Volkswagen Jetta 1986-2019Change

This was my best friends car, although she had a couple issues with it, (The driver door wouldn't shut properly and the trunk wouldn't open. Later her alternator died but that might've just been bc it was old) It saved my life literally. We had a head on collision on the highway at about 100 km/h with a Pt Cruiser and that baby really took it like a champ. 10/10 would ride again.

I am a mom of two young sons. I bought this car because I wanted something new and reliable but I was on a budget. This suited our needs as a family far better than any small SUVs that were in the same price range. The trunk space is HUGE and there is plenty of room in the backseat for my kids aged 3 and 5 (1 and 3 at the time of purchase). I drive a manual and it's a super fun ride when the kids aren't with me. Speeds up fast and the rims give it a super cute look. I also have a set of winter tires on separate rims because I live in northern Alberta. I was concerned about the clearance during our sometimes harsh winters, but it has never once failed me. Even though the exterior styling isn't as good as some of the jettas gone by, or even the city jettas, I love this car so much and hope to have it for many years to come.

Owned this car for 5 years, best car I've ever owned

Pros:
Amazing fuel economy, especially on the hwy
Great fit and finish, felt like a premium vehicle
Big back seat and even bigger trunk
Excellent ride and comfort, even over poor road conditions
Stellar reliability

Cons:
VW Service can get very pricey
VW dealer experience is horrible, quite possibly the worst of any dealer I've been to. Always unexpected items on the bill, always running late, very, very, very pushy to score them excellent on service - if they only spent that much time on fixing the car properly.

This is my first VW after owning Honda's. I have 39,000km on the Jetta currently and purchased it new in July of 2014. The only minor complaint is the window operation in winter as they tend to freeze as my car sits outside. I am more than satisfied with this vehicle and the ownership experience. I have two friends that also own Jetta's and highly recommended that I look at a Jetta. I chose it over an Acura ILX, Subaru Impreza Limited, Civic Touring and a very close Mazda GT.

One major concern (air coming from brake pedal) was addressed over one year ago and was not resolved at that time. It was then resolved approximately one year later during this most recent visit with a replacement of the brake booster. I am still not sure why this was not resolved on my first visit when I originally brought this matter to the attention of both VW Corporate and the dealership.
By the way, the speedometer is still inaccurate, the brakes still squeal, the ABS braking system still causes my brake pedal to vibrate irregularly (unlike any other car I've driven) and there are still rattling noises coming from the front console.
Today, a new problem arose: while attempting to go out and buy a Valentine's Day gift and flowers for my wife, the ((!)) red emergency light (and buzzer) came on about 100 meters into my drive. I turned around and went home immediately to call for assistance. I let the car cool down, and started it again about 10 minutes later, but this "Transmission Overheating" light/buzzer came on again upon restarting. Eight (8) hours later, I turned on the car again and the light/buzzer remained on. I called Roadside Assistance (as the Owner's Manual informs us not to drive when this light is on) and I was told that my car could be towed to the dealership and worked on after the holiday weekend. I had to borrow my wife's 8 year old Honda to successfully go out and buy her a gift. I now will not be able to take my car on my vacation as originally planned. This car has proven unreliable many times in its short 40,000 km lifespan. I believe that the quality of VW workmanship has become increasingly poor since it was outsourced from Germany to Mexico. I do not think that these vehicles have been properly safety-tested at the manufacturer for cold Canadian winters as these problems seem to surface, re-surface and intensify during low temperatures.

i have had my jetta for 16 years. i loved it and am getting a brand new jetta. you cant go wrong with a jetta.

I've been dealing with this issue almost since I got the car, which was April 1st 2014. It's an intermittent issue that I can't reproduce but I have provided plenty of evidence of it happening. When listening to Bluetooth, randomly, the sound will completely cut out and I will head nothing but a high pitched tone. Turning off my phone doesn't fix it, switching to another input and the back doesn't fix it. I should say that if I switch to FM for example, the sound does work. I have provided videos of the problem, which happens every 2 weeks, give or take and seemingly has gotten worse.
The dealer replaced the stereo 3 or 4 times and the MDI unit once, each time, same problem. They told me the problem was my phone not being compatible with the car, a Google Nexus 5, I need a new phone anyway so I bought a one plus two and happened again! This time Crosby and VW told me that I needed to use a mainstream phone as somehow, the Nexus 5, made by LG isn't mainstream enough. Okay, I ended up borrowing an iphone4 from a friend and probably a week later, the same problem happened again!!
The dealer had told me that the same tone issue happens in Passats due to corrosion issues with the MDI device, how in the world does this happen due to a manufacturers defect in Passats but on my Jetta, it's related to my device? At this point the deal basically told me there is nothing else they can do and closed the issue. I now have to deal with customer relations and they are pretty unresponsive.
On top of this, when I first bought the car there was the block heater recall. A voluntary ECM recall, the diesel recall, which is ongoing. And I had another fun problem where one day, I get in the car and the passenger window is down. Try to roll it up and it goes right back down! I called the dealership, they didn't return my call, drove to the dealership, they took the car and 'reset the software' which fixed the problem but they couldn't give me a reason as to why it happened.

This is a very good car, never had any exceptional problem with but changing brakes, changing oil, and everything a car deserves.

This car has never once caused me grief. It's peppy, amazing on gas, has the classic VW handling, great around corners, solid and smooth suspension, quiet, fantastic stereo acoustics, classy and sporty. I love this car.

This car is amazing. It has amazing performance yet is comfortable when that is prefered. It cuts an amazing profile and is an all around great car!

I was always intrigued by the MK4 Volkswagens from the moment I saw them in 1999. I thought the styling was unlike anything out there and even today, 16 years after their release those cars still look brand new. I was interested in the Jetta, but I couldn't afford the higher trims so I cheaped out and got a GLS with a 2.0l engine in 2014, and I wasn't disappointed. The car has a surprising amount of torque and it can hold its speed going up a hill in 5th gear which is great. In winter the car holds the road nicely and stays planted with a decent amount of grip on ice which is a plus. I had mediocre tires as well, so I figured it's just the cars weight sticking it to the road which made me feel a bit safer. In all, it's a great, fun car and I loved my experience owning it!

The car is rated high is design and styling, but once you start having problems they seem never ending.
Electrical is probably the biggest problem. Only one functioning door lock so the car is not secure and the alarm goes off all the time when someone tries to open the car when it's locked. Passenger and driver mirror indicator lights don't work and both mirrors are now in place with electrical tape since they both broke off due to corrosion. Air conditioning no longer works, and water pump needs replaced. AM radio is not working and FM is on it's way out. Rust is starting to appear on both rear wheel wells. I've replaced the battery, the alternator, the cooling fan, and the heating thermostat. Just waiting to see what goes next.

This car has been the best car I ever owned (8 Fords/GMs) and since I've moved to VWs, Jetta, Golf and Passat diesels, we've been very satisfied. Low maintenance, roomy, great in Ottawa summers/winters. I'm sticking to VWs TDIs.

This is an awesome car for someone that spends time driving throughout the day. The fuel economy on the diesel is beyond what I expected and the performance is outstanding with the diesel torque.

Only Engine is good rest all Mechanical & Electrical parts have issues. Exhaust flap open to atmosphere & malfunctions. Triggers engine light. 3 door latches changed in 1 year period costs about $1500. Headliner falls off due to cheap glue. Is not worth to save little money on diesel & spend a lot on fixing the crappy parts.

Since I have had this Jetta, I haven't had anything but problems with it. Squeaky breaks, rough shifting, and the odd break lock here and there, which according to my local VW dealers is all part of owning one of their vehicles and is perfectly normal and acceptable. Other issues have been electrical failure to the power window system (to which when I brought it in, they told me there were no problems), Bluetooth audio emitting a high pitch noise which can only be stopped by turning the car off/on, and the fuel door lock not working.

The positives to this vehicle is there is a lot of interior room for passengers in both the front and back seats, and a very large trunk. Fuel economy isn't great, but certainly ins't horrible.

Overall I can't say that i'm exactly pleased with this vehicle. It's the first VW that my family and myself have owned, and I can positively say that it will be the only one.

This is truly an awesome vehicle that delivers in all respects and does not disappoint. This is the best in line of the Jetta family and has all the comforts of driving. With upgraded music system you feel like sitting in a theater and with built in navigation system you will never be lost.

Incredible vehicle - safe, reliable, extremely economical - great return on km's for business travel. Couldn't ask for more for a car under $26k

The definition of German engineering in handling/driving and reliability. Installed a block heater and the car has never failed to start even in chilly -30. The timing belt was changed proactively as suggested at 150,000 KM to avoid any problems (I'm very happy to have spent the $800.00 for piece of mind!). I love this car and it has served me very well and I will be sad to say goodbye but know the next owner understands and respects the TDI fuel-efficiency as well as the whole German experience. Very comfortable ride, even lengthy road trips. At only 185,000 KMs, this vehicle has numerous years left and the comfortable, fully-loaded interior is sure to please.

This has been a great car from day one. Very reliable and fuel efficient. You can get over 1000km highway driving resulting in less stops at the gas station.

My second Jetta GLS 1.8T (I love this car). The 2003 model increased to 180HP, and it is a perfect balance of speed, agility, and fuel economy.

Comfortable leather interior (fully loaded) and sporty exterior makes this car one that I have been proud to own and drive. German engineering never fails to impress, and it has fully satisfied me in this great car.

I was lucky enough to purchase this car from a family that owned 4 professional mechanic garages - it was only given the best care and attention, and it has treated me equally well (in 3 years of driving, the engine has needed almost NO work).

Steady, Comfortable, Reliable, Superior, driving pleasure, economical, safer, elegance and proud to drive

This diesel jetta has great fuel economy. Very reliable. Nice interior design and stylish exterior. Very comfortable.

I fell in love with VW and I think that they are the best deal for affordable yet reliable and safe cars. I think they are the Volvo's for the average people.

This car is as solid as it gets. True German engineering under the hood. No major mechanical work done under the hood. Good for another 100K easy. Fantastic car. Quick pickup, nifty around corners, great handling. Loved this car!