Gen V Jetta

For 8 months I've been waiting for any decent photos, but either VW had the soon to be released 2005 Jetta (Generation V) under excellent wraps or the spy photographers were really bad at their job on this one. The technical specs looked good on paper, but I was curious what the damn thing would look like. Safe to say VW ditched the slab-sided, not a curve on it anywhere styling of the Gen IV Jetta and decided to add a few curves to the car.

Not that anything was wrong with Gen IV's function-over-form styling, but it always reminded me of the straight forward functionality of a German frigate. Ever since I test drove a Jetta in '97 or '98 (nice green Gen III model) I've kept my eyes on these little buggers. The 5 speed stick was smooth and slick, the interior lived up to the praise of VW/Audi being the acknowledged industry leaders of interior design and execution, the retrotech, underpowered 115 hp base engine was lively and rev-happy, if a tad obnoxious, and it handled curves very nicely. The Gen IV kept all the good stuff (and sadly the retrotech 115 hp base engine as well. Come on VW, give us DUAL overhead cams at least so base buyers would get 130-140 hp!) but had a few quality control problems at first (whoops all those windows falling INTO the door was a big fiasco), and I hated the tightness of the rear seats (anyone over 5'7" would up front would kill my knees in the rear). Luckily most of my friends that own the current Jetta are short so I get some knee room. Regardless the Jetta is important for the U.S. market as it is VW's biggest seller here.

From the sound of things VW read my mind and fixed all my complaints. Gen V has a wheelbase about an inch longer giving more rear legroom. The new base engine is a 2.5 liter 5-cylinder (did someone hire a Volvo engineer?) rated at 150 horsepower, a slick 6-speed manual tranny, standard 4-wheel antilock disc brakes (DON'T try to modulate the brakes yourself in a panice stop or else the ABS never kicks in! Amazing how many people still don't realize that after 20 years.), and some kind of electronic stablity control, and the typical world class interior. Saftey features also include side airbags and something new called side thorax airbags. (Are foam cocoons from Demolition Man going to appear soon!) Optional engines include VW's fabulous diesel (uber-mileage), and potentially a 200 hp turbocharged 4 cylinder lifted from the soon to be released Golf GTI.

VW needs the U.S. Jetta (Bora in Europe) to be a big hit as the already been out for a year new Golf isn't selling too well in Europe. Jetta and Golf share around 80% of the same platform and economies of scale are everything in the automotive world now. Saying that I have no idea why the hell the U.S. has had to make do with the old Golf for the past year and will soldier on with the old Golf for another year. To increase economies of scale the new VW Passat will be based on a stretched Jetta platfrom as Passat moves away from sharing the Audi A4/Skoda Octiva platform. (humm..good for Jetta platform, but less production of mid-sized sedan platform. I don't understand that either.)

All VW small sedans (Jetta/Bora) are manufactured in Puebla, Mexico and that factory just come online after a 4 week retooling. Fourteen times more laser welds with Gen V than with Gen IV Jetta ensuring tight tolerances.

I'm not certain about the taillight treatment. Looks like it was stolen from a Toyota Corolla. Next vehicle purchase is planned for 2006 and it ought to be a good year. New VW Jetta, an excellent Mazda 3 sportwagon, redesigned Honda Civic, Neon replacment sportwagon from DiamlerChrysler, and a surprisingly well praised Chevy Cobalt (actually influenced by the current Jetta as GM disected one to figure out what made it tick). The small sedan/sportwagon market is full of serious contenders. Looks like I'll have lots of good test drives in two summers.