car. They've carved out their own market for the car, but they're looking to expand as well. I'm willing to bet that we see a return of the outrageous number of trim levels for the car (I could be wrong).

As someone who has had a Jetta, plans to buy another one, and will be looking at these very closely, it really all comes down to the way the car drives. That means a pretty solid, comfortable, predictably Germanic ride crossed with the ability to toss the car around and "have fun" responsibly. But, the carryover of the 2.5L I5 is a bit of a disappointment. I wasn't a fan before, and that will not continue. Furthermore, the rather odd appearance of the 2.0L 8V is really strange. It was an engine that did nothing, despite doing everything... As beige as you can get. I'd like to see VW tinker with it a bit and wring out a few more horses (a solid 130 BHP would be awesome), or just return to a 16V head like they should have in 1993.

Otherwise, its typical VW fare. I'm neither overly excited or entirely disappointed. Knowing that we're due for the MKIII Focus and that we're probably getting the new Polo (Fox?) Stateside, well, VW is in a bit of a pickle for me. I like the fact that they're going back to basics with a sub-$15K pricetag (Holy cow! A car that has only power windows/locks, ABS, a CD-player and a stick? NOWAI!), but that won't win everyone over.

Full observation when seen in person.



I still continue to believe that the MKII was the best to drive, the MKIV the best to look at, and the MKIII the easiest to live with. I'd like to see this one be a balance of all three.
 
VW stylists are lazy. I can only imagine how the design for this car went...

Stylist A : Have you seen outside?
Stylist B : No, I'm busy trying to make a bland saloon car...
Stylist A : But, an Audi A4 has crashed into your Golf!
Stylist B : ......... Perfect!
 
///M-Spec
Isn't the Jetta considered a 'family car' in most parts of the EU?
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Ish. Stuff like Golfs, Ford Escorts, Toyota Corollas and the like used to be called family cars over here, but despite that class of cars getting physically bigger all the time they're actually now known as "small family cars" with Mondeos, Passats etc now "family cars".

Personally I think it's daft, as my family used to manage with two parents, two kids and all our luggage from the North of England down to various places in France for several years with a Renault 19, a family car that's now significantly smaller than the current Megane, which is in the same line.

I'm gonna say it. Unless you're fat, carry full-sized adults around every day or can't stop breeding, something the size of a Jetta is easily big enough for the average family and their luggage.

Omnis
Torsion beam lmao.
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Works pretty well for Renaultsport and their cars can outhandle pretty much anything.

A torsion beam is more than good enough for a Jetta.
 
How much torque will the new VW have out of the Diesel? Also will they sell the TDI 2.0 in 4Matic?
 
This is just.....wow. They might aswell have called it the 'VW generic car'.
 

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