While earlier it was Maruti which used to launch variant upon variant, the influx of American and German car makers into the Indian territory has made it possible that each and every year, new variants of the existing car come in dubbed as that year’s particular model. In the US, they have this practice of bringing in cars which are actually an improvement or even a change from the previous year and term it as that model year’s variant. Audi were the first to ring in new car models this year and VW seems to be following its kid companies. Earlier on, they brought in the 2011 Volkswagen Passat and now it’s the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta in India, which would catch onto the buyers fancy. This car has been scheduled for an Indian launch by August 27th. Now the time has come to go in for a preview of this car and so here is the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta in India preview for you.
While many manufacturers would abstain themselves from going onto make any changes in the looks of their cars, VW have adopted a strange way of bringing in the family look to all their cars, atleast in India. It started with the VW Polo and then continued with the Vento, Passat and now the Jetta. While it may seem strange to some, this filtering of looks from lower to higher up in the order is the norm followed at VW. Now, with the launch of the 2011 Jetta, it would become more difficult to identify a Polo from a Vento to a Passat to a Jetta. The older Jetta has been relegated to oblivion with the onset of the new Jetta in the horizon. One wouldn’t connect with the newer Jetta as it has lost its identity in the name of the family face. The head lamps however are a tweaked unit from the Polo and Vento and look so sharper that if you run your hand over them, they might actually end up cutting your finger. Well, that was actually an exaggeration from our part. The ORVMs feature turn indicators in them and there is going to be a new set of alloys in the offing. Rubber on the alloys would however be of the low rolling resistance types just like the ones in the new Passat. Overall, the new Jetta would have a stance which would mirror the one in the Audi A4. The rear of the car completely mimics this and many would mistake an A4 for a Jetta now. On the tail pipe front, there is said to be twin ones in the offing with a black recess.
As for the interiors, they would be the same as the ones in the VW Vento IPL edition, albeit with better and more features. Whilst the 3 spoke steering wheel would be carried over from the Vento, it would feature the all necessary Bluetooth and audio controls. One another special feature which might make its way into the Jetta’s cabin is the voice activated phone dialing. It is said to be an intuitive thing and owners of the new Jetta would love this feature. That is if it makes its way out here. The car is also said to be fitted with the touchscreen audio system from the IPL edition of Vento and further on, dual zone climate control system is also to be offered. Reverse parking sensors would also be a part of the package, however no Passat like reversing video camera would be found. In the US, the new Jetta is said to have a mellowed down build quality, however, it remains to be seen if the Indian version carries forward the same trend or will it stand upto VW’s legendary build status. The new Jetta would be longer and a bit wider than its predecessor and this means class leading leg and head room. Just like in the Vento, the Jetta would also feature a handle that can be used to push the front seat and liberate more room for the rear seat passengers. Unfortunately perforated leather seats, like in the Passat, wouldn’t be given. Storage space wise, the new Jetta would be the one which would be having a massive glovebox and one which would be cooled and also many other small cubby holes. The boot size, which was already massive in the 2010 edition, would go one up in the 2011 version and is said to have a low loading lip. Moreover, the seats split 60:40, which would add up to the convenience factor.
Regarding the ride and handling qualities, the 2010 VW Jetta was no slob and the 2011 version is said to be an improvement over what was earlier good. The dampers are said to be on the stiffer side, much like the ones in the Laura. This is done so that VW achieve their mission of pulling in both the enthusiasts and rear seat loving customers. While the damper ratings may be a bit on the stiffer side, ride quality is still sublime and all cosseting. Also the handling receives a plus one due to the overall new found rigidity of the chassis and also the tighter steering wheel. The earlier Jetta was let down in the dynamics department by a slightly sloppy steering wheel however the newer one is said to be tighter around the corners. How good it actually is, remains to be seen, once the car is launched in India. NVH, like before, has been aptly taken care off and the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta in India would be a quiet vehicle from the inside, much to the delight of its prospective customers.
As far as the engine prospects go, there would be three likely choices. One would be the effervescent 2.0 liter TDI engine with which pumps in 140 Bhp of power and 320 Nm of torque with a 6 speed DSG box. The second one would be the 2.0 liter TSI producing 160 Bhp of power with the same DSG or a 6 speed manual. The third option is said to be an entry level 1.6 liter petrol engine, the same one from Vento but with a higher power output of 120 Bhp with the Vento’s transmission also carried over. In the US, both the 2.0 liter motors are said to have class leading fuel efficiency as also performance. Not only are they quicker off the block but also deliver in the critical for Indian conditions, fuel efficiency factor. Brakes are also said to be uprated than the ones in the current Jetta. The engines may or may not have start stop facilities with them however they would definitely bring in the brake regeneration technology to the 2011 Jetta. BlueMotion technologies may or may not make the cut however the better bet is that they would. As far as safety is concerned, the new Jetta would feature about 6 airbags, a collapsible steering column, blind spot warning indicator and also seat belts with pretensioners. The Jetta hasn’t undergone crash safety testings as of now, so its crash worthiness.
Now with the launch dates announced, its but just bidding time to wait for the final details of the car and its price. As regards the price, the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta price in India would be approximately Rs 50k more than that of the outgoing version. A proper review or test drive of the car would be done once the car is launched or if we get a car loaned from VW India much before the launch happens.
