Betta Getta Jetta
Must admit, this rather sophomoric rhyme-time catchphrase hyping Volkswagen's vastly upgraded, next- generation compact sedan has a tendency to stick in one's head.
But, it's effective in an irksome way, and verbally flows off the tongue with better cadence than the loose "Sie Sollten Einen Jetta Kaufen" translation from VW's native tongue.
The 2019 Generation Seven Jetta made its global debut at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year. It's longer, wider and higher than the retiring Gen Six (in service from 2011 to 2018) with a wheelbase (distance between front and rear axle) stretching 1.3 inches. Under hood, a fuel friendly yet energetic four-cylinder gas-powered turbo returns offering a nimble driving experience in the confines of a five-passenger front-wheel drive layout.
Worldwide, more than 17.5 million Jettas have been sold since production first began in 1979. Here in the States, more than 3.2 million units have rolled off dealer lots the past two score years.
Mark Gillies, Senior Marketing Manager of Product Communications, commented on the all-new, seventh-generation Jetta this past May during a VW-sponsored lunch during the sun-splashed Midwest Automotive Media Association Spring Rally in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
"It's consistently been our best-selling car in the U.S., Gilles stated. " It's also one of the most successful European nameplates sold in the U.S."
Gen Seven now boasts Volkswagen's vetted and well-regarded MQB (Modularer QuerBaukasten) platform introduced to the U.S. in 2014. The MQB translates from German-to-English to 'Modular Transverse Matrix,' thus ending today's Deutschland spot quiz.
From a consumer's perspective, no matter what the language, MQB represents a significant leap forward from Jetta's 2018 effort with its more ridged chassis. It's a scalable architecture shared among many VW family vehicles and brands which reduces costs through economics of scale. Case In point, a 2019 Jetta boasts a lower starting point (about $100 less) than the 2018 model while delivering significantly more standard content.
The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder delivers a lively 147 horses and remains the sole engine as of now, providing lots of low-end grunt (or torque) with very little 'turbo lag' hesitation sometimes experienced when pressing the accelerator pedal to the medal. The 13.2-gallon tank utilizes regular, 87-octane fuel. A 2.0-liter four cylinder turbo is expected as a second engine selection next year.
An all-new eight-speed automatic transmission (replacing an outgoing six-speed) is standard in most trims while an updated six-speed manual is offered solely in the base S (with the automatic an $800 option). Both generate identically impressive fuel estimates of 30 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway.
Jetta's seamless and imperceptible start-stop technology (standard with the eight-speed automatic) helps tweak up fuel figures with gentle engine shut downs at prolonged stops. Once the right foot lifts off the brake, the engine awakes. Many tested luxury brands with price tags double that of Jettas featured similar technology that 'rocked the boat' to an annoying extent. If desired, this feature may be deactivated from a marked button near the transmission shifter.
Jetta is also the first in its compact class to include an automatic post-collision braking system standard across all 2019 trims. "When the air bags go off, brakes get applied, reducing the chance of a secondary collision," VW's Gillies commented. "One of the things our engineers found is that in certain front-end collisions, you might hit a guard rail and drift back to oncoming traffic." This technology reduces unintended movement after the initial impact.
Trims now include S, SE, new-for-2019 R-Line, SEL and SEL Premium. A Wolfsburg Edition introduced for the 2018 model year has retired. The preppy R-Line ups exterior styling nuances with 17-inch tires (graduated from the 16-inch standard size), an aggressive rear bumper with dual exhausts, a gloss black front grille and black side mirror caps. Inside, the leather-wrapped steering wheel includes contrast stitching and special badging.
Our well-equipped 2019 Jetta R-Line checked in with a very attainable $22,995 starting price. The only extra, an eye-inducing "Habanero Orange Metallic" exterior color ($296) ended the bottom line at $24,140 with $850 destination charge. Jetta now competes more aggressively pricewise comparable with mainstream compact rivals. A decade ago, Jetta tried a premium pricing approach not quite matching its content.
During a week of meandering through the Chicago suburbs, our R-line tester received its fair share of double takes from a wide spectrum of demographics and age ranges. Most commented upon was the trendy, eye-catching 'orange metallic' exterior hue.
Volkswagen's widely recognized, V atop W circular logo centers the grille with four vertical bars stretching across the front, two of which flow into narrow headlight housing featuring new LED lighting. Jetta's overall appearance remains understatedly conservative with a pinch more athletic boastfulness especially notable with an elevated elevated hood. Curved outside framing start from the A pillars traveling towards headlight housing inside edging with four vertical speed lines interspersed between.
Gen Seven also includes an extra splash of exterior chrome noticeable along bottom framing of side windows. Below resides a horizontal character line initiating at the front fender and continuing back to the LED wrap-around tail housing and cruising through the body colored, strap-like grab handles.
Inside R-line; a two-tone gray and black interior adorns leatherette seating now with ergonomically optimized backrests. Manually-sliding front seats continue with an underside, easy-grab inboard loop rather than a horizontal pull bar. An electronic parking brake is standard.
Volkswagen's second-generation of its user-friendly infotainment network known as MIB II (Modular Infotainment Platform) is standard in all trims. The MIB II offers Smartphone integration with Apple's Car Play and Android's Auto allowing phone app pairing with the in-dash, mid-sized 6.5-inch screen. A larger 8.0-inch variety comes standard in upper trims. Screen and HVAC controls (three easy-grab dials) skew gently towards the driver.
Looking to rebound from the marketing debacle surrounding diesel engine emissions (VW has suspended sales of diesels in America), VW introduced a six-year/72,000-mile "People First" warranty; a bumper-to-bumper, limited warranty covering the powertrain, transmission and mechanical parts which is fully transferable between owners. By comparison, Hyundai and Kia's 10-year 100,000 miles powertrain warranty remains non-transferable. Prior VW coverage was three-years/36,000-miles. Another peace-of-mind perk; 24-hour roadside assistance covering towing, jump starts and lock-out situations for three years or 36,000 miles.
Volkswagen opened its first U.S. assembly campus in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2011, churning out mid-size Passat sedans. A second vehicle joined when the all-new, three-row mid-size Atlas crossover began rolling off the line in late 2017. This past March, VW announced the arrival of a third boarder, the five-passenger Atlas Cross Sport crossover, which goes into production in the 2019 calendar year. Our Jetta R-Line tester was assembled in Puebla, Mexico.
2019 Jetta R-Line
Price as tested: $24,140
Engine: 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder
Horsepower: 147
Wheelbase: 105.7 inches
Overall length: 185.1 inches
Overall Height: 57.4 inches
Overall width: 70.8 inches
Curb weight: 2,959 pounds
Fuel economy: 30 mpg city, 40 highway
Powertrain warranty: Seven years/100,000-miles
Assembly: Puebla, Mexico
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