2006 Volkswagen Jetta Review

Specifications

Its Bigger but is It Better?

When the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta gets mentioned, somehow almost everyone who overhears needs to put in their two cents about the car. As I was talking on my cell phone at the grocery store one day, an eaves dropper overheard me talking about the new Jetta. After I had hung up, he thought it would be funny to comment on its new styling and said, “How about that new VW Corolla?” I was not amused, but I had to agree with him in one respect, the cars new styling looks a bit Corolla-esque. 

Now for my two cents! In a way, I feel the new Jetta has taken a few steps in the wrong direction (this being from a converted VW enthusiast), but it has also taken more steps in the right direction. If you can look beyond the exterior styling, which I, for one, am not a fan of, and maybe even the interior which I will touch on later, its whats on the inside, or better yet, the underside that really counts.

Ive touched on the exterior styling, but if I look at it from the perspective of a potential buyer who wants a little more bling than most four-door sedans in its category offer, the Jetta fits those requirements. The chrome trimmed grille, as well as dual reflector halogen headlamps with clear, lightweight, chip resistant polycarbonate lenses, make for an eye-catching front end, which cannot be mistaken for a Corolla. In addition, the exterior features body-colored mirror housings, dual chrome exhaust pipes, and body-color bumpers with matching front and rear valances, contributing to its outside appeal.

Moving inside, however, I dont find its styling all that jazzy. In fact, this is another area where I feel the car has taken a step backwards. For the lack of a more proper term, the interior is kind of… blah. It really has no striking accents or dashboard trim that would otherwise make me say “ooh” or “ahhh.” There isnt even any chrome trim around the instrument gauges, which would have made the interior a little more upbeat.

On the positive, mind you, I can say that, like the previous generation Jetta, all the buttons and knobs are clearly labeled and easy to find, plus the button placement doesnt feel cluttered. I never feel lost when I initially sit in a Jetta, and thats a big plus for me because the last thing I want to do is fiddle around with buttons or be forced to flip open to the owners manual in order to find out how to turn the stereo on or how to get the heat to blow on my feet. Sometimes, it almost seems like manufacturers purposely confuse individuals just to show how state-of-the-art their technology really is. To me, its more of a hassle than impressive.

Where the new Jetta interior excels is in its size. It is significantly larger than the previous generation, partly due to its increased exterior dimensions: an additional 7.0 inches was added to its length and 1.0 inch to its width. This allows for an even comfier interior than the previous Jetta. This same scenario is also true for the trunk, which now offers 16 cu-ft of space for stuff; a cargo capacity comparing to vehicles in the midsize sedan range. But wait a minute? The new Jetta has grown so much that its now classified as a midsize sedan, with interior passenger volume measuring only 1 cubic foot smaller than last years midsize Passat. The extra room made it handy for me to load all of my groceries in the back seat without having to use any of that cavernous trunk space.

What I also love about the Jettas interior is that it is home to an amazing 5-speed manual gearbox. This is one aspect of the car that excelled far beyond my expectations. Although it might seem odd that I am praising something that comes standard in most cars, this particular shifter is fantastic. Not only does it seamlessly transition from gear to gear, up or down, but it also feels sportier than its Japanese or Korean competitors with throws that are tightly spaced.

Adding to its sporty feel is the Jettas completely revamped, fully-independent suspension system, consisting of front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link setup combined with anti-roll bars front and rear. This new system, and the cars stiffer construction overall, allows for greater high-speed stability than the previous generation Jetta. Furthermore, the P195/65R15 tires aided in cornering grip and therefore, overall handling.

The Jetta also felt comfortable while cruising around town, an ideal car to run errands in. Why? Because the upgraded suspension didnt need to be as stiff as the old car in order to handle well, so a more compliant setting made it so I couldnt feel every imperfection in the road, and therefore it coasted along the city streets and highways very pleasantly.

Furthermore, its new and improved 2.5L, 16-valve, I-5, DOHC engine, boasting 150-horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 170 lb-ft of torque at 3,750 rpm, moves along quite quickly thanks to strong low-end torque. This allowed me to accelerate speedily in situations when I needed to get somewhere fast, like claiming a coveted parking spot in the grocery store parking lot.

When luck wasnt on my side and no such parking space materialized, at least I kept comfortable as I cruised around for a spot, the heated seats warming my underside which might otherwise find the optional leathers seats a bit chilly this time of year. The luxurious hides and bun warmers, which are some of the best in the industry, come as part an upgrade package featuring way too many additions to list here, and resultantly adds an additional $3,485 to the bottom line. I mentioned that the shifter was divine a minute or two ago, but I didnt say that its knob is also wrapped in leather, making it that much nicer to grip.

While Ive already delved into the option list, the fact is that there are so many standard features included with the base Jetta 2.5L that it would take me at least another full review to list them all. Well, maybe not a full review, but it comes with a lot, such as four-wheel disc brakes with ABS,  a 10-speaker AM/FM audio system with single CD player that is also MP3 readable, 8-way manually adjustable height and reach front seats, adjustable (height and angle) lockable head restraints, cruise control, power door locks and power windows plus keyless entry, just to list a few.

My list of standard quibbles is not quite as extensive as the standard features list, which is a very good thing. My first beef is that the tail is angled so high in the rear that I cant see that well out of the rear window. And my other complaints are merely reiterations about its interior and exterior styling. So, all in all, nothing caused me great trauma.

Fuel economy seemed pretty decent throughout my test week. The manufacturer supplied numbers are 22 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, but we all know that these are conservative estimates and hardly what a person should expect in regular, stop and go, day to day driving. For those truly concerned about fuel economy, the Jetta is once again available with a thrifty turbocharged diesel engine. I havent tested the current model with the diesel, but the previous one was surprisingly fun to drive and especially enjoyable when passing by the filling station.

On the whole, while an impressive car in many ways I dont feel that the new Jetta meets the high expectations that Jetta enthusiasts were hoping for. There really isnt anything particularly special about it. I am, in a way, somewhat disappointed. After all, the previous car offered such a nice balance of high-style, superb interior materials quality and refinement, which the new model just doesnt seem to match up to. Yes, the suspension is better and the added room is appreciated, but wheres the VW soul? Perhaps Volkswagen will redeem itself with the new MK V Golf, reportedly coming soon. My fingers are crossed.