2nd Opinion - Wardlaw Sadly, the redesigned New Jetta is stuck in a no man’s land between small upscale cars like the Mazda 3s and entry-luxury compacts like the Acura TSX, softened a bit to appeal to Accord and Camry buyers while retaining some of the Germanic character that pushes the buttons of traditional VW buyers. Unfortunately, the result is a compromise that manages to miss on almost all counts.

Volkswagen loyalists will buy the New Jetta, because in most respects it does the Old Jetta’s job better. It’s bigger, more powerful, and more comfortable. But after hundreds of miles spent driving a loaded 2005.5 Jetta 2.5L that had a sticker price of more than $26,000, I’m left with the impression that only VW loyalists will buy the New Jetta – like the guy in the gray one that sped up next to me in traffic one day and waved.

Volkswagen enjoys a loyal customer base because they are fun to drive. But initially, the New Jetta felt like it was riding on four tires that had lost half their air pressure. Everything from the steering wheel to the brake pedal felt slow and syrupy, like the New Jetta would just as soon call it a day and go back to bed. The Old Jetta, especially with the much-missed 1.8-liter turbo four and a sport suspension, always seemed eager for fun.

Our test car’s 2.5-liter inline five always grumbled in seeming discontent, and when pushed to higher revs, it sounded like a hive of angry hornets buzzed under the hood. The six-speed automatic transmission almost always behaved as though it was confused about what gear might be appropriate, unless Sport mode was selected, which held revs longer and contributed too much engine braking when the throttle was released. Better than the old 115-horsepower four-cylinder that came standard on the Jetta, but I sure do miss the 1.8T. Even the TDI turbo diesel would be a more agreeable motor.

Ride quality with this New Jetta is rather soft, though harsher surfaces are clearly communicated to the cabin, and the electro-mechanical steering offers no real feel for the road but makes up for the loss with well-calibrated heft off-center. The brake pedal offers progressive response, but until the driver acclimates they’re aggressive upon application. As with most Audi and Volkswagen products, off-the-line acceleration is delayed while the transmission decides what to do about the depressed accelerator pedal. Our test car’s Michelin Energy tires were worthless for much of anything aside from a nice, quiet ride.

Nevertheless, I took our test car on Southern California’s Route 33 north from Ojai, a twisty road with high-speed sweeping corners that the Jetta 2.5 covered with ease. Manually shifting the automatic helped keep the car in the thick of its powerband, and it’s clear that the bones of an entertaining vehicle exist within the Jetta’s architecture. Our car behaved in a predictable fashion, making it very easy to drive smoothly. I didn’t have a brake fade problem, but neither did I use the binders to excess. And though the tires give up early, they provide plenty of warning that limits are approaching. Certainly, the upcoming Jetta GLI, with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four and slick-shifting Direct Shift Gearbox will be quite fun to drive.

Hopefully, the GLI will be better looking, too. The New Jetta’s wide-eyed headlamps, combined with that obnoxious mirror decorating the front bumper – which is perfect for reflecting radar and letting the cops know how fast you’re going – really turn me off. The profile is a little dull, and the gray-painted wheel inserts only serve to make them look smaller and dirtier than they really are. In back, the unfortunate circular elements in the taillamps are what serve to make every reviewer compare the tall and narrow Jetta with the tall and narrow Toyota Corolla. The chrome “Jetta” script on the trunk lid, which used to be large and convex to beautifully reflect a panorama of surroundings, is now small and barely noticeable – almost as though VW is embarrassed to place the Jetta name on this non-descript hunk of metal.

If I found the Jetta compelling at all, it was with the view from the driver’s seat. Interior materials are high quality, our test car’s two-tone décor and wood trim created a convincing appearance of luxury, and the layout of the controls is easy to use. The driver’s seat is exceptionally comfortable, equipped with an impressive range of adjustment made better by the telescopic steering wheel. Visibility is better, too, thanks to rear headrests that don’t block nearly as much of the view out as they used to. Even the back seat is better – I can get in and out without using a crowbar to remove my legs and feet now.

Comfort and ease-of-use are big selling points, but lots of sedans offer those features. Sadly, the redesigned New Jetta is stuck in a no man’s land between small upscale cars like the Mazda 3s and entry-luxury compacts like the Acura TSX, softened a bit to appeal to Accord and Camry buyers while retaining some of the Germanic character that pushes the buttons of traditional VW buyers. Unfortunately, the result is a compromise that manages to miss on almost all counts. – Christian Wardlaw

Photos courtesy of Volkswagen of America