Volkswagen Jetta | Peaceful is the road

Canada's best-selling German sedan is an austere car that has long harbored an inferiority complex compared to the Golf, from which it derives quite closely. After more than 40 years of career, the Jetta still has no idea of ​​pleasing more than for its price.

We might as well clarify right away that this Jetta was not born from the last rain. This is still the seventh generation (appeared in 2019), to which Volkswagen makes certain fixes to give it a “facelift”. In other words, this Jetta does not veer into unbridled modernity. Following a principle dear to German manufacturers, aesthetic modifications are relatively limited so as not to accelerate obsolescence and therefore the loss of resale value of the previous version.

The front face, equipped with a very horizontal grille, is slightly sloping. This whole structure aims to give movement to a sedan which is intended for drivers whose rebellious spirit should probably not be the main character trait.

Certainly conventional, the Jetta does not lack pace, even less seriousness.

The dimensions do not change. No more than the interior and utility volumes which remain among the largest in the category. Classic in design, it presents a slightly different dosage of already known ingredients. The arrangements are not very innovative. It would take more to stand out from the crowd than shiny plastics and a new dashboard. More cheerfulness perhaps?

That said, this readjustment, carried out at lower cost, will undoubtedly revive the attention paid to this model in the eyes of consumers who do not want to spend too much. The exterior styling has not aged too much and the interior remains very well made, with quality materials. Unfortunately, ergonomics still gives way to “modernism”. The adoption of a screen that is still as simple as ever has already made it possible to remove switches from the dashboard. This time, it is the taps of the air conditioning and heating system which are replaced by an electroluminescent panel on which our fingers skate.

As it should be, the list of electronic aids is endless. Traffic jam driving assistant, blind spot obstacle detection, automatic emergency braking, multiple internet services. Not to mention the little treats sought by consumers (heated seats, mirrors and steering wheel).

Lack of enthusiasm

The Jetta, built on Volkswagen's proven platform, draws from the brand's immense reservoir of components for its engine and transmission. On this subject, the 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine offers enough horsepower to keep the Jetta lively, although it lacks a little juice at low revs.

For the rest, the lover of reasonable, roomy, generous and rather well-equipped cars will find what they are looking for. Not exciting – the driving sensations are desperately neutral – but convincing.

Practically as large as a higher category model, this Volkswagen does not impose any real drawbacks on the driver in terms of behavior and handling. It drives with ease, particularly in urban traffic, where its very reasonable turning circle makes maneuvering easier.

To put it in difficulty on the road, you really have to shake it up, which, on board such a model, is of rather limited interest. The quality of its suspension in terms of comfort appears a step above other models that compete with it. Driving and engine noises are very well filtered, and you can barely hear a few aerodynamic whistles.

However, we must recognize great merit in this car; it breaks with the eternal discourse of “upgrading” – translate: always more chic, always more expensive – that most automobile brands assert. With the Jetta, Volkswagen presents a model with a popular vocation, a word that has deserted the vocabulary of manufacturers for some time now. Offered at a fairly reasonable price, especially if we consider its roominess, its good manners on the road and its standard equipment, this not too expensive compact is necessarily welcome.