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      Volkswagen Jetta 2.0L TDI DSG Review

      Aditya Chatterjee

      Aditya Chatterjee

      Opening

      Volkswagen Jetta 2.0L TDI DSG Review

      The once popular D-Segment of cars, which were a symbol of more power, more features and more luxury, lost its importance with the advance of feature rich less expensive offerings sitting at a segment below. The regular batch changed their preference giving larger weightage to convenience and of course lucrative pricing of such smaller cars but is it fair to think of them as a suitable replacement?

      Volkswagen Jetta Photos 15

      The new Jetta is surely not as it is better than before. It features sharper lines on the outside and a dash of luxury add-ons inside. But the real deal lies inside the hood where the 2.0L TDI engine sits. We take a deeper look at this new offering. 

      Appearance Exterior

      This is the second time that Volkswagen has updated the second gen Jetta as the first one happened in 2013. The new version too doesn’t get loads of changes but minor tweaks to make the Jetta sold in India resemble its international counterparts with a furthermore sleek design than before.

      Volkswagen Jetta Photos 11

      To make sure the New Jetta looks wider, VW has altered the previous grille and made way for a new triple slat chrome embellished version. This gives a broader front car stance with a neat display. The headlight outline is narrower as it sits at the extreme corner, also acting collinear with the new grille. It features day time running LEDs arranged in an array running along the border of the headlights. The front bumper gets a revised fog lamp positioning.

      The length of the new car remains same as there aren’t any significant changes done to the side profile. The five-spoke alloy wheels surely drop in a hint of performance which gels well with its elegant stance. The rear boot lid has been retouched with a new lip which integrates a spoiler in it. The tail lamps too have got an update with more detailing inside the assembly. Also to make the car appear wider, the lines and creases have been removed from the rear bumper.

      Volkswagen Jetta Photos 10

       

      Appearance Interior

      The interiors of the new Jetta too feel understated as Volkswagen doesn’t believe in jazzing it up. Instead, the strong built quality paired with the sophistication leave a positive impression.

      Volkswagen Jetta Images 14

      Firstly, it borrows the same flat bottom steering wheel as seen on the recently updated Polo and Vento series of cars. It features controls to access the multi information display on the instrumental console as well as buttons to operate the central infotainment screen. The MFD inside the chrome rimmed cluster has been updated as it now shows cleaner and crisper display. The addition of fatigue alert, which computes between the different inputs given to the steering wheel, cautions the driver with the help of a subtle chime.

      The front dashboard also gets a faux wooden strip running along its width as well as on the door trims. It might not appear in sync with the understated style but then its presence grows on you, which also remains to be a subjective choice. The contrasting colour combination of beige and ebony looks interesting especially as it is complimented by the silvers and greys of the button along with the tree bark themed brown strip on the trims.

      Volkswagen Jetta Images 11

      The Trendline variant misses out on a whole lot of equipment which comes as a standard on the Highline variant. Most importantly, it gets a central touchscreen unit with 8 Speakers while the Trendline variant gets a more basic system and 4 speakers. Also, the Highline variant gets dual zone air conditioning. One sore point remains the absence of navigation system.

      The rear passenger space is comfortable with well cushioned seats and adequate support. The driver’s seat feels more equipped with electrical adjustments while the front passenger is left to adjust his seat with the help of a mechanical lever. The rear central armrest gets twin cup holders and a litre class storage option on door trims. The new Jetta also gets a generous boot space of 510L

      Volkswagen Jetta Images 16

       

      Performance Drive

      The 2.0L TDI powering the new Jetta is a power unit as it has a unique mix of efficiency and performance. It is unlike any other engine in this segment and is a strong contender to be the best in the segment. It is also used in varied configurations across the range from VW stable.

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      The 1968cc four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine makes 140 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque. It is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission gearbox and an optional 6-Speed DSG unit on the highline variant. The smaller displacement petrol variants are offered with a manual transmission only.

      In terms of performance, almost all VW cars rule the game and therefore we did expect the Jetta to impress us with its performance. The torquey diesel motor offers its peak across a wide range of engine speed starting from as low as 1750 rpm. It definitely comes in handy on highways especially at tricky situations which demand an urgent surge but then it also is useful inside the city where the engine is strained to perform at low speeds.

      Volkswagen Jetta Photos 18

      It offers three driving modes. The automatic is the best inside the city as it is quick to sense the throttle response and immediately upshift or downshift as and when necessary. Then there is the manual mode, which is more for the spirited and adventurous kinds. Using the well tucked shifter paddles behind the steering wheel, the shifting pattern totally depends on the driver. This is the most enjoyable mode as the DSG is extremely quick and precise to shift gears. Even the engine speed alters quickly to reduce the intermittent lag.

      Volkswagen Jetta Photos 13

      Ride and handling continues to be a forte as the suspension settings haven’t been changed. It does feel a bit heavy around corners especially if you enter at a higher speed but then it still manages to hold on to the tarmac giving enough confidence to be pushed further. In addition, the Electronic Stability Control along with Anti slip regulation (ASR) and Electronic differential Lock (EDL) make sure the vehicle remains in control. It also manages to absorb all the disturbances from the tarmac and isolate the cabin from them.

       

      Tech Specs

      Technical Specifications
       Make Volkswagen
       Model Jetta
      Variant 2.0 TDI DSG Highline
      Fuel Diesel
      Price (Ex-Showroom Mumbai) Rs. 1,977,000
      Engine Capacity 1968
      Power in PS/RPM 140 / 4200
      Torque in Nm/RPM 320 / 1750-2500
      Gears 6-speed DSG
      Length mm 4659
      Width mm 1778
      Height mm 1453
      Wheel base mm 2648
      Kerb Weight in Kg 1439
      Ground clearance mm 159
      Fuel tank capacity L 55
      Tyre Spec 205/55 R16

      Features

      Features Trendline Comfortline Highline
      ‘Climatronic’ dual-zone air conditioning system Yes Yes Yes
      Cooled glove box Yes Yes Yes
      Tilt and telescopic adjustment for steering wheel Yes Yes Yes
      Windshield in heat insulating glass Yes Yes Yes
      Green heat insulating glass in side and rear windows Yes Yes Yes
      Illuminated vanity mirrors Yes Yes Yes
      Front seats with height adjustment Yes Yes Yes
      Rain sensor Yes Yes Yes
      Cruise Control Yes Yes Yes
      Fatigue detection Yes Yes Yes
      Disc brakes (front and rear) Yes Yes Yes
      Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Yes Yes Yes
      Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with brake assist Yes Yes Yes
      Anti-slip Regulation (ASR) Yes Yes Yes
      Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) Yes Yes Yes
      Hill hold control Yes Yes Yes
      Height adjustable front seat belts Yes Yes Yes
      Seat belt tensioner (front) Yes Yes Yes
      3-point rear centre seat belt Yes Yes Yes
      ISOFIX (mounting points for 2 child seats on rear seat bench) Yes Yes Yes
      Engine and transmission guard Yes Yes Yes
      Driver and front passenger airbag Yes Yes Yes
      Front passenger airbag deactivation Yes Yes Yes
      Curtain airbag for front and rear passengers Yes Yes Yes
      Side airbags, front Yes Yes Yes

      Competition All Specs

      Specifications
      Volkswagen
      Jetta
      Skoda
      Octavia
      Chevrolet
      Cruze
      Variant 2.0 TDI DSG Highline Elegance 2.0 TDI CR AT LTZ AT
      Fuel Diesel Diesel Diesel
      Price (Ex-Showroom Mumbai) Rs. 1,977,000 Rs. 2,112,230 Rs 17,68,271
      Engine Capacity 1968 1968 1998
      Power in PS/RPM 140 / 4200 141 / 4000 164 / 3800
      Torque in Nm/RPM 320 / 1750-2500 320 / 1750 380 / 2000
      Gears 6-speed DSG - -
      Length mm 4659 4659 4597
      Width mm 1778 1814 1788
      Height mm 1453 1476 1477
      Wheel base mm 2648 2688 2685
      Kerb Weight in Kg 1439 1395 1540
      Ground clearance mm 159 155 165
      Fuel tank capacity L 55 50 NA
      Tyre Spec 205/55 R16 205 / 55 R16 205 / 60 R16

      Conclusion

      The new facelift does not make it a new car but even then the Jetta has been one of the best in the segment. No other car in this price range offers such an impressive ride and handling. It is only in terms of features, where the Jetta falls back. If one can manage to overlook it, this is indeed one impressive luxury sedan.

      Volkswagen Jetta Photos 6

      Volkswagen | Jetta | volkswagen jetta