Timothy from Pasadena stops his Nissan Sentra and quickly shouts through the open window that the car we’re photographing is very cool. That’s what happens all the time in Los Angeles when people see people or cars being professionally photographed. That’s enough to be considered a star.
Our 2022 VW Jetta, which we drive in LA, is certainly not a star among automobiles. But it has a quality that has always been important, but is even more relevant in these times – it’s impressive value for money. Put simply, it’s cheap.
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“Affordable” they say here. And where every medium-sized purchase at Aldi in LA quickly eats up more than $ 100, the new Jetta is a real inflation scavenger here. The basic Jetta S costs a little over $20,000 (net). Our test car is an SEL, the high-end version, but it too stays under $30,000. In leasing, customers are doing a good 300 dollars a month.
Compact class overseas: the Jetta offers plenty of space for five passengers. It can only get a bit tight in the rear overhead.
The space available in the Jetta is enormous
What they get for it is a heck of a lot of car. Although the Jetta is officially in the compact class here, the space available inside and in the trunk is like so many things in America: simply one size larger. And so there is enough space for five people, even if it gets cramped at the back overhead.
Classic body: Sedans are still popular in the USA. Here the Jetta competes against the Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra.
Americans like limos
The sedan is a body style that is still very popular in the US market. The Jetta competes against the Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra, which can be seen on every street corner here. Before we sit down, a look into the large trunk and the realization: the price is no coincidence. Materials and processing of the Jetta built in Mexico are poor in detail. Open sheet metal and sharp sheet metal edges – you shouldn’t look too closely.
engine
displacement
perfomance
Max. Torque
drive
length/width/height
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Four-cylinder turbo, front transverse
116 kW (158 hp) at 5500 rpm
Front, six-speed gearbox or eight-speed automatic
So sit down in the price-space miracle and throw on the new 1.5-liter four-cylinder with its 158 hp. Typical for the US, the Jetta starts quietly and gently. The eight-speed automatic (also available as a six-speed switch in the base version) selects the gears with care. Everything is – typically America – more designed for comfort. And so the Jetta rolls comfortably over the bad roads of California.
The VW is a car for cool calculators
There are four driving modes, with the customizable setting being recommended. Eco driving (which is usually sufficient here) can be combined with slightly more direct steering. Because the Jetta is not a car for enthusiasts, rather for cool calculators.
The Jetta has a 1.5 liter four-cylinder turbo with 158 hp. The engine is loose enough to swim along.
When swimming along on the highway, consumption remains well below seven liters. If it needs to be kicked a little harder in city traffic or in the hills of Hollywood, the 1.5-liter turbo reacts indignantly and gruffly. VW does not offer the hybridization or even electrification that is so popular in California with the Jetta.
The equipment is extensive
But the features of this bread-and-butter car are amazing. Even the Jetta S gives its owner the good feeling of sitting in a more expensive car. Digital instruments, full connectivity with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Assistance systems such as blind spot warning, ACC and lane departure warning can also be booked. Plus: comfortable seats and an amazing overview.
Not because of renunciation: Even in the S variant, the Jetta has a lot of equipment. It looks a lot more expensive than it actually is.
And like Timothy from Pasadena, many here on the west coast of the USA feel the same way: the Jetta is not perceived as a renunciation model. On the contrary. He has the reputation of a “smart buy”. It’s a really good car in really bad times.
