For Volkswagen, its compact saloon Jetta has been one of the best-sellers. In 2013 alone, the company sold over nine lakh units and since its first launch in 1979 it has sold over 14 million units. However, the new 2015 version, which was unveiled at the 2014 New York Motor Show, promises to change the dimensions for VW in India in the compact segment. Ammar Alvi has more.
Let’s get straight to business; the new 2015 Jetta is very impressive and quite ahead in terms of features compared to its predecessor. On the design front, the Jetta resembles its bigger sibling, the Passat. It features a redesigned radiator grille with three distinctive chrome cross fins. The Jetta also gets a new bumper and optional Bi-Xenon headlamps with Volkswagen’s Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS). The headlamps also incorporate the new daytime running lights incorporating 15 LEDs, each arranged in a distinctive L-style pattern. The bumper also incorporates a larger air intake, which in turn makes the Jetta look wider and more substantial than it is. On the rear end, the bumpers, tail lights and the logo have been slightly redesigned. LED tail lamps are now available on the higher spec models.
On mid- and high-level trims, the dash, gauges are now framed in chrome, with a multifunction display nestled in between. The 2015 Jetta sports several optional new features based on trim; a new multifunction steering wheel, redesigned air vent controls, piano black accents on the centre console and around the gear shift lever, new chrome accents around the dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting and new fabric colours and designs for the seats. The 2015 model will continue to offer four different 4-cylinder petrol engines: the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated, 1.8-litre, 2.0-litre and a 1.4-litre turbocharged with a full hybrid version. There is also a new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. The 2015 Jetta also incorporated a new dynamic radiator shutter on the engine, which helps shorten its warm-up phase by reducing the airflow. This helps drastically cut down on emissions.
The new Jetta is expected to be launched in India during 2015-end and we expect it to be priced between `14-19 lakh (ex-showroom). It will compete with the likes of Skoda Octavia from its own family other than the Hyundai Elantra and Renault Fluence.
Skoda Octavia
Engine: 1.8 TSI petrol, 2.0 TDI diesel
Mileage: 14 kmpl (petrol) , 23 kmpl (diesel)
Price: Rs 13 lakh onwards (ex-showroom
Volkswagen Jetta
Engine: 1.4 litre petrol, 122 PS; 2.0 litre diesel, 142 PS
Mileage: 16.69 kmpl (petrol), 19.33 kmpl (diesel)
Price: Rs 14-19 lakh (ex-showroom)
Hyundai Elantra
Engine: 1.8 litre petrol, 1.6 litre diesel
Mileage: 16 kmpl (petrol), 21 kmpl (diesel)
Price: Rs 12.7-16.05 lakh (ex-showroom)