Amazing how half the comments are talking about how the styling is boring. Have you never seen a vw/audi before? That's how they style their cars, they're always clean and reserved styling. That's why this car will still look new in 15 years. This is the small sedan for adults who don't want a corolla that looks like a plastic alien space ship with a big mouth
I just bought one of these cars this last weekend. Same exact color, SEL Premium. I like the car alot so far. The 1.4t does a very good job of getting this car along when mated with the 8 speed. I see about 40 mpg daily. Very comfortable car and great build quality.
I just had a 2019 as a rental. Averaged in the mid 40's for our extensive highway driving this weekend. Outstanding to get this kind of mileage and not be crammed into a style-less shoebox! I liked it a lot.
The SEL Premium now comes with the Cold Weather Package with no extra charge. Heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, remote start from your key fob, and heated windshield washer nozzles .
demarc Ford sold over 300,000 Fusions a year for a while. Thing is, sedan sales are declining in the US. Even sales of Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys, cars significantly better than Volkswagen Jettas or Passats, are seeing their sales decline. Meanwhile crossover sales are increasing and sell for more than sedans. I don’t like the idea of Ford ditching sedans, but I can understand their decision.
as you see more platforms like mazda and Nissan offering awd in there sedans, I see no reason why people would need crossovers. barely any more trunk space and no matter in the snow.
Baasil F. I work for toyota at a car dealership. But going off what they are doing for the 2019 Avalon and 2019 Rav4 2020 isn't going to be the year they do digital cockpits and things like that. Design I think they'll nail just not on the tech side. The 2019 Avalon and Rav is only getting apple car play. They didn't even go a step farther and add Android auto. That tells me alot.
Remy Burton lol you're right. The only advanced thing Toyota is doing rn (tech wise) is adding Alexa to their vehicles, but other than that, all Toyota is doing is making mechanical and styling improvements
Hey guys!! We wanted to clarify one available feature. This trim in the video is missing the late availability “Cold Weather Package” which bundles remote start, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a heated windshield for $495.
Eh, depends on your priorities. Interior comfort is pretty high on my list and the heated steering wheel in our Chevy Bolt is heavenly, so it's always a little disappointing every morning when I get in the Alltrack and don't have a heated steering wheel. Previously, to get a heated steering wheel in a Golf you'd have to import a part from overseas, which is both expensive and also harder to find the correctly matching parts. If this shape/style of wheel is now in the US with a heated option, it should eventually be much easier to source. Plus, I plan on keeping my car long term, so retrofitting stuff like this can be a big benefit when you're looking at the bigger multi-year picture. Best scenario would be if the MK8 Golf gets heated steering option in US, then that might theoretically be really easy to retrofit! Unless they move to a new steering wheel design...
Boomer Roberts Got it, if you plan on keeping the car long term by all means go for it, me personally I would not go thru the headache that it will cause, in any event if its that important go for it.
Ahhh, Beautiful Jordan Lake. You drove right by my house on Farrington Rd. Your video on the 2016 Jetta helped me buy it. I love the 1.4 t engine. Never lacked in power merging with highway traffic and passing on rural NC two lane roads, and I always get around 40mpg. I’ve clocked 65,000 miles so far and no problems yet.
Best Car I've driven so far, it's pretty good on gas and the road. I rented one, used it for 2 days it was awesome. I usually look for road stability and no road noise this is a good car.
Before these new gen Jetta were released, the only reason to buy one (in my eyes) was because they had the beautiful sounding inline 5 mated to a manual transmission. I wish they still offered that engine option.
Excellent review as always, Sofyan. Love the dash on this Jetta. Reminds me of MB dashes from the 90s. I like the exterior styling too. Some of the lines, esp. the side profile, smack of the current Fusion - the beauty of the midsize class IMO.
defiantly miss the 1.8t, 170 hp, 187 ft lbs torque. however the 1.4t doesnt feel suggish, and the 8 speed transmission makes it still feel very bright and fun to drive. I hope the 2.0 shows up in the GLI!!! Exhaust tips are whatever... luxury car manufacturers are doing the same thing, i prefer this look then being behind on that has the cool cutout but an ugly stock pipe dangling in the middle, not to mention this car tops out price wise around 27k and change... and lets admit, the interior, and fit and finish are outstanding with this price point!!!
Nikela Pollard I drive a 1.8T, it's a phenomenal engine. I've driven the 1.4T also & it's pretty remarkable. Possibly the best small engine made today. I do however feel that they can get more HP out of it then they currently are. Love this new Jetta. Totally outclasses in looks & quality. Can't wait for the new Passat.
What a great comprehensive review! Had all the info I wanted plus more! Your vocal delivery is among the best I've heard. Good job! Happy to subscribe to hear more from you!
My 2016 SEL was totaled in an accident! I got the 2020 R line with cold weather package, I preferred R line because it had better looking wheels then the SE, SEL and SEL Premium. I do miss my 1.8 engine from my 2016 but the drive is so much more smoother in my 2020! Great review, will watch more of your videos!!!
Saw it at the NY auto show last week and fell in love with it. I had a 2014 Jetta then traded for a 2017 Tiguan but after this lease definitely going back to the Jetta. Very Impressed!
TheHvk The GLI is technically a separate model in VW’s eyes. They told us they are working on it as we speak and we should be seeing it reintroduced soon.
Most of the issues I have with this Jetta are reasonable for it's price (torsion beam rear, underpowered motor, some missing interior features) but I wouldn't put up with them on the higher SEL trims. That said, I'd imagine all of these issues will be rectified on the GLI and that should be the model to get. As far as Jettas have been concerned though, the best choices have been to keep it cheap and reap the benefits of the lower models price saving or get the GLI. I don't see the value proposition in loading up a Jetta to upper SE and SEL trims at that point.
Really pleasantly surprised with this one. Lots of standard features and the car rides nicely and the engine has a small output but feels much more sprightly. I love the 8-speed auto and the interior is very upscale looking and ergonomic.
I have a 2017 1.8T, it’s no rocket but it does well enough both around town and on the freeway. I had a Jetta 1.4T as a dealer loaner, and it was miserable on the freeway. It can barely hold freeway speed, especially up hills or upwind, and forget about passing anyone that isn’t stopped off the side of the road.
I picked up this car new, in February 2020. SEL Premium with Nav and same color. They had it marked down to 24k since it was a 2019. Came with remote start and rear heated seats also. It has decent handling and decent acceleration, and all the other toys mentioned. I love it and plan to drive it 7-10 years.
Taking a look at one this week in black. Really hoping I like it in person because I haven't liked anything else I've looked at so far Edit: I bought this car on Wednesday. I am absolutely obsessed with it. I mean ecstatic beyond words. The second I saw it in person I knew it was the one.. I told the dealer that I didn't even want to look at the other two I was interested in. I'm so, so happy right now. Best decision I have ever made in my life. I'm still in love with my Mazda 6 (in 7 years I never once had to take it in for anything and she still runs beautifully) but I didn't realize I was driving around in a flip phone and upgraded to a smart phone. I actually was nervous after watching this video because I wasn't as much of a fan of the exterior as in pictures, but no, it was exactly what I was looking for. I'm just so in love.
Very nice car! As the owner of a 2017 S3 that's maxed out with Full LED lights and their technology package, I am still jealous of several of the features this Jetta has, except for the power and AWD, of course -which is why I bought an S3! Maybe something like this for my son's first car... ;)
Since we are all sharing our experiences, I'll share mine. My dad owned a 2003 VW Jetta 2.0 (non turbo) in silver, back in about oh 2008-2015. I was allowed to use the car to commute to college and my internship back then and I grew to love the budget yet semi-refined presentation of the car (soft touch plastics, materials and overall interior/exterior design INCLUDING the gas strut). My dad's 2003 Jetta was an automatic with transmission overheating issues, so when I eventually went to look for a car of my own I wanted another Jetta. I found a 2015 one at a Carmax like dealership. Same color too. I eyed it up and down, then asked to sit in it, and that is when the desire was killed for me. The newer generations of Jetta feel smaller on the inside, the seats felt smaller, the interior felt crap. The plastics felt harder and seemed to replace many of the soft touch plastics. I raised the hood and it nearly fell on me (this is when I noticed the absence of the gas strut). The iconic orange-red tach needles against the blue gauge cluster, gone. Standard heated seats, gone. There is more I could complain about but I'm ranting enough as it is. The long and short of it is that VW buyers used to be a niche of people that wanted budget luxury, an economy car+ with nice styling if you will, and were willing to pay a little more to get it. VW has, since about 2013 started cheaping out on their cars (at least the Jetta, it's what I was interested in and looking at) in order to attract a broader consumer base, and in turn has alienated the niche it once had. Oh, and for those that are interested.. I now drive a 2016 Special Edition Camry. Not the most exciting car, but it's better than you'd think if you've never driven one. Plus blue seats and blue needles/purple gauges are pretty awesome.
This car is a solid value for what it is, and I’d probably recommend a Jetta GLI over an A3, but it’s no A4. That has 252 hp, 273 ft-lb of torque and all wheel drive when typically equipped.
Thank you so much for this review. So well done. I'm car shopping right now and salespeople don't do the walkaround because they don't have to. Everything sells. I can't fully get a grip on the trim differences.
I've owned nothing but American made cars my entire life. Ford, Chevy, Dodge, ect. I now own a Jetta and have to say I LOVE it. Never thought I'd own a German made car but I can't complain thus far.
Why are companies using fake exhaust? It's like fast and the furious all over again . Ricer stuff......I saw it on Audi VW and even a Mercedes. Can someone explain why is this a trend
ForeignBorn Patriot They're definitely full of shit, as the exhaust doesn't touch the bumper in something with real tips. Vibrations are dampened by rubber hangers anyway.
aerodynamic efficiency will be improved due to easier control by not having the traditional cutout. Fuel efficiency and packaging is the name of the game.
We got rid of a car for this reason because we like to have the windows down and we were constantly smelling the exhaust. Unless the wind is blowing it to the rear when you're stopped it's going to come inside the car if the windows are down, it seemed even when the car was moving at certain speeds the smell would still come inside. The good news is now the soot doesn't get all over your bumper.
Good review. I am German living in Texas so I might biased but this is a good neutral review. I currently drive a Honda SUV CRV, which I love, but I might consider the Jetta as a next car.
People complaining about reduced HP...180TQ is still good grunt to get you off the line, especially considering the improved fuel economy. However, I would also probably chip it to boost those numbers relatively inexpensively. Easily pushing the HP near or over 200 and the TQ respectively. Still wish VW offered a manual tranny. Overall the new Jetta looks amazing. First time in my life I've EVER been so tempted to by a Jetta...even after my current Audi S5. That's saying something. That said, the grill doesn't float my boat and the fake exhaust tips really, really grind my gears. Everything else is sexy as hell. (I'm not counting the wheels in this video. Wheels can be changed.)
The fake exhaust with no holes is because of the soot from the exhaust staining the tailpipes. VW isn’t the only manufacturer to take this approach. All direct injection cars have this problem. But they could have just left off the chrome trim and made it a hidden exhaust with a regular bumper cover.
These cars have a really low retail, especially the S model. Also, the fuel economy is going to draw a lot of attention. Some people are seeing 45 mpg on highway commutes.
Well I drive this Jetta. 45 is what the car tells you and it's never correct. I simply count the miles when I put gas. I get 34 city 40 highway and the car tells I m doing 43-44. Manual calculation is always accurate no matter what
That's one thing I've always loved about the Jetta is the trunk space. My MK2 and MK6 is huge. Although it took a while for the mk6 to grow on me I bought one but I don't see this growing to my taste. I was hoping for more of a classic Jetta spin-off with the new mk7 but they went full Ford Taurus with this thing.
You are missing the most major thing. Volkswagon Jetta 2019’s speakers are created by Beats by Dre. They are the absolute best car speaker in the world. Compared to every car I’ve ever been in, in my entire life, they have the best sound quality, making you feel like you are a part of the song. Volkswagon Jetta is the best car. I am going to have this car my entire life.
Surprised by all the back lash on the new Jetta. The interior looks premium okay a few misses and the design language will age very well. The Jetta is a lot of car for the $$$. You get a German engineered auto and feel lots of bang for the buck here. Great review.
I can't get behind this. VW learned nothing after the previous Jetta debacle regarding rear suspension. Why the hell they decided to cheap out and go back to a torsion beam instead of an independent rear suspension, I don't know.
You said it right there... cost is the main reason and VW said owners of the Mk6 didn't notice the switch. After driving this new one, it still rides and handles just fine, is the the sportiest? No. But that's okay with VW since the market cares more about a compliant ride and keeping cost down.
This car is aimed at the automotive appliance market. Check off the Apple Carplay, Push button start, heated/cooled seats, backup camera and a couple other gimmicks and the buyers are happy as the buyer of a new Visio TV from Walmart. They see IRS and think, "Damn, I have to finish up my taxes."
masterwhopper414 you are giving people FAR too much credit. If the rest of the system is designed properly, then 99% of people will not notice it at all. The overwhelming majority of people have zero idea what kind of suspension setup (or anything about geometry at ALL) they have in their car, they only hear phrases like 'independent rear' or 'torsion beam' and whatever someone tells then is bad, then suddenly becomes bad. Don't tell them and let them drive the car, and they'll be just fine with it, most people are not engineers, nor understand mechanical engineering lol.
It would be a waste of money to put in an IRS in all models until the model has had some time to recoup the enormous development costs. You save that stuff for the very few models that people are more likely to want that in (aka GLi), and then later on in the cars production run you can offer an updated model "now with independent rear suspension!!!". Put everything in their from day one and you've not done a great job managing that portfolio at all. It's the same reason they choose very specific models to launch with, you front load the launch so you're in a position to actually make money on the later models. They didn't upgrade to the independent suspension last generation because people complained...you don't move a machine that enormous because of something like that unless it's an ENORMOUS problem (like the 2012 Civic situation), because it costs enormous amounts of money and time to set that up. The IRS was planned to show up exactly when it did, and they did that before the car was ever sold.
I just test drove a 2019 R-Line today and compared to the other sedans in the market this one blows most of them out of the water. This is a good looking ride and comes with many extras that you can get for a few thousand more. The small engine is peppy and you can get where you want to on the road for the most part. It really doesn't make sense to buy the SEL because the price jump is significant and you don't reap the benefits...navigation in the dash...who ever uses that anymore??? The wheels are more stylish on the R-Line as well.
The Arteon’s interior is the same as the European Passat which is nicer then this. This interior is actually more similar to the new Mark 6 Polo we have here.
What are your thoughts on the auto "stop/start" feature? A lot of people don't like this. If you decide to turn it off, will it give you any kind of annoying warning that it's off?
