News flash: Volkswagen builds great cars.
Sure, we know all about the diesel cheating scandal, and VW deserves every wrist slap and rear kick coming its way, but the company does build some of the best automobiles on the planet.
Case in point, the Jetta, a roomy, comfortable and athletic compact with perhaps the top safety ratings in its class.
And what a class it is. The Jetta was a MotorTrend car of the year contestant while going up against the Honda Civic, Mazda3 , Toyota Corolla, Hyunda Elantra, Kia Forte and Dodge Dart. We rate the Jetta in the top three because of its robust power trains, taut handling, well crafted interiors, sophisticated safety gear, and affordable pricing.
Plus, it's fun to drive.
Safety First
Like Honda does with the Civic, VW makes available collision avoidance technology at a more-than-fair price. VW charges just $950 for a suite that includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking (front assist); blind spot monitor with rear traffic alert, and an upgraded instrument cluster. Adaptive cruise keeps you a safe distance from traffic in front of you, front assist hits the brakes if you're texting and don't happen to notice the garbage truck stopped in front of you.
If it does hit something, the new Jetta does a very good job protecting you. The NHTSA gave the Jetta its highest possible overall safety rating. In IIHS crash testing, it received a Top Safety Pick+ award after getting the highest possible score in all five crash tests and an advanced rating in the front prevention evaluation after it reduced the impact of a 12-mph collision by 9 mph (front crash prevention ratings include basic, advanced, and superior).
Great interior; exterior, meh
Safety is an important consideration, but rarely most important when selecting a car. Looks matter. The rule of thumb in the auto industry is that 70 percent of the buying decision is made with the Lizard brain, which explains why Chrysler sold so many PT Cruisers, a cool looking, mechanically dreadful car.
When it comes to looks, The Mazda3 and new Civic are stunning. The Jetta has, uhm, a nice personality.
Most people spend more time driving their cars than looking at them. On the inside, the design of the dash and center stack are confidence inspiring, gauges and switch gear have the look and feel of careful engineering, and the technology may be best in class.
Base models come standard with a five-inch infotainment touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity. The Technology package adds a rear-view camera and a larger touchscreen. Sport models come with navigation, two-tone leatherette upholstery, a sport-tuned suspension, a rear spoiler, fog lights, and interior ambient lighting. Top-of-line SELs add a lovely Fender audio system, navigation and dual-zone climate control.
We've seen at least one critic knock down the Jetta because he couldn't figure out how to use the infotainment system, which shows how arbitrary reviewers such as yours truly can be. Before backing out of the driveway the first time, we spent a couple of minutes pushing all the buttons and pairing up the phone. Piece of cake.
Oh, and red-headed step-child was impressed to find power outlets and USB ports front and rear.
Four great powerplants
Volkswagen pioneered the use of small displacement, highly efficient turbocharged and direct-injection engines in the U.S. Perhaps to show off this mechanicial legerdemain, the 2016 Jetta comes with four power plants, including a hybrid model.
For 2016, the base engine is a new 1.4-liter turbocharged, direct-injection engine. It makes 150 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The EPA estimated fuel economy is 28 mpg city and 40 mpg highway when equipped with the five-speed manual transmission; with the six-speed automatic transmission, ratings are 28
Our tester came was a Jetta 1.8T model, a turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder.
It puts out 170 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and has buttery smooth acceleration feel, thanks to a broad torque plateau of 184 lb-ft from 1,500 to 4,750 rpm. The EPA rating is 25 mpg city and 37 mpg highway when equipped with the five-speed manual transmission; with the six-speed automatic transmission, ratings are 25 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
A 2.0-liter engine powers Jetta GLI model. This double-overhead cam, 16-valve, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine produces 210 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque.
While it gives the GLI exhilarating performance, it is also efficient, with EPA estimated fuel economy of 24 mpg city and 33mpg on the highway when equipped with Volkswagen's fast-shifting DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.
I recently had a chance to do some hot laps in a GLI and came away impressed with the car's razor-sharp balance of power and control. It hooked up beautifully through the turns and took off like a rocket down the straightaways.
The Jetta Hybrid combines a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine with a 27-horsepower electric motor.
The gasoline engine is one of Volkswagen's latest in a series of small engines. It features lightweight aluminum construction, an exhaust manifold integrated into the head, and a toothed-belt drive for its double overhead camshaft valvetrain that incorporates variable intake timing.
The engine in the Jetta Hybrid features a 10.5:1 compression ratio, direct injection, and turbocharging to produce 150 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. The intercooler is integrated directly into the injection-molded induction pipe. This design generates maximum torque of 184 lb-ft at just 1,600 rpm.
Compared to other hybrids, the Jetta Hybrid's superior handling and peppy gas engine make it more driver friendly. It also is one of the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market, with EPA ratings of 42 city/ 48 highway.
Pricing
The Jetta comes in 10 variants stretching across four powerplants and four available trim lines, S, SE, SEL and Sport. (Not all trim lines are available with all powerplants). The base 1.4T S, with a five speed manual transmission starts at $17,680. Add around $1,100 for a six-speed automatic and $820 for delivery.
A top-of-line 2.0T GLI SEL with dual-clutch automatic transmission will set you back $30,320 plus delivery. A hybrid only comes in SEL premium trim and stickers at $31,120.
Bottom Line: Will VW survive the diesel scandal? I think so, but go look at the cars on a dealer's lot and decide for yourself.