Cars are defected

I have had my 2013 Jetta for 6 months and I have experienced more problems than ever... The air goes from hot to cold to hot... this past weekend with the icing on the cake... I went to turn my car off and the key would not turn.. the key was stuck in the ignition. Took car to the dealer and was told this is not our problem and advised to disconnect the battery to turn the engine off, not true. Car ran for over 6 hours until someone figured out there was a fuse to shut the engine off This car is [non-permissible content removed]!!!!

Platinum Gray Jetta SEL

Leasing my new Jetta was one of the best decision I've made when it comes to choosing a vehicle. I purchased a 2016 Toyota Corolla back in November of 2015. After a few months of being an owner I realized I made a huge mistake. ( CVT transmission was intrusive, quality was terrible ( many different rattles inside the cabin, sounded like a tin can when closing the doors. etc). The Jetta has the Corolla beat in every category (technology, performance, comfort and last but not least QUALITY! Needles to say, I am very happy with Volkswagen. I would highly recommend the Jetta to anyone who is looking to purchase or lease a new car.

Sweet Jetta

So much fun. So sporty. Looks like an Audi. Much more affordable. Fun to drive.

Still going strong!!

Do not get the Jetta sport if you just want basic transportation, if you like diving than GO GET THE JETTA SPORT, or at least take it for a test drive and you will be hooked, the 1.8 turbo is amazing, very fast off the line and cruises effortlessly on the highways, I'm getting a combined 30 mpg. This car will out run a Honda Accord sport!! And with more standard features. It really is a poor man's BMW.

I leased it based only on price, then fell in love

I leased this because it was the absolutely cheapest lease I could work out on any car that wasn't bottom-barrel. I never thought I'd buy or lease a VW. Amazing economy. Gets 500miles on a 12-gal fill-up. At 75mph avg, it gets 41mpg, at 55-65mph its 45mpg. Combined with 25/75 city/hwy is around 38 mpg. Acceleration is like a big rubber slingshot - amazing for a 1.4. Feels much faster than any other 4cyl and most 6cyl I've driven. Transmission is fantastic - manual downshift reminds me of my brother's BMW 135 - shift from 5th-4th gear at 70mph and all you notice is the tach jumps and the note changes, but no lurch or discernible transmission shift friction. Can take 25-mph curves at twice the speed with NO drama, as if its yawning and laughing at the guy that made the speed-sign. Sport mode actually makes a difference, but it is mostly unneeded unless you intentionally want to drive like a moron - or have fun up the interstate entrance ramp. Transmission disengages at stop-light to save gas but doesn't stop engine (smart). You can feel it gently and immediately re-engage the instant you let go of the brake causing no take-off delay. I added the Helix sub-woofer/amp (about $900 installed) and it has completely changed the character of the entertainment system. iPhone integration is fantastic, especially map integration. Speakerphone is so good that I hold hour-long conference calls in my car and nobody knows I'm in a car. The longer I have this car, the more I realize all the things it does correctly, and all the things the other guys, including Toyota and Honda haven't figured out yet. Cruise control, gas gauge, speedometer, odometer, and MPG calculations in the trip computer are actually accurate - especially not over-stating the MPG like just about every other trip computer I've used (and I've rented a LOT of cars). If the car does not have any major issues by the time my 3-yr lease is up, I may actually buy it out.

I can't believe this car is volkswagen base model

gas mileage is amazing I get average 27mpg on my 20 mile round trip commute everyday, long trips I get up to 35mpg, and If I drive easy I have gotten upwards to 45mpg! Coming from a previous Acura TL, G35, and G37 coupe owner this car handles the best out of all three of those, driving on the highway at 80mph feels th same as driving at 40mph, the only downside is that its lot slower , but if it had 300HP like those cars the Jetta would be the winner. Reason I went with the Jetta is because It was time for me to get a 4 door car that was fuel efficient and more long term. The ride is very smooth, its comfortable for long trips, and while this isn't a "fun" car I never got that anxiety I get when I drive corollas or Hondas where "I just want to get to where I'm going because I'm bored". The trunk is huge, the back seats are big enough to fit adults. My only gripe is that I got the base model S, this is basically a car, with air conditioning, and a steering wheel, no fancy tech, but Volkswagen offers Jettas with more tech. If you are looking for a 4 door car I recommend no further, out of all the cars in this price range the jetta has the most torque (184) and lots of HP (150), it handles the best, and it looks the best.

Love my Peppy VW Jetta

First off when went from a compact to this 4 dr sedan and even though that gave us tons more room, this car is very spacious, My hubby and son are over 6 ft so this works great for them whether they are passenger or driver,Nice feature is the seat rises up for shorter folks which is a plus. Extra large trunk lets us accomodate a months worth of groceries in the spacious trunk. The climate control works well. We just got back from driving 1800 miles in it and we just absolutely love this car. Great gas mileage we spent 125.00 on gas to go 1800 + miles, that is a nice plus along with great handling,acceleration,climate control,Sirius XM radio free for 3 months,and room to spare.Great value for the money spent.

VW never again!

Transmission is jerky (not CVT) which you won't know after/during your test drive because all you want it to accelerate, right? In slow traffic transmission makes kick down (with the appropriate "boo-m" sound). But I don't care about anything because I'm leasing it. After VW "fixed" recalls my gas mileage went down by 5-8 miles (from 42 mpg down to 33-35 mpg)... Thank you, VW! Comparing to previous versions and years, this 1.4 Turbo engine is too weak. Cars feels very heavy like 4,000 pounds and with no brakes. I think the best acceleration was on 2.5L 5 cyl. (non-turbo) models. Interior is cheap and feel like Chevy Avero (I've rented one before). Design has not changed since 2010. You can't differentiate your car from 2010-2015 unless you are following them and you're reading "TSI". Dealer is not helpful (I love Toyota and going back!!!). Part are not expensive but the service is! Oil changes are $80 and if you do it yourself, VW will void the warranty! If you are iPhone user you need to prepare to connect your phone every time you are in the car. When you connect the phone to the USB charge port, it will reset the connection: phone (music/maps/etc) goes to silent... you need to "find the phone"... it takes about 20-25 sec which is driving you crazy ONLY after 6-month. Bottom line is: At the end of the lease I am going to turn this car in and never get another VW.

Absolutely amazing car for $250/mo w/ no money dwn

The more I drive it, the more I like it. The overall design of all of its functions was very well thought out. It's not a sports car with a ton of boost, but be in the right gear and it's plenty quick, handles great, is comfy with plenty of storage, great electronics connectivity and controls with apple software support, and a very quiet interior 2x better than any car in it's price range. It's really like they're giving them away. I can't possibly imagine a better car for the price. I feel bad for the people paying all that extra money for the GLI as there's no way it's that much better than the sport and for many thousand dollars more, I highly doubt it even compares once a month when you have to make the payment. Maybe I'm just bias coming from a soul crushing ford focus, but I also have a racecar and this thing is a great time for a daily driver.

Good If You Don't Like Driving Much

First of all, Sport has nothing to do with it. "Sport" is an overstatement. If you performance and an engaging car to drive, get a GTI or GLI. I bought my 2016 Jetta Sport last January to replace my 2000 Audi A6 2.7t and boy do I regret it. The "Sport" model includes the same suspension setup featured in the GLI, fog lights, a lip spoiler and sport seats with more bolstering than your standard Jetta. All good things, but unfortunately the rest of the car doesn't match the persona that Volkswagen tried to get with the "Sport" trim. The 1.8t is a bit of a dog. Not much torque, average pickup and bad gearing. If you care, even in the slightest about performance the Jetta Sport is not the car for you. The five speed gearbox features nice, smooth, short throws. But that's about all it's got going for it. The clutch has an excessively long travel, the engagement is bad and it's feather light and feels like it's pushing away from you. It's also worth nothing that the reverse gear of this car does not have a syncro. What this means is that it sometimes won't engage into reverse properly and will grind occasionally when being put in reverse. This also means that the car can't be put into reverse while moving at all. Something that most cars nowadays have. Throttle application is uneven and not smooth and the turbo lag is annoying. The interior build quality is pretty sub-par, expect plenty of squeaks, rattles and badly pieced together trim. Everything is hard, hollow plastic and everything from the speakers to the headliner will rattle at some point. One of the few redeeming features this car has is that you can get up to 45 miles per gallon highway. That's pretty damn good.

Why buy an A3

First VW. Switched from owning Mazdas for many years. This car is beautiful with many compliments (red). Fast and fun to drive. Originally going for GTI after renting one, had to have one. But they seemed expensive for what you get and the seats were too tight. Stumbled upon the GLI...sold! My friend just bought an A3. Seems cheap and doesn't drive or handle as good as the GLI. He paid like 10k more!! I have more options. He has real leather versus vtex. Getting 38 on the highway (two road trips). Only complaint is the piano black trim everywhere. Scratches easy as does the instrument cluster glass.

A Dream Come True!

Purchasing the Jetta SEL has been like a dream come true! I've always wanted a fuel efficient car to drive as an alternative to my '15 RAM Ltd. From the minute I got inside I knew it was just the car for me! The driver's seat is very comfortable and roomy. The trunk is large and gives the car a bigger feel. The car has great acceleration to!

2016 VW Jetta

I recently just purchased my first VW Jetta with Patrick at Volkswagen on Orange Blossom Trail. He gave the up-most professional service and was friendly! Very accommodating in getting the perfect car. I am in love with it! The technology is great and it is SO smooth to drive. The mileage is awesome as well, 40 MPG, it only takes less than $25 to fill up. The perks you recieve as well are great, the customer service at this dealership really know how to help you out!

Surprised

We test drove a Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla and the Jetta. At the end, we really preferred the Jetta. The overall package of the SEL 1.8T fit what I wanted. The size was perfect, the MPG was great and the car even has some get up and go in sport mode. The Jetta's over all feel of fit/finish was great. The Jetta just felt more solid and well put together. Having owned the car now for a while I would still choose the Jetta over the competition. Test drive the Jetta in its SEL 1.8T form. I am averaging 34.1 MPG. Not one issue to report.

2016 GLI Sweet

I've had the GLI SE for over 2 weeks and I'm very impressed. I came across it accidentally in my car research, which is the best thing that happened to me. I was hunting for a mid-size sedan in the mid-$20's with some pep (non-existent) and they dealer said "try the GLI"....I was thinking not another Jetta, boring.

But this thing really is a great, comfortable sporty ride. A great roomy alternative to the GTI. I still can find and "expert" review that loves the GLI, probably because these geeks test drive Aston Martins and Lambos all day. I actually look for reasons to drive. I'd recommend if you're looking for a good family car under $30k with a huge trunk, adult leg room in the back (A4 has zero) and of course if you're looking for some torque and HP. Great sound system and throttle noise, albeit probably fake.

Great car!

Very smooth and zippy while maintaining excellent control with minimal interior noise.

Fun to drive and reasonably priced

First and foremost, this car is fun to drive. There are a few minor shortcuts on the interior (hard plastic interior), but I don't view that as much of a detractor. The entertainment features feel modern and can be amazing if you're using CarPlay. I've always been a fan of the control layout in a VW, and this one is no different. The touch screen UI present in the 2016 models is more responsive than I expected and works well with Apple CarPlay.

The biggest issues I've noticed is that the car is a little slow to accelerate under certain conditions and the built-in navigation system is pretty terrible (but again, amazing if you're using CarPlay — or, presumably, Android Auto). Every once in a while, I have trouble putting it into reverse (I need a light rev of the engine before it will engage), but I may just need some time to get use to it. Also note that you can't use CarPlay wirelessly: you need to plug your phone into the car's USB port (which is a touch more snug than I'd like). The wireless gap is less a VW problem and more an Apple problem; I understand the standard for wireless CarPlay was released only recently.

In general, I'm very happy with my purchase. I feel like I got a lot of car with the features I car about for a price that was actually pretty reasonable.

Love My Jetta!

I love my Jetta! I never cared much about a vehicle besides it's dependability to get me back and forth to work and my kids to school. This car is a great smooth ride. For being a compact car, it feels extremely roomy. Anyone that has ridden in the back seat has commented on how much room they have for their legs. The trunk is incredibly spacious. The only problem I have is that the ride is so smooth that I often don't watch my speed and that turbo is fast! Of course that is user error! I love the turbo engine for getting on the freeway. I also think that the sight lines are great in this car. Some of the other compact cars that I had driven had smaller windows and I felt somewhat claustrophobic. Extremely satisfied with this car!

Very impressed

Having only ever owned Honda Accords and Civics, I decided to take a chance on an attractively priced new 2016 Jetta Sport 1.8t automatic with Lighting Package. I really love driving this car. It's smooth and refined. The 1.8t has nice power delivery and the automatic transmission shifts quickly and smoothly. Style wise the Jetta is understated and more mature looking than other cars in it's class. There are a good amount of hard plastics used in the interior, however the fit and finish is superb, and the overall look is upscale and classy. Very Audi-esque. The interior also delivers where it counts with a very nice leather wrapped steering wheel, amazingly comfortable and good looking two toned leatherette seats, and a nice infotainment system. You can tell the engineers put a lot of thought into driver enjoyment. Little niceties include a fully adjustable arm rest, quality leather around the shifter, factory all weather floor mats, one touch window up/down switches, extremely comfortable front and rear seats, auto opening trunk, and xenon headlights that turn while steering. The car is also smoother, quieter, and noticeably quicker than my Civic. All this for less than $18,000! The only negatives worth mentioning are that the audio system needs a lot of tweaking just to sound decent, and the piano black trim on the interior scratches very easily. Again, great car for the $$.

Tornado sport

A great replacement for a Saab. We drove them for over 25 years. Sport w/ headlight steering package, 1.8 liter turbo has a lot of low-end torque. We just finished a 800 mile trip- w/ac on and averaged 36 mpg! I'm 6'2"and my 5'10" daughter can sit behind me. We absolutely love this car.

Excellent

Bought this new as my 1st car. I use it to commute. This car is absolutely wonderful. The turbo engine is so lively and wants to move. The car is comfortable and smooth. The fact that it gets me 41mpg on the highway and is SO fun is a HUGE.

I'm 6"5' and don't even put my chair all the way back. I'm definitely going to remain Volkswagen loyal.

Updating on this review: 10,000 miles later and I still love it. The car is very fun and very smooth for a commute. Nothing is too harsh on the road. The only negatives I could find about it is that the speakers sometimes have an odd vibration and the car sometimes lacks lumbar support on longer drives but if you adjust your seat properly you can be very comfortable.

Fun, fast, efficient & reliable!

I have always been a VW fan and when it was time for a new car I knew I would be looking at a Jetta or Golf. The Jetta is an amazing value especially compared to Japanese rivals. The handling is great; I feel totally secure, tons of cargo space and good storage, super efficient engine that's fast and it has a great base stereo that's easy to use.

The only con for me is, on the S trim, there is no lumbar support for the front seats. I think this should be standard. I definitely notice this on longer trips and all of my older VW's had this standard.

I've been getting awesome fuel economy too. I took a trip to Minnesota and I averaged 44mpg on 87 octane!

Definitely check out the Jetta; what you get for your money, you'll be very pleased.

Update:
The car now has approx. 20,000 miles on it and it's been a dream. Reliability has been perfect and it's been great for road trips. Only gripe is the tires that come with the car aren't very good; snow performance is terrible. Invest in some good all-season or snow tires.

Fantastic Car

I echo everyone else's review of this car. It is a tremendous value and you'd be hard pressed to find any other car in this class that can offer you the drive, tech, looks and sheer German performance. I came from an Audi A4 and was about to lease another but then I test drove the Jetta 1.8T Sport. It was fantastic. It is fully loaded with tech (including Android Auto) and the dual-tone leatherette seats, 17" wheels, push button start, navigation, Bluetooth, a backup camera, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, piano-black trim, a rear spoiler, fog lights and the bi-xenon headlight push it over the edge. And all for $23K. Not to mention the speed-proportional power steering. Go test drive one. You won't be disappointed.

Bang for your Buck

If you judge a car for what it is designed for, the Jetta is tough to beat. I got the 1.4 SE with a manual. Acceleration is more than adequate if not peppy. Handling is the same. It is quiet on the inside. I drove this back to back with a 2015 Camry SE thinking the Camry would be better, but actually liked the Jetta better. The Jetta had less road noise, smoother engine, and better ride. I also drove this with other competitors and still found this a cut above. This is not a sports car, but sportier than most in its category and is engaging to drive. The new infotainment for 2016 is great. I would bet that Apple Play/Android auto will be on most cars soon. The sound system is better than I anticipated. The only real cost cutting I see is the interior door panels. People talk about the dash, but to me that is a non issue since I never come in contact with it. In the end this is still basically an economy car. Gas Mileage is spot on with the sticker, maybe a little better on the highway. Back seat room is good. Trunk room is generous, but the trunk opening could be a little larger. So far no regrets. VW's can be had for significant discounts to sticker with diesel scandal going on. You can probably get at least $3k knocked off pretty easily. I also have kids who will be driving in the next few years. It will make a great car to learn in. It is a good size and easy to get used to.

Great car!

love the VW Jetta. I keep looking at other cars thinking maybe I'll find something that I like more, but it still hasn't happened. Jetta has a nice interior, great ride, great engine, the only thing I dislike is the DSG transmission in some of the models, when it's cold out it can become very "stiff" and jerky feeling until it warms up. I hope with newer models they stop giving plastic dash boards and make the interior more quiet.

Great car! Fun to drive!

I highly recommend leasing or buying. Great acceleration and handling. Only cons are basic climate control (no temp control or automatic settings) and unable to lock doors manually. Otherwise a great car.

New VW has a 3 hour lifespan

I leased a new VW Jetta at the Santan VW in Phoenix AZ, in April this year. It was a brand new 2.0T SEL and I was very excited for my first ever new car that my parents had got for me as I graduated high school. The nightmares were just an hour away. As we drove back to Tucson, first the engine light went on about 70 miles into our return. It was about 9 pm but the dealership sales person who had sold me the car answered right away and told me that perhaps there was nothing wrong and I should not worry about it. Then the electronic malfunction light went on and about 2 miles from home the car started to shake and shudder like one of the cylinders was missing or misfiring. By this time it was 10pm and no one to turn to for what to do. After a sleepless night, I was able to speak with the dealership in Phoenix the next day and they told me to have the care transported to the nearest dealer in Tucson. Imagine the sight of my first brand new car being lifted on to a flat bed to be taken to the dealership 16 hours after I had gotten it. After a few hours of baited breath I was told that the fuel injectors in two cylinders were blocked and would have to be replaced. I was quite upset to hear this and after multiple back and forth phone calls with the dealer who would not initially believe this, my father was able to speak with someone senior at the dealership. They kept saying that the problem was easy to fix and it was only a minor issue but eventually gave in and said they would exchange the car for a new one. I had to accept whatever they had available in the same trim and I did. Every time I get into this car, I wonder what is going to go wrong next. You all can take away whatever you think from this experience, but certainly not what one would expect from a brand new car, no matter what make or model!

Tank Like

The Jetta feels like it weighs two tons - when cornering and braking. It feels pretty light when accelerating, which is fairly smooth and pleasant sounding - because of the turbo I presume. I love small turbo charged engines. The accelerator is somewhat sticky, you don't know how hard to press to get it rolling. Same with the brakes. I bought the car for the engine and the great price, and the 6 speed trans. The engine is the car's greatest asset, a very important feature obviously. The transmission is mostly smooth, but there have been a few clunking shifts which made my heart beat extra. I have owned it 6 months. If it is a reliable car for the next several years, then I won't complain, but if there is more than one problem, I will be very disappointed in my purchase. I already received a notice that VW wants to reprogram the exhaust before my first smog check. Other notes: the door is heavy. The rear visibility is bad. A rear view camera would be a big help. Most models have them, mine does not. It is smooth on highways, but corners so poorly. I wouldn't rate it highly for city driving because the cornering is so lumbering. I haven't checked the gas mileage. It better rate as high as they say, which is very high. The trunk is great. The air conditioning does not feel very cold. The seats are adequate.

Test drove fro my wife coming out of a sentra

A car is a very personal thing. one man's great car is another's lousy car. I always test dive cars for my wife ,when I drove the 1.8 Jetta sport,I was very comfortable in the front seats.
I was extremely impressed with the 1.8 liter turbo engine. Very responsive and quiet. suspension was just right for me. I thought this car was supposed to be a compact, but I had and Audi A4 , and this Jetta had way more room in back seat ,and trunk is huge. My golf clubs fit in the trunk completely horizontal
which is unheard of in a compact car. Any way my wife says it is by far the nicest car she's ever had compared to NIssan altima sentra maxima,acura
infiniti. the only thing lacking was front and rear sensors. she's had about 8000 trouble free miles.
I was so impressed I switched out my Audi A4 for the Jetta Gli Sel. For about $12,000. less I felt I was getting a better car. The Gli s identical to the Jetta sport
with the following : Gli has 2.0liter turbo (no big difference in mho.but it came with front and rear sensors,and cross traffic alert and blind spot spot monitoring which was important for me to have. It also has a sunroof (which I never use) If I could have gotten the Jetta sport with those safety features,I
would have done it in heart beat.Bottom line we are both extremely happy with the cars to date,and I advise prospective buyers to test drive them.

2016 Jetta TSI Impressive!!!

My last three cars have been Jetta's . A 2006, 2011, and now a new 2016 TSI w/ Technology 1.4 Turbo. The Jetta's have been the best car's I have ever owned and other than regular maintenance, the most reliable. All have been very economical on gas, and the 2016 has been averaging a little over 39 miles per gallon. Unbelievable power for a 1.4 Turbo. Car is smooth and handles well. I truly believe the Jetta is the best quality car on the market in its class. I would definitely buy this car again. Stickered for over $19K, purchased no trade for $18.2 with tax and title out the door. Can't touch this quality of a car for under $25K.

Bought two 2016 Jetta S models

Jetta is sexy, modern, efficient, practical and a wonderful all around car compared to others in this segment. I got one auto for my wife and a manual for myself. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful economic car that's super fun to drive.

Excellent car: minor nits but overall suprised

Absolutely excellent car. Purchased the 1.8T Sport with LED headlight package for $17900. An absolutely excellent deal as it looks like a much more expensive car than it actually is and goes for about the same price as a Corolla. It comes loaded with a lot of bells and whistles. Off the lot it comes with an impressive SAT/NAV/Bluetooth Infotainment system that works in all of North America, not just the lower 48. It also came with push button start and heated imitation leather seats that are quite comfortable and look great. It is quite zippy and accelerates quickly and comfortably, perfect for negotiating stop and go city traffic. The "sport tuned" exhaust is great as it gives you a little bit of throatiness when the gas is punched down but is otherwise incredibly quiet. When idle the car sounds like it's off. I think it is a PZEV but it is not marketed as such. I would struggle to call this a "compact" as it actually fits four adults quite well- in another market it would likely be called a mid size. For long highway drives it's perfect as the seats and climate controls keep the cabin comfy. It also gets just under 40mpg highway (I average around 39.2)- on regular gas. My only nits are- while very comfortable, the imitation leather seats do not breath well. Wet bathing suit? Sweaty? You're going to have a hard time... This car is also very, very low to the ground. Not great if you are older or need to go on dirt roads. Finally- while not really a negative- the Infotainment Computer can be very complicated at first and extremely dangerous to fiddle with while driving. I recommend spending about an hour or so in your driveway to fiddle with it first to get used to it before driving. This car is definitely meant for a professional millennial. Someone who wants something sporty, yet responsible. I have had it for 4 months and am incredibly pleased so far.

Volkswagen selling defect cars and refuse to fix

Volkswagen rips off consumers, they refuse fixing new cars in worranty and refuse replacement. Car has been in service 4 times and no one did anything to fix it , they only claim they fix it, in the other hand warranty refuse to cover anything even if the car it's still in warranty only 6 months old 10k mil. Stay away , Volkswagen it's a rip off and they also discriminate woman, everyone should know about this before buying a car from them.

Delighted with 2016 VW Jetta

We kept passing down our 2004 Volvo S60 from oldest son to youngest son to dad...to died. Hmmm - children in college - limited budget - shopping for a new car. Could not have been more surprised and pleased with the little Jetta. Thanks to the financial straits VW finds themselves in - great great deal. Checked out the safety - that was good - test drive was good and I am now in the car for a month and a half -- not very long but enough for some first impressions that I hope may help someone else. Sorry - can't start a new paragraph so I think this ends up as one long paragraph. First of all - my issues: don't understand why VW does not hike the price of the car $300 bucks and put key fob door unlock. The car has pushbutton start, but I have to remove the key to unlock the door, then put it back in my pocket. I know its a niggly thing but. More performance oriented observation - be prepared -- in the midrange in middle gears - there is a little big of turbo lag. I have a pair of SAAB 9-3's and a Ford Edge Eco boost so I think I understand turbos - I'm just not used to lag - been many many many years since I have been aware of lag. OK having said that just be prepared for it so your revs are in the right place or you are either in sport mode or manual mode and then you can manage it. Every day driving, or even Freeway merges you won't notice, and a heavy foot and kickdown will spool the turbo up fast and make up for the lag. The Sport version moves you up to leatherette from cloth - I had this in one of my Audi's one time and I actually like the leatherette - does not absorb perspiration like the leather does. My interior is black and the seats are off white with black trim - it's a little austere. OK regarding fit and finish. This is a cheap car, but despite what the reviewers keep saying, it doesn't really look and feel it. I am happy with the trim out and quite honestly, the more mature I get, the more I really appreciate what a car is -- what I can afford is a lot different than what I want to spend now a days so I'm happy to look at my well finished interior and thing about the money I did not spend on zerbrano wood trim et al. I have never sprung for nav systems in a car so I was presently surprised to find nav, and other gizmos standard in a cheap car. Gadget gurus may not be impressed, but I repeat this is a cheap car. So it's comfortable on the road in both city and highway - even though its roughly the same size as my SAABs, it feels a little tighter - could be the prevalance of black in the interior I don't know. The back seat has a lot of room and the trunk is certainly more than roomy. As you would expect one or both seats flip down - there is also a ski boot. Thus far I am averaging a very nifty 31 combined so this car really sips gas. While I really enjoy cars, I do look at the other part of the equation as well - watched the videos of the safety tests - that was good. Also Consumer Reports said the headlights stink so get the lighting option. I did and the headlights are really good. They are HID so I always think about what the replacement cost will be once they are out of warranty...but they are really good. One note about the lights in the low end and in the sport version (did I mention that this car was cheap?) the headlights are manual - so you have to turn them off. That would be a handy dandy dealer option that VW could extend to its dealers - a plug in switch that automates that - kind of like Porsche used to do with its Boxter and Caymans back in the day - all the cars had computers, but the option required the dealers to plug in a couple of relays and voila fully functioning computer. Oh and the customer had to part with some additional hard earned dollars. Anyway - summing up - I am very pleased with this car - like the color - bright red - cabin is a little dark and windshield is a little close - I am used to more expansive. However I am no longer paying luxury car insurance rates, or property tax rates. The car has good acceleration, handling and brakes - great fuel economy so its a good little car -- then add in the GREAT deal I got. I think this one is going to be a winner!

POOR RELIABILITY

I can admit that I've made big mistake with this car. Jetta 2016 has problems with Automatic transmission which is performing poorly in traffic (feels like it skips 2-nd gear). It's like you don't need all these 6 speeds in the city! The actual horsepower is 120 Hp. After first oil change its gas mileage dropped by 5-7 mpg (I'm using the same gas station and same route to work). I am assuming that a car comes with different oil type from the factory, with different viscosity: sort of your oil-starter. I've addressed all these issues to the Kings VW in Rockville MD and the service manager told me that "this is normal... we'll get you a new car at the end of your lease". I used to think that reviews with "car spent X days in the shop" or "dealer told me to contact VW" are written by people with no life. I am very busy with mine. Leasing VW was big mistake. I had 2 (two) Toyota (Camry and Prius) and crossed the US a couple of times but no dealer told me to "go and call...". I think all positive reviews here are from VW to keep the brand up which is dead already because of their cheating with many things (this time they just got caught). And handling is not that great.

Jetta 1.4T TSI

I upgraded from a parent-lent Ford Taurus to a Jetta, my first car purchase. I absolutely love it compared to my old clunker. The ride is so smooth, the engine loves to purr, the acceleration is excellent... There's so many good things to say. I use the Jetta to commute and it handles confidently on the highway for its compact size. It doesn't get blown around by wind and it keeps its smooth composure.

The combination of fun and fuel economy (I average 43 on the highway) this car delivers is basically a steal. There's nothing like German quality!

Great Bang for your buck!

The 2016 Jetta S model is my first new car purchase in a long time. But after owning this car for a week, and putting some miles on it, I wish I'd purchased much sooner. I opted for a "base" model with a 5-speed stick. Thought I might miss out on some common features that most cars have these days... NOT SO!! The Jetta comes with an impressive list of standard features that make it feel like a more expensive car. Good sound system with plenty of power, power windows, cruise control, trip computer, Bluetooth link to my phone and voice command dialing. And the steering wheel controls put most functions at my fingertips. A very spacious trunk with spit fold down rear seats for even more cargo room. And the 1.4 liter turbo gas engine is a jewel of a powerplant. Smooth and quick revving make for a fun driving experience, and 40 mpg on the hwy is hard to beat these days in a non-hybrid vehicle. I took advantage of the VW lease program. Minimal down payment, and $99 a month for two years. But I gotta say.. I'm enjoying this car so much that two years from now I will probably buy the car. I've never been a "VW" guy, but this new 2016 Jetta S model is a lot of fun, efficient, car for the money.

Yes..Another VW

I purchased a 2016 Jetta Sport 1.8T with Hid lights for under 20k...Wow..and this is a great car. I had a 2014 Passat 1.8T SE another great car. I discovered during the ownership of the Passat that there is a discernable performance and a measurable mileage increase if you use 91octane or above. So do it.. The 1.8T likes it you will too. The Sport model also has the Sport suspension of the GLI with about a 1-1/2inch lower ride height that provides this model with a added responsiveness and control without having to move-up to a GLI or GTI..consider it a GLI-lite. The interior has Sport seats like the GLI but trimmed like a CC with a tu-toned theme.., nice. This model has also has Navigation standard and the new entertainment interface is excellent. Truly a upgrade..not available on the 2015 models. Overall I already notice an almost 3mpg increase in everyday use. The owner loyalty and large cash incentives were the deciding factors the made me consider another VW. The Passat had zero Problems. I did my comparison shopping and after driving Civic, Corolla, Forte, Elantra, Golf, Jetta, and Mazda 3 the best drivers are the 3,Golf and Jetta. For the price and content the Jetta shines. I did seriously consider the 3 but the closest model a 3s was over 4k more. The 3i 2.0 model compares well with the 1.4T and the 1.8T with the 2.5 3s. Shop with diligence and you will be surprised with the VW overall goodness.. The current available incentives only make it better.

Liked it so much we bought two

This is a great car for the money, especially with the large discounts off MSRP (about five grand) that can be negotiated currently. Within a two week span, my college graduate bought an S model, and I bought the SEL for myself. We both like the car for it's roominess, attractive and uncluttered cabin, technology (especially Apple CarPlay), great turbo engines, and gas mileage. We looked at a number of other cars in the same class; the Jetta was a quick choice because it feels much more "mature" than the others, and actually has a rear seat that grown-ups can sit in. The expert review makes a big deal about the cheap interior materials, but how often to you touch/feel the dash or door panels, and if you do, does it really matter if they are squishy or not? The leatherette seats are very comfortable, at a price point below the competitors' leather trims. The only real complaint I have so far is the suspension which seems quite stiff going over speed bumps and rough pavement, and a little more interior noise than I am used to.

The Jetta cabin is a great place to spend my commute and a lot of fun to drive, regardless of what the experts say about the interior materials and handling. I don't plan on taking it to the racetrack anytime soon, and I'll leave the twisty back-country romps to the professional car testers. Regardless how you may feel about VW, this is still a well-engineered German car - at roughly half the price of a BMW 3 series or Audi A4. I'm still a big VW fan, scandal or not. Long live Fahrvergnugen!