Both the Jetta and the Golf models are blessed with a surprising amount of
interior room for their size, including nearly an inch more front headroom than the
Toyota Camry. There is plenty of cargo space in the trunk of the Jetta and even more
in the Golf hatchback. The front doors open wide, making it easy to get in and out,
and the trunk lid on the Jetta lifts beyond vertical for loading groceries, baggage
and other cargo.
The sporty bucket seats feature a height adjustment, a nice touch for shorter
drivers.
The interior is all business. Everything seemed to be where it was supposed to be
without frills. The instruments were highly legible and the switches had a quality
feel. The rear window wiper, standard equipment on the Golf, is turned on by pushing
the right-hand stalk forward, then turned off by pushing it forward again. This is
fine, but pushing it forward also squirts the rear window, so turning the wiper off
becomes a race with the washer motor.
Attention to detail abounds. There are storage pockets in the front and rear doors
and at the sides of the front seats. These pockets, along with the center console, are
lined with rubber at the bottom to keep things from sliding and/or rattling while
underway.
We were surprised at the absence of a glovebox, but that feature will be added
later this year.
The $18,515 Jetta GLS we drove was equipped with power windows, dual power mirrors
with a defog feature and the optional all-weather package consisting of heated front
seats and a heated windshield washer nozzle.
We also drove a $16,285 Golf GL, equipped with the standard hand cranks, which
required quite a few turns to roll the windows up and down.
A well-designed central locking system comes standard on all Jettas and Golfs. The
central locking button on the dash locks and unlocks the doors, the trunk and the fuel
filler door.
When the doors are locked a small flashing red light next to the door lock tells
the driver--and would-be thieves--that the security system is activated. Turn the key
once and it unlocks the driver's door; quickly turn it again and it unlocks all the
doors. Hold the key in the unlock position and all windows and the sunroof open to
quickly ventilate the car on a hot day, a nice feature that works on either front
door. The process also works in reverse.
Other standard niceties include dual vanity mirrors, a folding rear seatback,
folding armrest, two cupholders up front and one for rear-seat passengers and heating ducts for rear passengers. A small set of tools in the trunk is useful for emergency roadside work. The radio has an anti-theft feature that renders the stereo inoperable if disconnected from the power source.
We drove a Golf GL and a Jetta GLS. The Jetta GLS sported metallic paint, heated
front seats and power windows and mirrors, but they were otherwise similarly equipped.
Each car was a willing companion, with crisp, responsive performance. They soaked up
potholes and bumps admirably, yet provided superb driver feedback and excellent
high-speed stability.
This great balance of handling, road feel and ride quality are the result of a
rigid body structure and a finely tuned suspension. The high-speed stability is partly
the result of Volkswagen's track-correcting rear suspension that minimizes unwanted rear-wheel steering effects.
Both our test cars were equipped with the standard 5-speed gearbox. We recommend it for its precision and smoothness. Those who prefer an automatic transmission will benefit from Volkwagen's 4-speed automatic that adjusts the shift patterns according to how the car is being driven. Still, the automatic will take some of the joy out of driving these cars.