After graduating college I was looking for a new car to replace my worn out Honda that had little to no life left. The price I was hoping to pay was around $20,000 giving me plenty of options to choose from. After test driving several different models, I decided on the Jetta. My experience has been mostly positive, but the car is not without faults.
Acceleration: My car has the 5cylinder engine with 150hp. It moves the car around sufficiently enough, but the car is not fast by any means. Luckily the transmission is a 6 speed to ensure you are always in the optimal gear. If you buy a brand new Jetta, the car should feel a bit more peppy because it has an extra 20 horsepower. Overall I'd give the car a 7/10 for acceleration.
Transmission: The transmission is a 6 speed automatic which is unheard of in this price range. It is very smooth. I'd rate the transmission a 9/10.
Handling/Steering: The car steers accurately and provides just the right amount of feedback. Handling is pretty impressive and the car always feels in control. Overall I rate it an 8/10 for handling.
Ride: The car rides firm, but is comfortable and controlled. I prefer a firmer ride to the soft mushy feeling you get in a car like the Toyota Camry. Overall 8/10.
Seating: There is plenty of room front and back. for passengers and the seating is firm, but comfortable. There are plenty of adjustments for the front seats including lumbar adjustment. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes making it easy for anyone to find a good driving position. Overall 9/10
Trunk: The trunk is huge, and is bigger than most. In addition, the car has hooks for you grocery bags so they stay in an upright position. It's touches like these that make this car special. 10/10
Exterior Styling: The car looks classy with its chrome grille treatment, but the car is a bit too tall for my tastes. Some of the exterior views look a bit too Japanese for my taste, including the rear which has tail lights like the Toyota Corolla. Overall 7/10
Interior Styling: The interior looks more expensive the anything in the class. The materials are rich and surfaces feel high quality. 10/10
Safety: This car has airbags galore including two front, two side, and head airbags as well. 10/10
Reliability: I haven't had any major problems with the car, but it only has 33,000 miles on it. The transmission kicks down sharply sometimes and some of the interior elements have come loose. Also, the passenger door has been sticky ever since I bought it. People have to pull the door handle twice to open it. Overall I'd rate reliability a 7/10.
Price/Value: Considering its features, quality, and space the Jetta offers good value for the money. 8/10
Overall: Overall I have been pretty happy with the car and would rate it an 8/10. If Volkswagen adds a bit more power (which it has recently done), give the car more German styling, and fix some of the reliability problems, I just may purchase another Volkswagen Jetta in the future.
