Upscale german engineering, for alot less

Going through 2 vw beetles, and still having my life and my health I decided to stay in the vw family when looking for a new car. I went to the same vw dealership I bought my last 2 beetles from and found a beautiful deep blue 2001 volkswagen jetta sitting by a light pole, just begging to be test drove. So I thought to myself, "what the heck, it couldnt hurt to at least check it out". It has the 2.0 liter engine that I am quite fond of, cloth seats, sunroof, cd changer, power everything, manual transmission, and the cool switchblade key. I took it home just five hours later after hassling with prices and payments and all that jazz. Now while reading this keep in mind that I am a vw fan, but I will not hesitate to mention anything that I didnt care for in this car.

Performance:
The 2.0 liter engine in the larger jetta, as compared to the beetle feels a tad bit underpowered yet with the manual transmission it is sprightly enough. Although when going above 70 or 75 on the highway the engine gets high in the rpm range and you have to raise your voices to have a conversation. The transmission shifts smoothly and with ease with short throws that do not require much effort on your part at all. However when backing up it has jerked a few times, nothing major though. The brakes work good on this car, not as good as on the beetle though, you have to apply a little more brake pressure but maybe the brake pads needed changing. The suspension is what gives this car the upscale german feel I beleive. It soaks up bumps with ease, yet grips the road firmly in spirited cornering, making you want to take on mountain roads and climb to the top of mount everest in your new volkswagen jetta... not literally though. It certainly does exude that classy yet sporty feel that so many manufacturers are trying so hard to get.

Style:
The jettas sharp styling is what makes this car so popular. Its sharp and simple lines give it just enough flair, yet make it simple enough for someone such as my grandmother to appreciate. Its styled extremely, without being overdone... if that makes any sense. The driver side headlight in my jetta was cloudy when I bought it, but not too bad and I have no idea how I would fix it anyway. The only thing that I find a little bit odd about the styling is the rear doors, 3/4 of the door is above the rear well which cuts into the shape of the door and make it look alot longer than it really is. The bumpers looked good, but I got chrome accent strips to make them pop out a bit more, I think on the 2004 jetta models they are standard but it makes the car pop a bit more. I also had to buy new rims for the jetta, it came with some hideous wheel covers I think they were, but they had tiny holes going around the inside edge of the wheel. I went to the junkyard and bought some wolfsburg edition rims off of a jetta.

Accessories:
while this car is not loaded, I think it has just as many accessories as you would look for in a car. It has cloth seats, a sunroof, cd changer, abs, power everything, the neat switchblade key, daytime running lamps, dual airbags, and side thorax airbags. The armrest in the jetta is the same that was in the last vw beetle I had, and it seems just as flimsy, the material on the top of it had seemed to wear off a bit already and the car only had 71000 miles on it. The cd changer skipped a few times as I went over some rather large bumps on the highway, but I could learn to live with that, though some people may find it inexcuseable. I also think that the cupholders in this car are ridiculous. You pull them out of right on top of the stereo, and they are extremely flimsy I was scared to put my drink in there wondering if it would just break the entire thing. It also makes the use of the stereo nearly impossible as you cant see the screen or the buttons you have to duck down and take your eyes off the road to do anything, unless you have the buttons memorized which im sure after a while you would be able to. the crank seats I have always been fond of, while it seems everyone else hates them because its too much work. The reason volkswagen used this kind of seat adjustment is because you arent limited to preset locations where your seat locks, you can find the best driving position for you and I think some people fail to realize that their most comfortable seat position wouldnt be available in nearly any other car. The sunroof works great, it has the same neat dial that you turn to open to sunroof as in the beetle.

Relibility:
I havent had this car for very long its been about two weeks now, yet I have had one small problem with it already, the window fell into the door while I was driving home 3 days after I purchased the car. It scared the death out of me, and nearly caused an accident as I thought someone had hit me, but then I noticed my window was missing. When I took it to the dealership they said that volkswagen used plastic clips to hold up the windows, yet then people began experiencing their windows falling into the doors. They simply replaced the clip and put a metal one in its place. They did this free of charge realizing that this was a quality issue and they said if any of the other windows fell into the door that I should bring it in right away and they would quickly fix the problem for me free of charge. I am hoping that it wont happen again as it does come as quite a shcok when it does happen. The only other problem I have had is a taillight burnt out, which I have heard is a common problem on jettas. It took me a long time to figure out how to change it figuring im not too handy when it comes to cars, yet when I figured it out I realized it was actually quite simple and from now on I will be changing my taillights. Other than that there have been no problems thus far and I will keep updating my review as time goes on to let you know how the reliability is as time goes by.

Comfort:
This car is quite comfortable. The cloth seats have a soft breathable fabric and the cushions are firm yet supportive and soft. The suspension lets you feel the road enough so that you get quite a bit of feedback, yet it cushions the bumps and imperfections enough to make it comfortable when your riding along on just any road. I think it is quite enjoyable on dirt roads as it floats and jars over chunks of dirt and rock. The driving position in this car is alot better than in the beetle, the steering wheel is lower, and it has a different shape, so you can hold it without the thick 3-spoke steering wheel getting in your way. Also the pedals seem a bit closer together which some may not like, but I like not having to have my legs spread wide open to reach the clutch and the gas. The back-seat is the only uncomfortable place in the car. I dont know why vw didnt put a bit more room back there figuring that alot of families would be purchasing this sedan, it is not large enough for two adults except on short trips, and I find its backseat to be just as useful as the beetles, except you actually have a door. Also getting in the backseat is awkward because the shape of the door being right over the wheel well you have to bend your leg a certain way. The dash in the jetta is simple, and functional. All of the controls are within your reach, except for the climate controls I do think they are a little low.

Comparison:
The jetta feels about the same size as the beetle, yet offers a trunk, and a small backseat, it has the same engine yet it feels a little underpowered for its size, when in the beetle it felt just right. The driving position in the jetta is an improvement over the beetle though. As far as ride and suspension goes I favor the jettas by far, it soaks up bumps alot better than the beetle. I also like how there isnt so much space between you and the hood of the car in the jetta, although Im sure it would be alot safer I just felt like I was right on the road when driving the jetta. Braking power in the beetle was stronger and more sure in the beetle, probably because there was less car to stop, and the abs worked well in both vehicles. So which would I rather have? I honestly have no clue. There are advantages and disadvantages to each vehicle, and im sure that when I am older, and I have more "cargo" to carry around I would look at the passat for now the beetle and the jetta are perfect for me and where I am at in my life.

Safety:
This vehicle comes equipped with abs, dual airbags, front side thorax airbags, also, the salesman mentioned to me some of the neat safety features that I have never heard of before. When the airbags deploy, the gas line to the engine is shutoff to help prevent a fire, and the electrical system is also cut off to prevent any sparks but it has a reserve so it can turn on your hazard lights, headlights, and interior lights, and roll down your windows if the electrical system shorts out due to water. Once again, vw engineers amaze me at how much thought and engineering they put into their cars.

overall:
This is an excellent vehicle, that improves on everything the beetle lacks, and vice versa. Maybe when im older I will own a beetle and a jetta so that whenever I feel like driving I could pick which one fits my mood best. I feel that volkswagen has made a vehicle for every type of driver, hence the ads "drivers wanted" and I think they put alot of thought and consideration of the driver into their vehicles which really shows as vw has an enormous group of dedicated fans such as myself. These cars do have shortcomings but more than make up for them with the satisfying driving experience.