2011 Volkswagen Jetta S test drive: The $16,000 Jetta!

This car looks like 10 bucks. Just like the new comment section design.

I don’t understand what VW was thinking when they decided to de-content the Jetta, but I think they have made a serious, very serious mistake.

At first, I thought maybe the disadvantage of exorbitant European assembly costs and the high cost of transporting cars from Europe to the U.S. may have caused VW to try to create a price-leader version of the Jetta to compete with the Japanese, Koreans and Ford. But then, I saw that this car is not assembled in Europe at all. Instead, it is assembled in our low-cost NAFTA partner country, Mexico.

A de-contented, cheapened Jetta runs 180 degrees in opposition to what the VW brand has come to mean in this country. As Jason said in this blog, VW has come to mean sharp performance and high-quality materials to American car buyers. And without that, the reasons for buying a Jetta over the excellent products offered by the competition just don’t hold up any more.

VW may sell some of these new Jettas based on the residual value of their reputation from earlier cars, but the buyers of these new Jettas are likely to become permanently alienated from the brand.

Producing this new cheap Jetta is exactly the kind of fatal mistake that GM became famous for twenty years ago, and it cost them a generation of car buyers who now won’t even consider their greatly improved products. VW is now headed down that same road that eventually drove GM into bankruptcy.

What the heck was VW thinking? I agree with the comment about GM. VW just took a big dive down the same path GM rode straight to hell. Granted, historically, VW’s have never been well-appointed. But in the recent past they have been and this is an obvious break with that…

Why don’t the just call it a Cobalt?

After reading this review and the subsequent comments I can only come to the conclusion that either you all are deliberately being obtuse or that VWs new approach went over your heads.

I have read and watched almost every review that I could find on the new jetta and it is clear that it is by no means as bad as you say. Is the Jetta S intended to be driven to the limit (screeching tires) –NO.. Is it suppose to be the paragon of car interiors –Of course not.

The car was obviously designed with the American economy driver in mind and the last I heard these shoppers werent trying to engage in rally driving; knocking their dashboards listening for an echo nor debating independent suspension vs torsion beam. (Now cupholders and backseat comfort is another story)
I also would add that this is the only review I’ve seen that says that the interior is subpar compared to other cars in that price range.

All the griping That I hear from reviews are in comparison to the previous Jetta ..NEWS FLASH!! Its not trying t be better in those categories than the old jetta. VW is also betting (correctly i think) that anyone looking for the superior performance,handling and interior will be willing to pay more for the TDI and the GLI.

To be honest I think VW isnt even seriously planning to sell too many S trim cars but they want to bring buyers into the showroom teasing them at 15995 to sell them a 22000 car. Seems smart to me.

Well, I have been called a lot of things in my life, but I believe this is the first time I have been called obtuse. Let’s see now, the dictionary function in my copy of Word says synonyms of “obtuse” are “simple-minded” and “dull-witted”. Hmm.

Personally, I would prefer to keep these automotive blogs free of name-calling. Anyway, I’m sure that I could never hold my own against your obvious rapier wit. And besides, the folks who resort to name-calling against the opposition usually do so because they can’t find a way to logically refute the opposition’s opinion.

No fighting now kids.

I see the argument for both cases, but I agree with Deon about what VW is trying to do to lure in the customers. I will also add that this version of the Jetta is NOT intended for the people that would normally read Aaron’s blog.

“I’ve always said that when it comes to driving enjoyment, a lousy VW beats a good Toyota any day — and now we have the lousy VW to prove it.”
One of the best lines in an automobile review ever. That being said, I think Aaron pretty much nailed it. I refused to look at anything with that engine when I was car shopping 5 years ago, due to the lack of power and low EPA numbers. They seem to have done something about the latter at least. But based on Aaron’s review of the upper trim level, much of the complaints seem to carry right on up through the price range. I’m curious what Hawaiian Don’s thoughts are, since he is pretty close to the subject. As for me, if I had to have a German car for under 17K, I’m looking for a 2+ year old Jetta, preferably a TDI SportWagen…

The point is, many people have chosen VW’s precisely because they are NOT Japanese or American cars that look or feel cheap on the inside or when driven. Though I have owned several SAABs and BMW’s in the past, I own 3 Hondas at the moment and I can tell you- there’s little that feels substantial anywhere in those cars. But the trick is Honda has found a way to make these insubstantial-feeling cars bulletproof. And if you are okay with that approach, there’s your car. But obviously no one has ever cross-shopped the cheapest VWs verses the cheapest Hondas/Toyotas/Hyundais based solely on price. There’s just the more substantial feel you get in the VW and most other Euro-cars. The Jetta has had a rep of a bargain BMW. When you start pecking away at that, one cost-cutting move at a time, what makes the Jetta special? It’ll be just one more cheap, plastic fantastic little auto.

It’s odd that some of us are barking at VW, cutting up their loss leader/entry level car. Has any of you ever driven a Honda Civic DX, much less even seen one? Honda’s entry level DX is sooo ridiculously barebones and primitive that it’s almost a 60’s Ford Falcon throwback, as far as Spartan accoutrements. The truth is the 2.o engine really does blow! But I’m sure that you’ll see mostly 2.5liters on the lot. As to comparing this new Jetta, with which I’ve done track time vs. the Civic, Corolla, and Mazda3…sorry the Versa isn’t even close…much less the Civic, or the Corrola. Now the Mazda 3… that’s a different story. Buy I’d still opt for the VW…I hate that stupid grin!

Yeah but many of the cost-cutting measures aren’t limited to the $16k model. Go back and read Aaron’s original review. The switch to torsion beam suspension is platform-wide. Rear discs are only available on the SEL. Then there’s the cheaper interior plastics and the switch to goose-neck trunk hinges if you car about that.

As far as the imports, I agree the Corolla or Versa don’t have a prayer, but the Civic is due for a refresh soon and the Kia Forte shouldn’t be overlooked either.

True, true, true and true! However, having driven it on the track, the net result of the handling experience is negligible, unless you’re a hard core autophile like some of us. As for the braking, in spite of the fact that they dropped the rear disc (uuggh!!), their numbers against the above were equal, or better. Only in repeated braking was there a noticable decline in performace. As for interior finish, the competition above are hardly top shelf. However, to be honest, in person, the new exterior appearance is an improvement over the rather stale pedestrian looks of the 2010 Jetta and I predict will bring in a lot of new buyers.
*As for the goose-neck hinges…how much can they save?

Well, as long as they can make the interior hold up well, they should be okay. I have to say it still LOOKS okay-even the interior. But I just hope the overall experience isn’t cheapened. Heck, I can’t say I’m not interested.

Don,
I have not driven, or even looked at any recent Civic. The last one I considered was the mid 90’s HX, and that was strictly to get the mileage. But I had no doubts that I would not get the rated figures due to the severe lack of torque, especially on the low end. So I bought a Saturn, which had more torque at 2800 RPM than any Civic, including the Si (the peak on the Si of that era, by the way, was at 7000 RPM, higher than the Saturn’s redline!). That’s why I drive a Mazda 3 now. I don’t feel like I have to rev the heck out of it just to get it to move. But spartan can have its place. My little Tercel had vinyl seats, rubber floor, no power anything, but got good mileage and worked great as a commuter car, until it became the only vehicle I have ever had to tow home due to mechanical failure. But I got my moneys worth out of it.

As far as appearance goes, its not bad. At first glance I thought the thumbnail was the outgoing Focus, but that is at least partly due to the small picture on a laptop size screen. Clean lines overall, but nothing to really make you take notice. Kind of like most people think of Toyota’s, although I find most of the recent Toyota’s to be ugly. Drum brakes are a disappointment, but I doubt most people will notice much difference in the suspension change. And didn’t Honda do something similar not too long ago? I hope it does well, but wonder if VW isn’t losing some of what makes it special in order to become the worlds largest manufacturer….

Dropping disc brakes on the back isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’ve owned two VWs, both of which had rear disk brakes, and the calipers would corrode and bind up on an ANNUAL basis due to the road salt put down in the winter. It was so bad on my wife’s Beetle that we had to replace the rear pads before the fronts. The rear drums on our current cars may not provide as much braking performance as disks, but at least I’m not servicing them every summer.

Jeff R.

It’s an understatement that I’m underwhelmed by this base Jetta. However, I’ll stand by my position that it is the right change for these difficult times. Most people I meet are more concerned about getting a decent new car at a more affordable price, than getting the best and the latest as they did 3 years ago. Also, many don’t want to chance buying someone else’s abuses in a used car. So this less than cutting edge affordable car hits that mark. For those who are willing to pay for Wolfsburg’s traditional great cars for smaller bucks, they’ll have several special editions.

The 2 liter engine is a complete embarrasment to VW. How on earth did someone at VW corportate HQ think it was a great idea to put a 1990’s era engine in a 2011 vehicle?

The interior is truly horrific. Cheap materials remind me of the 80’s crap we used to get from Chyrsler, GM and Ford. This is european engineering? Its disgraceful. How any executive could look at the competition then the Jetta and ok the release of this basement dwelling car needs to be fired.

I am truly shocked at just how horrible the new Jetta is. It was easily the worst car I’ve test driven in years.

From co-workers and my own experience, VW/Audi are not famous for longevity and cheap repairs. Maybe the simpler design and tried and true 2.0 engine are measures to improve reliability for first time owners?

Based on all the negative reviews I’ve read all over the internet of the 2011 Jetta thus far, I’d say VW has a huge problem on their hands. They’ve just spent millions on focus groups, product development, and marketing, only to find that they’ve launched a car that nobody wants. What’s worse is they’ve sold the soul of the brand. The market’s rejection of the new Jetta represents more than simply intoducing a lousy car. It will have a much deeper meaning than that. You see, Volkswagen announced (rather arrogantly, I might add) that the launch of the 2011 Jetta is just the beginning of their aggressive new strategy to beat Toyota in America. Unfortunately, I’m not hearing the market cheering them on. If VW had launched a truly innovative car, it still might not have mattered. Why? Because Volkswagen no longer matters. They’ve negleted to engage their market in new and innovative ways. The consumer doesn’t appear to be part of the conversation in their marketing efforts at all. Now, they’ve alienated their core audience even more so by trying to cram the boring, under-powered 2011 down our throats with a slick advertising when everyone already knows that this car is a dud. Shame on you VW for selling us short. We ain’t that stupid.

VW has fallen to the bottom of the game. They had some decent cars in the past but they are going way down market with this.

Now the tables have turned and Kia, Hyundai, and Mazda are making better cars than VW.

I’m a car enthusiast (drive a MB C300 Sport), and as such I recognize that, unlike the 2010 Jetta, the 2011 was simply not designed for me, TDI and GLI excepted. That said, I think VW made the right moves with the 2011 Jetta, ESPECIALLY the 2.slow S model.

34 MPG highway, $16,000 purchase price, all for a car that despite not being fast, has no trouble taking a family of four anywhere they want to go with economy, comfort and style. The interior isn’t as nice as the 2010, but is nicer than the Corolla and Civic. The Exterior, for its price class, is gorgeous.

I was actually planning to buy the 2.5 liter SE model for my daughter, but after test-driving the base S model bought it instead. No, the car is not fast, but it is an entirely pleasant vehicle at a wonderful price.