The Jetta sedan has a spacious rear seat and trunk but the good news mostly ends there. Handling lacks agility and interior fit and finish is unimpressive in most versions. The coarse-sounding 2.5-liter five-cylinder gets a mediocre 25 mpg overall. The four-cylinder diesel gets an impressive 34 mpg overall, but the automated manual transmission is not smooth at very low speeds. The sporty GLI is quick, agile, and enjoyable to drive and has a nicer interior. A hybrid version goes on sale at the end of the year. Reliability of the diesel version has improved to average and is recommended, while the base four-cylinder and five-cylinder are below average.
A subscription to ConsumerReports.org includes Consumer Reports road test reports (based on over 50 different tests).
Volkswagen Blog Content
Who owns which car brands?
The auto industry has a very confusing family tree. The past few years have seen partnerships, sales, separations, bankruptcies, and entire divisions killed off, making it difficult to keep up with who owns which car brands. As automakers slim down...
Detroit 2013: CrossBlue concept hints at new SUV
Volkswagen, once known for making cars that stood out, is plunging deeper into the mainstream. Besides the storied Beetle, it cranked out generations of jewel-like Jettas and premium-class Passats that were great to drive, but too often had to be...
New IIHS crash tests finds some family cars outperform luxury models
Proving paying more doesn't automatically equate to safer, some midsized cars do better than luxury models in the new frontal offset crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Of the 18 sedans tested in the latest...
Top 10 largest car recalls in American history
This week's recall of 7.43 million Toyotas for a faulty power window switch that could catch fire has been billed as one of the largest in history. But how big is it really? It didn't even make the top 10,...
Stylish Volkswagen CC gives up practicality to turn heads
The Volkswagen CC is like buying designer clothes at ready-to-wear prices. It looks really good, and you look good in it. But don't expect it to score aces for practicality. The CC is a "four-door coupe," another way of saying...
