2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Turbo-diesel gives Volkswagen’s compact sedan power and fuel economy

By Nina Russin

2011 Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen’s newest compact sedan offers budget-conscious buyers a choice of two gasoline engines or two eco-friendly options. At the end of 2010, a turbocharged clean diesel Jetta arrives in US dealerships. A hybrid rolls out for the 2012 model year. The high-performance Jetta GLI arrives the first quarter of next year.

A value-priced base model starts under $16,000. The automaker hopes to conquest customers who couldn’t afford the more expensive outgoing car. Volkswagen simplifies the buying process by reducing build combinations from 148 to 14.

Powered by a two-liter 115-horsepower engine and five-speed manual transmission, the Jetta S comes standard with electronic stability control and complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first three years or 36,000 miles.

The volume-leading SE adds a more powerful 2.5-liter engine rated at 170-horsepower. The SE comes with 16-inch wheels as opposed to the 15-inch rims on the base model, upscale upholstery, cruise control, and a 60/40 split rear seat with a pass-through.

A fully-loaded SEL costs just under $25,000. Standard convenience features include keyless entry and start, 17-inch alloy wheels, driver’s seat lumbar adjustment, Bluetooth and iPod interface, a sunroof and navigation system.

A sport-package on SEL lowers the chassis ride height for better high-speed performance, adds sport seats, pedals and door sills.

The upscale model comes with four-wheel disc brakes as opposed to rear drums on the other two grades. Since drum brakes can fade and perform poorly in wet weather, I’d recommend the investment for those who can afford the premium. Read the rest of this entry »