New for 2007: A new cruise-control system intended to simplify operation and reduce driver distraction.Turn the key in the Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 (or base model) and you're greeted by the raspy growl of a five-cylinder engine. It's definitely an in-your-ear sound that will find favor with those who appreciate mechanical Sturm und Drang. We like it, but it might be annoying to drivers who'd rather talk on the phone.
As soon as the Jetta pulls away from the curb, there's a feel of solidness and a sense of high quality. Volkswagen invested in structural rigidity and that work paid off in ride quality and handling.
The handling is rewarding, inspiring confidence on curving mountain roads. The Jetta carves through a corner with precision, and body lean is almost non-existent. Entering a corner too quickly is easily corrected with the excellent four-wheel disc brakes. ABS helps the driver maintain steering control while braking, while Brake Assist ensures maximum brake force during panic stops. The Jetta's high-tech traction aids provide a greater envelope of safety yet do little to diminish the driving experience.
This is the best-handling front-wheel-drive car Volkswagen has produced, benefits of the multi-link rear suspension and a carefully designed MacPherson strut front suspension. The Jetta is a well balanced car, with little or no sense that the front end is doing the work of both pulling and steering the car.
The steering is sharp. It not only adjusts to speed, providing more assist at low speeds and higher effort on the open road, but through electronic control of the steering column it automatically corrects the car's direction when such external forces as crosswinds threaten to move it off track. It's a bit disconcerting at first for the car to do something a driver expects he or she will have to do, but in short order the self-correction becomes a welcome improvement.
For slippery conditions, the Jetta comes with an electronic differential lock, or EDL, that varies power to either front wheel depending on which one has more traction. Anti-slip regulation, or ASR, reduces engine power to both front wheels if slip is detected. Both EDL and ASR are part of the electronic stability program, or ESP, which is standard on all but the base Jetta. ESP incorporates ABS to brake any of the car's four wheels individually and reduce the risk of skidding. Yes, we know these systems sound like alphabet soup, but all work together to help the driver maintain control of the car. Studies in Europe have shown how effective electronic stability systems are in helping avoid accidents. They should be considered a standard item on any driver's order list.
The five-cylinder engine features a raspy growl and was tuned for instant gratification. We like this engine. Throttle tip-in is aggressive, especially when the automatic transmission is in Sport mode. Upshifts and downshifts then occur at higher engine speeds. The engine does not provide any braking while driving downhill, however, and we'd prefer that it did for the control it provides.
The 2.5-liter never felt underpowered in a week of testing on freeways, over mountain passes and around town, nor did it seem like it was running out of breath at high rpm. The raspy engine note gets a bit strident when the accelerator is fully applied, but it's more a growl of power than a whine of discontent. The car will cruise all day long at 90 mph, and given an autobahn to explore will reach almost 130 mph at its top end. It's a very flexible engine, and it delivers power when needed, no matter the gear. Raw speed is not what this five-cylinder does best, however.
The six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic does just about everything an automatic should do. In full automatic mode, the transitions between gears are quick and slip-free. Slam the gas pedal down and downshifts are crisp, and the transmission holds the chosen gear until redline before swiftly shifting up to the next gear. Switch to the manual mode by moving the shift lever into a gate to the right. Shifting the lever forward in the manual mode chooses a higher gear, while pulling back selects a lower one.
The GLI offers sportier performance than the 2.5. The GLI engine's power curve is broad, with 207 pound-feet of torque available from 1800 to 4700 rpm, giving it good response on the highway and around town. Yet this engine will gleefully rev to 6000 rpm in pursuit of its 200 horsepower, enabling the GLI to speed from 0 to 60 mph in a factory-claimed 6.7 seconds. We easily reached the electronically limited top speed of 130 mph on some deserted desert roads in New Mexico, and the roar of the wind clawing its way past the car was the sole intrusion of the speed into the cabin.
The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and VW's terrific dual-clutch DSG auto-manual transmission make a sweet combination. It really makes the GLI two cars in one: smooth cruiser and performance bruiser. On a long trip, the DSG six-speed automatic exploits the economies of its fifth and sixth gears. Yet a dash across town perks it up, and it stays in lower gears longer for better acceleration. It downshifts directly from fifth or sixth gear to third if passing power is needed right now, skipping the gears in between. The driver can shift manually by sliding the gear lever into the DSG slot, which initiates touch-shifts through the gear lever itself or via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. It's a brilliant system, crisp and smooth, and operation is direct and intuitive.
When the roads started to bend, the GLI's sport-tuned suspension reduced driver effort to searching for music on the satellite radio. The GLI's springs are stiffer (a sizable 24 percent in front and 29 percent in the rear) and the anti-roll bars slightly thicker than on other Jetta models. The brakes are also larger, by 24 millimeters in front and 26 mm at the rear.
The GLI suspension's feel, however, is a blend of good and bad, particularly in cars fitted with the optional 18-inch wheels and performance tires, as was our test car. On choppy pavement, or over the expansion joints of concrete freeways, the GLI hip-hops along like a hyperactive bunny, reducing the enjoyable ride quality found on smooth roads into a tooth-chattering irritation. The performance enthusiast in us applauds Volkswagen for getting rid of its marshmallow-soft suspensions of recent years and giving the GLI truly sporty underpinnings, but unless high-G cornering forces are important to you, the 17-inch wheels and all-season tires are the better choice for daily driving.
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