Volkswagen has revealed its all-new 2011 Jetta and Jetta TDI. The virtually all new Jetta. Having grown 3.5″ in length, the 2011 Jetta more rear legroom, a more upscale premium interior along with visual changes to the exterior.
Four engines will be available in the States including a 2.0-liter turbodiesel direct injection (TDI) Clean Diesel featuring common rail injection with 236 lbs-ft. of torque. VW says the engine runs as quietly as a gasoline engine, but yields the power of a sports car achieving 0-60 mph in 8.7 seconds. Additional engines include the for the first time in years the gasoline 4-cylinder 2.0, and the venerable five-cylinder 2.5 R5. Also new for 2011, the 2.0 TSI turbo gas engine will be available.
All Jetta engines will be offered with a manual transmission as standard equipment. An automatic transmission will also be available with each engine version as an option. On the new 2.0-liter TDI and 2.0-liter TSI, Volkswagen will offer the 6-speed DSG – one of the most advanced and efficient automatic transmission systems in the world. In the U.S., S, SE, SEL and TDI versions of the Jetta will be available, as will a 2.0-liter GLI.
The all-new 2011 Jetta has been completely overhauled, inside and out. Its new wheelbase and exterior length are significantly bigger than its predecessor. At 182.7-inches long, 57.1 inches tall and 70.1 inches wide, it is more than 3.5 inches longer than its predecessors.
The new exterior design utilizes elements of the new grille and headlight design found on the 2010 Golf along with a new lower front fascia. New sheetmetal along the sides and rear flanks wraps around to all new tail lights as well. The look is more neutral if not bland in our opinion, making the Jetta less uniquely styled compared to models of the past. Whether this was a deliberate move on the part of Volkswagen or not is unknown. But we suggest that if you removed the VW emblems, most people would not know what kind of car it was. The look however is indeed clean and neat.
Inside, a key benefit of the extended wheelbase is that it resulted in a more comfortable layout of the five-seat rear seating area. Legroom is now a long 38.1 inches, a 2.6-inch gain from the previous model. Customers looking for a more personalized touch can for the first time have interior accents changed out at a Volkswagen dealer.
The new steering wheel designs impress both visually and to the touch. The right hand rests ergonomically on the gear shift grip. Further up on the center console are the newly designed and intuitive controls for climate, radio and radio-navigation systems. This console section is slightly inclined toward the driver for ideal alignment of the cockpit. Also in optimal view are the round instruments. The multifunction display (trip computer) is located between them.
The rear bench seatback is split 40/60 and folds, increasing the car’s versatility. The tailgate can also be opened from inside the car by a remote unlock switch. Up to six airbags (two front airbags, two side airbags in front, two window airbags/thorax airbags in the area of the front side windows) are also part of the equipment package.
