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 cheaper 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. The hybrid version smoothly alternates between gas and electric power. The diesel has average reliability and is recommended, but the base four- and five-cylinders are below average.
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Volkswagen Blog Content
Coming soon: A wider variety of diesel-powered cars
Over the years, with Consumer Reports' extensive testing, we've found that diesel engines provide a significant fuel economy advantage, typically reducing consumption by 30 percent over a conventional engine in an equivalent model. We're encouraged, since at the New York...
Our favorite cars at the New York Auto Show
With the media days at the New York International Auto Show behind us, the cars team has had time to reflect on the approximately 1,000 vehicles on display. Many new models made impressions, and some were utterly forgettable. To share...
Best cars for 'megacommutes': Super cruisers starting at $25,000
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that nearly 600,000 Americans have "megacommutes" that have them working more than 50 miles from home or traveling more than 90 minutes each way. As a megacommuter myself, I can relate. Having given this much...
Consumer Reports names the best and worst cars by brand
While car brand reputation can be a strong influence on purchase decisions, such perceptions can be misleading. The reality is, every brand offers models that perform across a spectrum, with some are clearly better than others. As we see in...
Most and least expensive cars to own
It's important, of course, to get a good deal when you buy a car. But it's just as critical to look down the road at how much a vehicle will cost you to own. Here are the models we've tested...
