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Volkswagen India follows up the
formidable Passat with its acclaimed best-seller, the Jetta. Sopan
Sharma gets sucked into the jet stream...
Volkswagen was, at one time, perplexed.
Its best selling car since the Beetle, the VW Golf, was receiving
a tepid response from the American market. Assuming Americana's
affinity towards sedans as compared to the then new-age hatchbacks,
Volkswagen decided to launch a booted version of the Golf and lo
behold, out came a spanking new car called the Jetta. The trick
worked - the Jetta is now VW's best-selling car in the US and Canada,
with a history spanning five generations.
I quote the story because there are interesting
parallels to be found with the launch of the Jetta in India. Seven-digit
price tag hatches are a rarity, and the three-box styling with its
'big-car' image still goes for a premium with us. Bringing the car
in is a smart follow up to the luxurious Passat on VW’s part,
with a view to capture the D-segment. The car has already gathered
rave reviews from automobile lovers across the world, so we decided
to find out if it makes as much sense in India.
Design and Styling
Sophisticated elegance is what the Jetta’s theme seems to
be, and the car’s design pulls it off effortlessly. The ample
ground clearance is the first thing that strikes you, and makes
the car look taller than it is. The height, combined with the city-car
wheelbase and length do make the Jetta look somewhat uncontemporary,
but the dimensions have greater uses. Good clearance means the car
will run through city potholes without a hitch, and the sensible
length make this car a pleasure to find and nail traffic gaps in.
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The styiling is conservative compared to its rivals’,
but the car is fabulous to look at from some angles, especially from the
lower front three quarters. The strip of chrome running around the pillar
arches accentuates the sensible yet beautiful curve, and becomes the standout
feature of the car from profile. The round tail lamps are trademark VW
– nothing gorgeously outstanding, but far from being lack luster
or ungainly. That, incidentally, can be a good sum-up for the Jetta’s
styling.
Drivetrain and performance
The Jetta comes to India with two engine options - a 1.6-litre
petrol and a 1.9-litre diesel engine. Our top-of-the-line diesel test
car was one with a 6-speed automatic DSG gearbox. Frugality is the stand-out
feature of the engine - our test car ran 11.11km in the city and 13.3km
on the highway on a litre of diesel, arriving at a respectable overall
efficiency figure of 11.7 kmpl. Power is not eye-popping, nor is the pump
duse diesel's refinement, but nowhere did the Jetta feel lacking in any
way.
Figures are respectable too - the car went from standstill
to 100 km/h in 13.25 seconds. What aids the acceleration and makes it
a thoroughly enjoyable experience is the car's DSG gearbox, with its silk-smooth
shifts that come in at the most opportune times. Paddle shifters which
can be used in the Tiptronic mode are another value-for-money feature.
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