The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta got off to an inauspicious start. When we first drove the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL we said, "The reason it's hard to love and fully recommend the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is because it's a step backward in a number of ways. The cost-cutting scissors were out in force this time around and it's all too obvious where money was saved."
And while that's a bad thing in our eyes and, perhaps, for owners of the last generation of Volkswagen's Euro-feel midsize sedan, this cost-cutting means that now the Jetta starts at just $14,995. This low price is expected to bring thousands of new buyers into the VW fold, while returning Jetta buyers can always step up to the higher trim levels to get stuff found in the previous models.
Given the shaky nature of the strategy, we figured it was a good time to revisit the Jetta. And with gas prices soaring to nearly $5/gallon again and memories of our 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI still swirling in the back of our brains, we waited until the diesel hit our shores and ordered a 2011 Jetta TDI.
What We Got
Our Volkswagen 2011 Jetta TDI is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine rumbling out 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Routing the power to the front wheels is a six-speed dual-clutch (DSG) gearbox. Controlling the torque on the ground are a set of Hankook Optimo H725A tires sized 205/55 R16.
As features and options go, the TDI comes standard with a power tilt/slide sunroof, intermittent wipers, heated power side mirrors, Bluetooth hands-free calling, Media Device Interface (MDI) with iPod, Sirius (3 months), aux-in, V-Tex leatherette with leather shift knob and steering wheel, six-way heated manual seats, ABS (with rear discs) and hill hold. Think of the TDI as a Jetta SE with the Sunroof and Convenience package.
As such, don't expect the TDI to be priced around the $15,000 mark. Instead, this car starts at $22,995. The only option available is the TDI Clean Diesel With Navigation package. It runs $1,200 and includes a navigation system with a 5-inch color touchscreen, SD memory card reader, keyless access with push-button start, halogen foglights, adjustable lumbar on the driver seat and chrome grille and window trim.
Do the math and include the $770 destination and handling fee, and you're looking at a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI that stickers for $26,065, though this car was provided by the manufacturer for the purpose of this test.
Why We Got It
Car guys are constantly complaining that new cars are all wrong. They're too heavy, they're too complicated and they have too many luxury features. Compared with our 2009, the 2011 Jetta TDI is nearly 200 pounds lighter. That should mean better fuel economy and more enthusiast-friendly handling, right?
According to the EPA, our new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI returns an estimated 32 city and 42 highway mpg. Normally the price premium of diesel engines and the price premium of diesel fuel greatly reduces the benefit of oil burners. But as the price of 91 (the highest fuel grade available in California) and diesel are reaching parity here, now is the precise time that a diesel could show returns — in more than just torque-derived smiles — in the States.
We've got 12 months and 20,000 miles with the new Volkswagen Jetta to see not only if the new one is as good as the premium-focused last-gen Jetta, but to see if now is finally the time for a diesel sedan in America. Follow along on our award-winning Long-Term Road Test blog for updates.
Current Odometer: 1,947
Best Fuel Economy: 27.8
Worst Fuel Economy: 25.5
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 27.2
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Add A Comment »
wikiwiki says:
01:04 PM, 04/28/2011
My uncle just got a new Jetta 2.5 SE or something like that. It's really nice. Looks great and the interior is awesome too. I don't get the hate at all. I see a lot of these around now so VW did something right.
ndahi says:
02:02 PM, 04/24/2011
I am a diesel convert. I have a 2010 Golf TDI. I have had the car for slightly over a year and 11,500 miles. It handles great (it has a GTI suspension variant), has 17 inch 225 rubber, has 140 hp and 236 ft-lb of torque, rides smooth and comfortable and has an interior way better than other cars in its class. By contrast, this Jetta is shameful.
I sold my 06 Evo 9 to get the TDI. Looking back it has been the best decision I made. I sold the Evo for 20,200 with 27k miles on the odo. I bought the TDI for 21,554 after the 1,300 Federal govt credit. So I only lost 1,354 in the transaction.
So how much money did I save driving the TDI for 11,500 miles over the Evo 9 (had I kept it)?
Evo 9:
avg. mpg: 23.63
gallons: 488.6 premium
$/gal: 3.20
$: 1563
cents/mile: 0.137
TDI
avg. mpg: 46.83
gallons: 244.7 D2
$/gal: 3.421
$: 838.7
cents/mile: 0.073
So in one year of ownership I saved $724.3 driving the TDI over the Evo. So I recovered alomst half of the losses from the sale of the Evo. In another year I will more than break-even driving the TDI over the Evo. I consumed 244 FEWER gallons of fuel, reducing MY imapct on the environment and dependence on oil.
This has been a really win-win transaction on my part. No complaints at all.
woodypup says:
03:18 PM, 04/22/2011
How do you use push-button start to start this car? In my Golf TDI, I turn the key to the first "click," wait for the glow plug light to disappear, and then twist to engage the starter. In a push-button start, do you push once for the glow plug light, and then push again to start?
myob says:
09:28 AM, 04/20/2011
Do car manufacturers purposely make their cheaper models less attractive than they could be? Does it cost that much more to stamp out body panels that look good?
It's not an "ugly" car, just very plain. Jettas used to be pretty cool looking for a car that cheap. And this one doesn't even perform well.
I would think that buyers would want something special if they were to risk the reliability and other issues that come with VW ownership vs a boring Japanese model.
Unless you need to make some sort of fuel economy statement or have a really long commute, it'd be hard to make the argument for this car. Not bad, just not very good.
The real question though is why are people who can "only" afford a $25,000 car buying new at all? There are tons of nice barely used cars with plenty of warranty left. You'd get more for your money. Jettas, especially diesels, have done well on resale, but I'd rather spend the cash on a car that was fun to drive as well as efficient.
nicholasrage says:
04:53 PM, 04/19/2011
I've been seeing a lot of 2.5 SEs in West LA, so despite what enthusiasts are saying about VW backpedaling, it looks the strategy is panning out in initial sales. Even the nav screen looks a bit lower-rent than the stereo in the long-term GTI.
@wikiwiki Most economy cars are designed to score very high on the EPA test, perhaps the TDI is that way as well. You'd be surprised at how many people don't calculate MPG correctly and how far off the real world MPGs can be for some cars in mixed driving with urban traffic. Personally, I've never owned a car that got better than 27 mpg freeway. That includes Miatas I've owned in the past and the '91 318is I have now.
openeyes1 says:
03:18 PM, 04/19/2011
@wikiwiki;
I'm pretty sure the bigger engine is coming as are the truck shocks, when you're hauling around 300lbs x 4 you need the heavy duty springs. The state of Tennessee has offered to site a grease rendering plant next to the new Jetta factory to help supply the Lubricant for the door jams, that will assist American's in getting in and out of the vehicle.
juan_mx says:
02:41 PM, 04/19/2011
I wish Dan Edmunds could do a suspension walkaround of this Jetta to see how cheap is the rear suspension.
juan_mx says:
02:36 PM, 04/19/2011
@autoboy1
Nope....it's a solid axle like the old Sentra or the PT Cruiser.
Convince yourself, look below the rear end of any 2011 Jetta, you'll be unpleasantly surprised, no twist beam, just a solid axle (an upside down V shaped beam) between the two wheels, and the Panhard bar.
That is why I criticize VWoA for calling it "twist team axle", they want you to believe it is like the Jetta IV or the New Beetle (both have a well tuned rear suspension), but it is not like it.
autoboy1 says:
02:21 PM, 04/19/2011
@juan_mx
It's not a solid axle. It's a semi-independent twist beam rear axle. It's the same as is under the Cruze and, Volt. And who cares if you can't modify it. The car is an entry level commuter car for the average person. Go buy the GLI. It's not that much more than the SE model.
Read up on the twist beam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twist_beam
The Leaf has a twist beam too: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/03/2011-nissan-leaf-suspension-walkaround.html
blackdynamite0 says:
01:40 PM, 04/19/2011
Cruze and Corolla customers owners call the Jetta not stylish enough
BD