Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 Sport TDi

4:49pm Monday 23rd April 2007

Price: £19,385

KING Kong, Superman, Batman, even Rocky Balboa.

In case you hadn't noticed, re-makes are very popular at the moment.

So popular, it seems, that even car companies are catching the bug.

The Mini is, of course, already with us. Now we have the VW Jetta and soon there will be a new Avenger, a name not seen since the 1970s (thank goodness!).

But it's the Jetta we're concerned with here. Is it a genuine re-make fit for the 21st century or just a re-hash of what's gone before?

In some ways the Jetta has never been away. Although it first appeared in the UK on the rump of a small saloon nearly three decades ago, between 1991 and last year the name was only used in North America and South Africa.

It disappeared from the European market 16 years ago when it was replaced by the Vento, which was in turn replaced by the Bora in 1999.

The first Jetta was developed as a response to the reluctance of North American drivers to buy hatchbacks, even one as good as a Golf.

Adding a boot to the Golf proved to be a pretty shrewd move. The original Jetta became the best-selling foreign import in America and Canada for many years.

The fifth-generation Jetta made its world debut at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show. It is built in Puebla, Mexico, and now exported to Europe.

In Britain we love our hatchbacks, so the Jetta has always had a pretty hard time of it.

The latest deserves a better fate.

For one thing, the general growth in dimensions across the Golf range has made it far more practical. This Jetta looks every bit the smaller VW Passat, a trick its predecessors never quite managed to pull off.

And while the boot may be less versatile than a hatchback, there's no denying the Jetta is a handsome beast, which is definitely not something that could be said of the original Jetta/Vento/Bora triplets.

Walter De Silva, the man responsible for the Jetta's style, used to work for Alfa Romeo, where he is widely credited with reinvigorating the Italian company's mojo' with classics like the 156 and the GTV.

Walt then spent time with Audi and SEAT before being transferred over to VW with orders to shake things up a bit.

The Jetta remains a Golf in a saloon car body - four doors and a large boot, rather than a hatch. It is a bit longer than the Golf (and the old Bora).

VW always trots out the same ambitions for its Golf-with-a-boot. So once again it is talking about snagging sales from the BMW 3-Series and the Audi A4, although I reckon it hasn't much hope of putting a significant sales dent in either.

While I can't see the Jetta becoming a junior compact executive, it holds promise as a car for a growing family.

The UK engine line-up starts with a 1.6-litre petrol and runs up through the usual 2.0-litre normally-aspirated/ turbo options and the 1.9 and 2.0 TDis. All but the 1.9 diesel have a sixspeed gearbox as standard, although the 2.0 TDi on test came with an DSG double wet clutch automatic.

The fifth generation Golf platform, which forms the basis of the Jetta, has proven to be a mixed blessing.

Owners tend to love it because VW really improved both the quality and the driving manners for this generation.

The corporate bean counters hate it, however, because it is expensive to build. A Golf takes twice as many man hours to knock out as the equivalent Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra.

The next one will be cheaper to manufacture but will the quality suffer? VW maintains it won't, but only time will tell.

There is certainly nothing wrong with the way the Mexicans have bolted together this Jetta.

The panel gaps are nice and even, the shut lines tight and the doors close with a meaty thunk.

The cabin feels nicer still and the quality of the materials puts it above the mainstream Japanese/ French opposition. Obviously it borrows wholesale from the Golf, but that's no bad thing because the new Golf has a fine reputation for build quality.

The rear-seat back-rests fold forward for extra boot space. An indicator on each back-rest shows when its is safely locked.

Handily, the head-rests don't have to be removed to fold the backs down.

The cabin has plenty of useful storage areas. The driver's door bin can hold a bottle of pop and a full-size map book. The overhead console which hides a sunglasses holder wouldn't work correctly on our test car. No amount of pressing the button would encourage the holder to open.

It had to be prised out with a finger, not what I'd expect of a VW.

To drive, the 2.0 TDi is more of a long-distance runner than a sprinter.

Cruising the motorway in near silence while sipping fuel at the rate of one gallon per 60 miles makes the Jetta an impressively composed companion for a long trip.

It's easy to drive and the chassis has terrific straight-line stability, even in strong cross winds.

The ride is very composed and none of my passengers reported any problems in the back.

Even fitted with an automatic DSG gearbox the 2.0-litre TDi has poke a-plenty, with enough midrange shove to make overtaking quick and simple. VW says it reckons the 2.0 TDi will be the biggest seller over here and I have to agree.

As well as lower fuel bills, the TDi engine is kinder to the environment than its petrol-supping cousins and therefore cheaper to tax.

Although NCAP crash test figures are not yet available, the Golf notched up a full five stars and I confidently expect the Jetta to match that. The Golf also rated four stars for child protection and three for pedestrian safety.

Standard safety kit includes the obligatory airbags (front, side and rear), active' head restraints to guard against whiplash, Isofix child seat mounting points, stability control and ABS plus brake assist. Very comprehensive, in other words.

The Jetta has an equally comprehensive security package including an in-cut' key, that is supposed to be more difficult to copy, and a reinforced steering lock clutch to resist forcing. The door lock mechanisms have freewheeling mechanisms which resist opening with a screwdriver.

The CD player has a flashing LED light to act as a visual deterrent when the car is switched off.

The alarm is easily armed via the key fob remote.

Semi-automatic climate control is standard. The glovebox can be cooled or warmed, depending on the contents.

The Jetta has matured nicely into a very impressive allrounder.

If you prefer the more balanced proportions of a saloon and can put up with the disadvantages of a boot over a hatchback, then the Jetta is a very strong contender indeed.

SPECIFICATION

Engine: 2.0-litre Tdi
Max power: 140bhp
Max torque: 236lb/ft
Top speed: 127mph
0-62mph: 9.7 seconds
Combined fuel economy: 46.3mpg
Insurance group: 9
CO2 emissions: 160.
Standard equipment: ABS, Hydraulic brake assist, curtain airbags, active front head restraints, alloy wheels, semi auto air conditioning, all round electric windows, leather trimmed steering, gear knob and handbrake grip, automatic driving lights.

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