Volkswagen Jetta 1986-2019Change

I had my car now for about 5 years and it runs great. Excellent on gas, no problems at all, and I'm at 179000 KM.

I've had this car for 2 1/2 years and I absolutely love it! Gets consistently better than 50 mpg and even got 65 driving to BC one summer. 260k and it's been flawless. I can't say enough good things about these cars. New pads at 250K and they were original. Still has original front end parts. I've averaged $1000 worth of maintenance per year, and I've put on 30K/yr. Low for someone who is extremely picky. Just put over 2000 into my wife's CR-V in 8 months.

great car to have. very reliable, and nice design and very good on gas consumption. highly recommended to buy this car.

The power for this car is great for the class, the horsepower isn't that great just average. However, the torque in the turbo charged diesel engine is great. I've heard alot of people saying the new look of the jetta isn't that great, personally I love it. Interior styling also good, doesn't look like they cheaped out on any parts.

Overall a great car.

This car was an excellent buy, it is beautiful and has a very spacious trunk and glove compartment! I would definitely recommend it to other people looking to buy a new vehicle. It is worth it also to invest in the monster mats and the plastic mats for the trunk. I have found them to be a life saver when its rainy or something spills. I also love the easy open windows and the ability to open the trunk using the key less entry.

Smooth stearing wheel.
Love the iPod dock.
Lots of space in the car.
Big trunk.
Love to ride the car.

I bought this car brand new in 2009 with the top option package. Loved the understated styling, and high quality feel that abounds in this car. The materials used inside are probably the best part of the car for me. The layout is pleasing to the eye, but still practical. Doors shut and windows open/close with that satisfying German feeling. Gas mileage has been great, power is a bit lacking, no issues besides regular scheduled servicing. IMO this car can't be beat for value if you are looking for a vehicle that feels like solid, and well engineered.

The Jetta diesel is a good little car wich was noted for its fuel economy. I have mixed reviews about the car. On the plus side, economy is great. Improvements include, too low to the ground so in winter the snow ruts rip off the bottom protective engine cover. Volkswagen must be aware of this as many experience the same problem. The cup holders are poorly situated (right in front of the center heat vents making keeping things cool pretty difficult). Repairs can also be expensive for the car.

This car handle the road well. Great on fuel. You feel like you are driving a race car. Handle the curves with ease. Family car and sport car in one. A car for a night on the town or to the shopping centre.

Had this car for about 6 years, from around 03-09? It was a good small car. VW cars have good handling so it feels good and easy to drive.( even for long trips)
However, this car had a lot of maintenance and the lights on the dash will never be all gone. I had to change 1 light almost every 2 weeks, eventually I gave up on changing since it was going to died soon anyways. It would be a good car but you would have to sell it at around 6,7 years old or 150k.

I have owned about 70 cars in my life and this car is by far the best handling and ride. It has great power with the turbocharged diesel and average 50mpg city and highway.

This car has been amazing, I have over 72,000km and never had any repair. The drive is very solid and all my friends are impressed when getting a ride with me. I love it and recommend the Jetta to anyone looking for a beautiful, solid with great performance.

My 2004 Jetta TDI Sport (same as the German Wolfsburg Edition) has been a reliable commuter car for over 8 years. I've put over 240,000 km on it and have followed the routine maintenance schedule as per the manual. Beyond that, the only work it's had done is the replacement of the air conditioning compressor and installing a new under tray for the engine compartment - a frequent problem on Jettas. I've averaged 4.9 litres / 100 km with about 75% of it being highway driving. I'd have another one in a heartbeat.

I bought this car new in January and have clocked just over 30,000 km so far. Overall the car is great and i would recommend it to anyone looking for a good, well built sedan. I'll break the review down into the 6 categories that we had to rate with the star system.

Comfort: My car came equipped with the Cornsilk leather seats. They are fairly comfy seats and never had any discomfort during long rides. It being beige leather, they are pretty hard to keep clean but a good leather cleaner (I get mine from an auto detailer) is all that is required to take any stains off. The ride is also exceptionally comfy.

Fuel Economy: This is the main reason for purchasing the Diesel and am not disappointed. I get over 1000 km per tank on this vehicle after the initial break-in.

Performance: For a 4-cyl car it performs really well. The 250 ft/lbs of low end torque from the diesel motor results in the car pulling surprisingly hard for a 140hp motor. Handling is right up there with what you would expect from a German vehicle. It's not a sport tuned suspension and doesn't give me the same confidence i had with my 06 A3 Sport but is way better then most other imports and domestics that i have driven and that are in the same category as the Jetta

Interior: This is the only point where the jetta really lacks. For the price point I expected a lot less hard cheap plastics and at least to have gotten power seats. But this has been addressed with the 2013 model year. The trunk however is exceptionally spacious for the size of the vehicle.

Exterior: I love the way my jetta looks. They really did a great job designing it this time around. It is more young and has a lot better lines then the previous MK V model. I just wish Projector headlights were available when i bought this car.

Reliability: So far I have had to do nothing to this vehicle except for the regular maintenance. I haven't had it for to long, but thus far it has been very reliable.

Hope this helps

There was nothing basic about my experience with this budget purchase.

The good: Spoiled in the past by more expensive German autos, the VW surprised me with solid comfort, no squeaks, rattles or deterioration of the driving experience over the lease period.

The not so good: Styling and performance however, were middle of the road in comparison to other manufacturer's vehicles in the same category.

Overall, a four year, trouble-free and economical drive with a 'quality' feel.

Bought this car after driving BMW's for the last 5 years. Although it is not as comfortable and does'nt have as many "toys" as the BMW, I find this an excellent car for the money. It is very fast and handles quite well, and the repairs are a lot cheaper.

This is the second diesel jetta, and I like this one as much as I did the first time. Since I make frequent drives to visit family and friends more than 2 hours away, the diesel fuel economy makes a big difference in terms of fuel costs. He drives smoothly, I enjoy the leather seating inside, and I love the overall look of the car. The only things I would say need to be improved is that the buttons around the radio and parts on the wheel have peeled away so it looks fairly rough and buttons aren't really labelled anymore because of it, and that due to how the car runs, it tends to roll backward just a little when I'm stopped on a hill. In a town full of hills and people who tailgate, it's a bit unnerving at times. All around though, I love the car and I know as a volkswagon, it will last a long time.

It is really good in bad weather, very good on the highway, a solid ride. with regular care it runs very well. Brand new all season tires on it.

This is a great car for both the city and highway travel. It is very fuel efficient fun to drive. Being a smaller car it's great for the city and it's smaller side streets and confined parking spaces. Out on the highway it rides great and is quite enjoyable to drive over longer distances.

This thing has loads of room and is spaces for a compact sedan and has a massive trunk which is great for stowing lots of gear and luggage if duty calls.

I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for an economical sedan and something that is still quite stylish for an older vehicle.

First diesel. Was concerned with power with only 140 HP but the 240ft/lbs torgue makes this 2 liter turbo diesel go as fast as any comparable gas. There is a bit of turbo lag when you first step on accelerator pedal but then it takes of like a gas enginel. Best fuel economy of any car I have ever had. Highly recommended.

Overall the Jetta has been a satisfying ride. The styling has a touch of sporty and classy merged together, doesn't necessarily stand out but doesn't fade away in a parking lot either. The interior is very comfortable, ergonomic, one of the best interior designs I've come across.

The car is solid and has great handling, acceleration is like a V6, brakes are extremely powerful (no pulsations during hard braking), and the Tiptronic 5 speed transmission actually changes gears in manual mode instantly.

Fuel economy is ok, whether you drive hard or gentle, premium fuel is required, and reliability is mediocre, no major break downs other than the failed water pump while driving it. This is the little car that thinks its big - smooth when you want it to be, fast and sporty when you want it to be, loaded with luxury as well.

Done the basic maintenance (oil changes, tire pressure, etc.) regularly and been rewarded with a reliable car that's a fun, sporty drive.
Over the years I've had to do the repairs you'd expect (brakes, exhaust.
It likes to have snow tires in the winter.
Comfortable for passengers, plenty of trunk space.

Great vehicle; well constructed in and out. 'Feels' safe to drive and as a passenger. Real worker; lots of power going up hills. Had to watch speedometer when first started driving this mid-sizer; going faster than I thought!! Just gallops along!! Must be those 16" tires. 1000 km per tank highway and approx 850/875 km around town; 800 around town in winter. Lots of heat inside in winter as well.

7 Jettas in our family. Worth the $; those little diesel motors could outlast the body with mileage over 600,000 kms.

My experience with this particular car has been great. Fuel milage has been impressive for the amount of power and torque it has. The 5spd manual transmission allows you to drive it nice and easy but also gives you the ability to really drive the car the way VW meant it to be driven when you feel like it. It handles extremely well and corners like a dream. Ultimate drivers vehicle.

I'm the second owner of this car, having purchased it from my parents when it was about 14 years old. A lot of love and care has gone into it, but it shows. Only now is the body starting to show some wear; some key components will be needing replacement in the near future. Still, my biggest complaint about the car is a lack of features (e.g. air conditioning) not its performance. From a fuel efficiency standpoint, my manual Jetta gets nearly the same KPL as a 2005 automatic Civic! Add to that rock-bottom insurance rates, and it's a package that's hard to beat!

As an end note, my relatively poor rankings on comfort and exterior styling are only due to techonologic and stylistic progress. Were you to compare it to cars of the same vintage, they'd be 5 for 5.