2015 Facelifted Mk6 VW Jetta

Background Information
The Volkswagen Jetta has always been overshadowed in the UK by it's smaller hatchback sibling the Golf which is much more popular as the UK seems to have tendency to avoid small saloons.
VW hopes to reverse this trend by releasing the updated Jetta and tempt more buyers into it's small saloon offering.

The Jetta has always sold well in North America as Americans love their saloons.
The mk3 Jetta is produced in Mexico as part of VW's programme of targeting 800,000 annual sales in North America as being produced in Mexico cuts costs which led to the mk3 getting cost cutting measures implemented over it's mk2 predecessor.

70% of parts are designed and manufactured in Puebla, Mexico under the supervision of VW Germany with cost cutting shown in the quality of the plastics with less soft touch plastics used throughout the cabin and leather being substituted with leatherette.

In North America, Jetta models come with a simple torsion beam rear suspension but in the UK, luckily, we have multi-link rear suspension which helps iron out bumps in the ride better than it's North American counterpart.

Pricing for the facelifted Jetta start from £18,815 for the 1.4 TSI 125PS in base S trim equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission rising up to £24,715 for the 2.0 TDI 150PS in top spec GT trim equipped with the 6-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic.

3 trims will be available for the Jetta in the UK: S, SE, GT.

S models come as standard with a DAB digital radio, ESC, a trip computer, front and rear electric windows and manual air conditioning.

Stepping up to SE trim adds on top of S trim 16 inch "Atlanta" alloys which were on pre-facelift vehicles in the now discontinued Sport trim in 1.6 TDI guise and the previous generation mk6 Golf in SE trim, as well as manual lumbar support, bluetooth hands free system, a leather wrapped multifunction steering, Volkswagen's "Multi Device Interface" which includes a USB and an Apple iPhone/iPod lead and finally cruise control.

Top of the range GT replaces Sport and includes 15mm lower suspension, 17 inch "Lancaster" alloys, front fog lights, front sports seats, automatic lights, rain sensor (auto wipers), auto dimming rear-view interior mirror, heat-insulating dark tinted rear glass (rear windows & rear screen), a colour multifunction trip computer in between the instrument dials, a driver alert system and ambient interior lighting.

Engines
Petrol
1.4 TSI 125PS (123BHP) single turbo 4 cylinder
1.4 TSI 150PS (148BHP) single turbo 4 cylinder

Diesel
2.0 TDI 110PS (108BHP) single turbo 4 cylinder
2.0 TDI 150PS (148BHP) single turbo 4 cylinder

0-62mph, top speed, CO2 emissions in each engine: (s = seconds, g/km = grams per kilometre, n/a = not applicable, m/t = manual transmission, a/t = automatic transmission)
1.4 TSI 125PS       9.6s       128mph      125g/km(m/t)      n/a
1.4 TSI 150PS       8.6s       136mph      123g/km(m/t)      117g/km(a/t)
2.0 TDI 110PS      11s        122mph      105g/km(m/t)      109g/km(a/t)
2.0 TDI 150PS      8.9s       135mph      109g/km(m/t)      120g/km(a/t)

Fuel Economy (MPG UK)
                                            Urban        Combined        Extra Urban  
1.4 TSI 125PS(m/t)                40.9              52.3                  62.8

1.4 TSI 150PS(m/t)                41.5              53.3                  64.2
1.4 TSI 150PS(a/t)                 45.6              55.4                  64.2
2.0 TDI 110PS(m/t)               57.6              70.6                  78.5
2.0 TDI 110PS(a/t)                58.9              67.3                  72.4
2.0 TDI 150PS(m/t)               56.5              67.3                  74.3
2.0 TDI 150PS(a/t)                51.4              62.8                  68.9

 Size
The facelifted mk6 Jetta has the same dimensions as the pre-facelift mk6 Jetta measuring 4.64m in length, 1.78m in width, 1.45m in height and a wheelbase of 2.65m.
The boot has a capacity of 510L with the rear seats up and 60/40 split fold rear seats come as standard,





Interior
The interior has gained new dials which are now recessed and a new flat bottomed steering wheel carried over from the Golf mk7.

Disappointingly VW have not fitted the latest touchscreen infotainment system from the mk7 Golf in the Jetta and instead fitted the same as in the pre-facelifted model which can be had with a standard CD-radio RNS 210 in the S models, a CD-radio RNS in the SE and GT models or an optional 5.0 inch touchscreen RNS 315 with sat-nav with VW having removed the optional larger 6.5 inch touchscreen RNS 510 with optional sat-nav from the options list.
New options include blind spot detection with rear cross traffic alert.

Exterior

It takes a keen eye or a die hard VW Jetta fan to spot the differences between the pre and post facelift models with the facelifted model having a redesigned grille now having 3 slats across as opposed to the previous 2, redesigned front and rear bumpers, optional bi-xenon headlights with an adaptive front lighting system, square shaped front fog lights, new squarer-shaped boot lid and new rear light design/shape.

VW claims the new radiator and bumpers now make the Jetta 10% more aerodynamic.

My Opinion

I've always liked the Jetta and the concept of it being a saloon version of a Golf sized vehicle.

But it's kinda sad to see it doesn't sell well as consumers are either opting to buy the smaller Golf or the larger Passat and it seems to be in it's little niche, at least in the UK, with it's main competitor being the Mazda 3 Fastback with other more costly rivals being the Audi A3 saloon and the Mercedes CLA.

I personally am against the cost cutting that VW has implemented in the mk6 Jetta as I have been in a pre-facelifted model and the plastics used on the top of the doors are rock hard and scratchy in comparison to the smaller Golf and the larger Passat, almost like in the Polo.

Despite this the doors still sound like a typical German car, solid, nicely weighted and giving a nice "thump".

With rising sales of the Mazda 3 Fastback with almost 40% opting for it over the hatchback variant could we see a resurgence of the small saloon in the UK? I certainly hope so and hope that VW Jetta sales rise too!