Steve White SC Blog

2010 Audi A3 TDI

Karmeka Danner — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:23:01 +0000

While the US market may not be the largest consumer of diesels by a long shot, Volkswagen (and to a lesser extent BMW) have taken notable steps to changing that. VW’s TDI-equipped Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, and Golf have sold briskly by offering a winning combination of fuel economy and price. Taking the idea of a diesel upmarket was a bit of a gamble, but if the A3 TDI is any indication, it has paid off.

Thankfully, the TDI appears nearly identical to the standard-issue A3. The S-line exterior package, the LED “eyebrows,” and seventeen-inch wheels are the same items found on the A3 2.0T. We are glad that Audi resisted the urge to fit gaudy pieces of trim in an effort to achieve “better aerodynamic efficiency” or identify as a “green” car. The A3 looks good as is.

The cabin follows a similar theme, with the TDI being indistinguishable from a 2.0T. It really was classic Audi, with lots of high-quality pieces, all of which were black or aluminum. A nice place to spend time, sure, but it didn’t do anything to add to the personality of the car. We did appreciate the steering wheel paddles, which were made of high-quality metal and offered a nice clicking sound when operated. Likewise, Audi’s MMI system continues to be the leader when it comes to automotive infotainment, despite the recent strides of BMW’s iDrive system and up-and-comers like Ford’s MyFord Touch. We only wish it was laid out better, with many of the buttons being too small, and the knob that handles most of the work being just out of the comfortable reach of the driver. That being said, there aren’t many $37,000 cars that share parts, especially something as important as a nav system, with $300,000 Lamborghinis.

We relished the torquiness of the 2.0-liter TDI, with its 236 pound-feet of torque on tap for passing maneuvers. Strangely, this motor suffered from turbo lag, something we didn’t experience in its VW cousins. It takes a bit to get used to, with a lighter foot offering better initial acceleration than a mashing of the throttle. The turbo lag situation was exacerbated by the S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox, which was great when underway, offering quick upshifts and precise downshifts. From a stand still, though, it was annoyingly dimwitted. The gearbox waited too long before shifting from first to second, and was hesitant to transmit power in the first place. Audi was the pioneer of dual-clutch transmissions, which makes an issue like this frustrating. We would happily order a manual in our personal A3 TDI, except that Audi doesn’t offer one. We understand the DCTs are more fuel-efficient, but if a six-speed stick is offered on Jetta TDIs and Golf TDIs, why not the A3 TDI?

We were also befuddled by the lack of a Quattro all-wheel drive option. A diesel-powered, all-wheel-drive, five-door hatchback; are we the only ones who are excited by this prospect? After all, Quattro is available on the gasoline-powered models. Unfortunately, TDI drivers will need to make do with front-wheel drive only, which might hurt the A3’s appeal in the Snow Belt.

Being an Audi, the A3 is nose heavy, with understeer cropping up quickly and without much provocation. The overall ride, however, is balanced and comfortable with vertical motions well controlled. A bit more roll stiffness would have been appreciated, as the car leaned too much during hard cornering. The steering is on the light side, but communicates well enough to the driver. Overall, the A3 isn’t about the driving experience, although this is hardly a bad thing. The suspension is more comfortable than dynamic, which allows you to eat away the miles.

That cushy suspension, when combined with a motor that is this efficient is a great setup. We filled it up on a Friday, put about 250 hard miles on it over the weekend, and still had five-eighths of a tank of gas. Is a Prius more efficient? Yes, but the A3 is more comfortable, more luxurious, and much better looking by a huge margin. There are few vehicles on the market that meld green and luxury so well.

The A3 was a good companion during our time with it, but we couldn’t help but feel that there was more Audi could do. All-wheel drive, a manual transmission, and maybe even the 3.0-liter TDI from the Q7 and Touareg would do a lot to make the A3 more involving. Adding to Audi’s TDI offerings would be nice as well. An A4 TDI with Quattro and a 3.0-liter diesel V-6 would make a pretty compelling competitor to BMW’s 335d. Overall, our biggest issue with Audi’s diesel offerings is that there aren’t enough.

2010 Audi A3 TDI
Engine: Turbodiesel inline-4, 2.0 liters, 16v
Output: 140 hp/236 lb-ft
Weight: 3313 lbs
Fuel Economy, City/Hwy: 30/42 mpg
Base Price: $29,950
As Tested: $37,425
On Sale: Now

Source: Winding Road

Enjoy The A8 Experience

Karmeka Danner — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:11:22 +0000

Spy Shots: Tiguan-based Audi Q3 peeped through a window

Karmeka Danner — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:45:06 +0000

Our Peeping Tom spy photographers normally catch prototypes while they’re out and about on the street, but sometimes they catch a peek inside automakers’ development studios from the street, snagging shots of test mules before their tires even touch the ground. This is one such case, and though these photos aren’t clear as day, it’s no secret that Audi’s new Q3 crossover, based on the Volkswagen Tiguan, is what’s being prepped behind closed doors (but not behind closed blinds).

We’ve known that Audi would be creating a CUV smaller than the Q5 for quite some time now, and while the baby soft-roader relies heavily on Tiguan underpinnings, we’re sure that the quad-rung crossover will be much more shapely. Here, we see the sloping roofline and more rakish hatch, giving the Q3 a sportier stance than its VW-badged kin. Set to compete head-on with the BMW X1, the Q3 should make its debut sometime in 2011 with the first production models hitting dealers later that year

Source: CarPix

Inside Volkswagen’s Silicon Valley Gadget Lab

Karmeka Danner — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:42:57 +0000

Volkswagen never wants you to forget that its cars are engineered in Germany–hey, its current slogan is “Das Auto.” But cool Web tools, innovative gizmos, and digital entertainment aren’t exactly synonymous with German engineering. It’s Silicon Valley that’s the world’s headquarters for that stuff. And so it’s not that startling that much of VW’s work on new and future electronics, gadgetry, and interfaces happens at its Electronics Research Laboratory in Palo Alto, California, in close proximity to electronics engineering talent the company might want to hire and tech companies it might want to work with. The ERL is also a quick drive away from Stanford University’s Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Lab, where VW collaborates with university students and researchers on new technologies. (I wrote about VAIL’s self-driving Passat a few months ago.)

As part of VW’s press event for the 2011 Jetta, I took a tour of the ERL last week. Herewith, some photographic highlights.

Here’s a test version of a GPS navigation system with a killer feature: It’s really an automotive version of Google Maps, designed in collaboration with the ERL’s Silicon Valley neighbor Google. The system can get Internet access on the go by tethering wirelessly to a 3G phone. It’s available in some Audi models in Europe already, and should show up in the US eventually.

This driving simulator looks a lot like an arcade racing game with a particularly impressive display. VW staffers–including an in-house psychologist–use it to study how real people react to various automotive features and driving scenarios.

The company also studies the behavior of motorists in the real world., to learn about issues such as distracted driving Here’s a VW employee whose face is outfitted with electrodes that record data about reactions on the road. (Um, it looks like he may be using an electric razor behind the wheel…)

What if your dashboard was kind of like a giant iPhone? VW is experimenting with a touch-sensitive user interface that covers the entire dash and can change on the fly to match your current needs. (I took the photos below seconds apart; I suspect that the BP reference in the second view has been there for a while…). The dash has textured spots so you can reach for features and find them with your fingers without looking; this prototype uses rear projection, but if the idea ever makes it into a production car, it might another technology such as LCD or OLED.

No doubt about it: This was the weirdest demo we saw. It’s a robot who pops out of your dashboard and reacts to your use of the car. If you drive in an unsafe fashion, the bot may try to set you straight by looking alarmed. Very EPCOT Centerish…

Here’s a solar-powered car designed in collaboration with Stanford students. Those are solar panels plastered all over the body of the car, which recently placed fourth in a solar-car race.

Most of the stuff we saw isn’t available in cars you can buy today–at least in the US. But Volkswagen has a site called VWLabs.com that offers services to current owners. Here’s a tool that lets you plan driving trips in your browser, then sync the instructions onto your car’s navigation system via an SD card. (At some point, you’ll be able to perform the job wirelessly.)

Here’s the (optional) touchscreen system for the 2011 Jetta, which is due to reach showrooms in October. It melds navigation, radio, digital music, phone connectivity, and other features into an interface which worked pretty well when I tried it. (It certainly made the GPS in my 2004 Mazda 3 look like the antique that it is.) The car also has iPod/iPhone integration–there’s a dock connector in the glove compartment–but my favorite feature is the built-in SD slot, just to the left of the screen. Load up a cheap SD card with songs or podcasts, pop it into the slot, press the MEDIA button, and the system acts like an MP3 player with a humongous screen.

Historically, the automotive industry has moved a lot slower than the rest of the tech business. But I like to think of 21st-century cars as gigantic consumer-electronics devices on wheels. I can’t wait until they’ve all got high-speed Internet connectivity, sophisticated operating systems, and user interfaces with iPhone-like slickness–and the ERL tour gave me new hope that it won’t take all that long.

Source: http://technologizer.com/2010/08/09/volkswagen/

Audi Unveils Sleek New A7 Sportback in Munich

Karmeka Danner — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:44:59 +0000

As he introduced Audi’s new A7 Sportback on Monday evening at the Pinakothek der Moderne art museum in Munich, Rupert Stadler, Audi’s chairman, quoted Oscar Wilde.

“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it,” he said.

Audi is most likely hoping that the world’s motorists will yield to the tempting lines of the A7 Sportback, which fills the gap between the A6 and the flagship A8. Looking very much like the Sportback concept car that Audi introduced at the Detroit auto show in 2009, the A7 Sportback belies its hatchback configuration with long curving lines, a round nose, a low silhouette and a tapered rear that slants forward in a manner that Audi designers describe as reminiscent of Italian cars of the 1960s. The lightweight body, Audi says, includes the use of “numerous aluminum components” in its construction.

Audi’s Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system will be standard on the United States market versions of the A7. Other high-tech mechanical features include a 7-speed automatic transmission and adaptive air suspension, which provides a choice of a firm sport setting or a more cushy setting for comfort. Audi has not decided if adaptive suspension will be standard on cars delivered to the United States. The chassis features a five-link front suspension and track-controlled trapezoidal link rear suspension. All of the suspension control arms are aluminum.

In a departure from past practice, Audi has equipped the A7 with an electromechanical steering system. Because it does not rely on an engine-driven pump for power assist, the system reportedly saves a bit of fuel. Perhaps more important, Audi says it works nicely with the active lane-assist system.

Michael Dick, Audi’s board member in charge of technical development, said that experiencing the electromechanical system on the test track was a revelation.

While Audi will offer four V-6 engines and two TDI diesels to the European market, American drivers will get only a supercharged 3-liter V-6. The European version will deliver 300 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. Audi cites a top speed of 155 miles per hour.

The cabin will be packed with a wide range of standard and optional features, including the Multi Media Interface operating system for control of audio, telephone and other interior components. The system will include an 8-inch display and touch controls. Other goodies include front-seat ventilation and massage, layered wood inlays, a Bang & Olufsen sound system and Internet service. Again, the specifications of vehicles for the United States market have not been completed.

The A7 Sportback will arrive in European showrooms this fall with prices starting at about $67,000, based on current exchange rates. Availability and pricing in the United States have not been announced. An Audi spokesman, Brad Stertz, said it should arrive in the United States next year.

Source: PAUL STENQUIST

Volkswagen Bluesport gets the green light

Karmeka Danner — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:00:35 +0000

Now this is interesting. Hot on the heels of rumored turmoil in the VW/Audi/Porsche house over the BlueSport roadster, AutoExpress is reporting that VW has given the droptop concept the green light for production. Color us skeptical. It’s not that we don’t want to believe that VW has told its squabbling children to cool their jets so that ze people’s automaker can bring the world an efficient and entertaining ragtop, it’s just that there’s a noticeable lack of details baked into the AutoExpress piece. Specifically, which of the three automakers will get to build the thing.

An “unnamed source” has confirmed the car for production and given the publication a quick peek at the final version of the car. Lucky them. AutoExpress goes on to say that the BlueSport will come with a 178-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine as standard equipment, though a variety of other power plants will also be available. Those include the twin-charged 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine from the Polo GTI as well as a turbo 2.0-liter gasser from the Golf GTI.

It all sounds great as it floats around the vast vacuum of the internet, but until we see something from Volkswagen itself, we’re not exactly ready to call this one a done deal

Source: http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/01/report-volkswagen-bluesport-gets-the-green-light/

Audi aims at growing U.S. business, market share

Karmeka Danner — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:47:59 +0000

Audi is steadily building its business in the United States, pushing toward a goal of increasing sales and market share — up to perhaps as high as 200,000 vehicles a year by 2018, which would be more than double 2009’s total of about 83,400.

This year, through May, Volkswagen’s luxury brand had sold 39,839 vehicles in the United States, up 31.4 percent from the same period last year.

But even with sales trending up in record numbers — May was the fifth-best U.S. sales month in company history and its best May ever — Audi says it’s still not ready to consider building cars in the United States. All of its vehicles now are imported from Europe.

The company said this week that it has shelved, at least for now, the idea of building at least one of its models — such as its top-selling U.S. vehicle, the A4 sedan — at a new Volkswagen assembly plant under construction in Chattanooga, Tenn., citing market conditions and the weakness of the euro against the U.S. dollar.

While there was never any promise that Audi would make use of the $1 billion facility that Volkswagen will open early next year to manufacture a new midsize sedan for the U.S. market, the company had suggested that it might consider using part of that plant or even building its own if it decided it needed an assembly operation in the United States.

At least for the near term, though, neither option is under consideration, said Jeff Kuhlman, chief communications officer for Audi of America.

The A4 sedan accounted for nearly half of Audi’s U.S. sales last year, but that 40,000 units isn’t nearly enough to make an assembly line feasible at the Volkswagen plant, Kuhlman said. And with the exchange rate unfavorable now, the company would lose money exporting cars from the United States to other markets, especially Europe.

Audi does have an impressive line of vehicles now on sale at its U.S. dealers, and more are coming, including a gasoline-electric hybrid version of its compact Q5 sport utility vehicle, which will be introduced next year, Kuhlman said.

There have been some recent supply glitches, though, that have left dealers scrambling to fill customer orders. For example, the A3 TDI model, which comes with a turbocharged clean-diesel engine, is selling so briskly that dealers can’t meet demand.

That’s also true of the TDI version of Audi’s large sport utility, the Q7, which is based on the architecture of the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Volkswagen sells a TDI version of the Touareg, but Porsche does not. Instead, it will introduce a hybrid version of the Cayenne for the U.S. market later this year.

“The diesel Q7 and A3 have been good sellers for us, and all have meant incremental increases in sales volume,” Kuhlman said.

With the Q7 and A3, diesels have accounted for half of total U.S. sales this year, he said. “We’ve exceeded our product plan, and we absolutely see the opportunity to bring diesels in on other models.”

The Q5, which is based on the architecture of Volkswagen’s Tiguan, will not be getting a diesel engine, though, because Audi decided to make that vehicle its first hybrid and doesn’t want a diesel version competing with the hybrid, Kuhlman said.

There is a huge consumer demand for diesel vehicles in the United States that most automakers are ignoring.

In Europe, most cars have a diesel option, and about half of all new vehicles sold are equipped with diesel engines. But that’s not true in the United States, where most of the diesel engines offered are available only in high-end luxury vehicles. Volkswagen is the only automaker offering diesels in affordable cars.

Fuel economy is the biggest selling point. EPA ratings for the Jetta and A3 TDI sedans, which use the same engine, are 30 mpg city/42 highway — better than many hybrids now on the market.

Other Audi models are selling well, too. Besides the A3, A4, Q5 and Q7, Audi’s U.S. offerings include the A5 coupe and convertible, TT coupe and roadster, A6 and A8 sedan models, and R8 sports car.

The Q5, which starts at $37,350, goes up against such vehicles as the Infiniti EX35, Acura RDX, Acura ZDX, BMW X3 and Land Rover LR2.

While the falling value of the euro was cited by Audi’s German managers as the main reason the company decided to drop plans for a U.S. assembly facility, it was the strength of the euro in mid-2008 that pushed Volkswagen to build the Tennessee plant.

Source: The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100708/AUTO03/7080364/1148/rss25#ixzz0tDSvNYOa

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta: It’s not a Golf anymore!

Karmeka Danner — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:52:55 +0000

The new 2011 Jetta was unveiled in New York City’s Times Square in front of an interested crowd and plenty of automobile journalists from all over the world. It was a coming out party of sorts for this model. Until now, the Jetta was derived from the Golf, but after six generations, it will finally able to fly solo. In fact, although it shares several engines with other cars produced by Volkswagen, for the first time it has its very own platform.

This newcomer is launching a new marketing philosophy for North America. Not only was its shape developed according to North American expectations and tastes, but many of these characteristics were based on the recommendations of dealerships and clients.

Generic shape
Although the manufacturer’s press releases talk about its extraordinary contours, it’s actually rather plain. Normally, Volkswagen products set themselves apart one way or another by offering lines that stand out compared to other models in the category. This car won’t lose its looks as it gets older, but it’s rather plain. Despite this small drawback, it’s an elegant car with a front end that was well designed in order to offer a unique presentation and to respond to the safety demands imposed on manufacturers for several years now. There’s a spoiler that’s specially made to reduce injuries in case of a human-car collision and the overhanging hood plays a part in protecting the safety of pedestrians, too.

VW’s design chief, Klaus Bishoff, highlighted the new body’s lack of lines. But the lines that it has play an important, in particular the one that begins on the hood, continues to the beltline and ends at the back. Basically, this car is very subtle and you’ll get to like it more and more over the months and years.

The passenger compartment is cut from the same cloth, while the materials are surprisingly good quality considering the asking price for the base model. In addition to the quality of the materials, the finish is impeccable on the models that we examined. But before moving on to the details of the layout, it’s important to underline that this car is impressively spacious. Tall people will feel comfortable in the back seats and the trunk is quite simply huge, with the largest capacity in the category. What’s more, the trunk opening is very generous, which will help you put relatively cumbersome objects inside. And even the more economical version will be equipped with 60/40 rear seat backs that can be lowered. Finally, this newcomer is 74 mm longer, and its wheelbase and track width are larger than with the fifth generation.

The dashboard is simple, as with all other cars produced by Volkswagen. This time, the climate controls are much less complicated and intuitive to operate than those of the Golf, which are in desperate need of change. It’s easy to get a feel for the steering wheel and the two main indicator dials are easy to read with their white numbers on a black background. Overall, everything is where it should be. Of course, our opinion could change when we actually drive the car, since this inspection was done on a stationary car during the first worldwide unveiling.

Four engines please!
While the new Jetta’s platform is brand new, the engineers kept the powertrains already available on the Golf with only one exception: the more economical version’s engine, a 2.0-litre, 115-hp four-cylinder, wasn’t previously offered. The three other powertrains are known entities. There’s the 2.5-litre five-cylinder featuring 170 horsepower and the 2.0-litre, direct injection TSI engine featuring 200 horsepower. It will also be used a little later on the GLI, which will be the most luxurious Jetta offered. Of course, the TDI common rail diesel engine with 140 horses and 236 lbs-ft of torque will be back under the hood of the new Jetta. This engine has won multiple awards since its arrival on the market. Moreover, the Jetta is the only model in the category to offer a diesel engine. A particulate filter and a nitrogen oxides (NOx) storing catalytic converter help the TDI engine respect antipollution norms in effect in Canada and in all the American states.

All the engines come paired factory standard with a manual transmission. It has five speeds on most of the engines while the optional automatic is a six-speed Tiptronic. On the TDI Diesel and TSI models, the optional twin-clutch DSG gearbox is also a six-speed, just like the diesel’s manual transmission.

This time, Volkswagen has given itself the means to become a respectable presence on the market with this compact car. And VW isn’t finished yet, since the Passat’s replacement will arrive over the coming months and should also boost the sales of the European number one on our continent. What’s more, the newcomer will be assembled in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Things seems to have started better than the manufacturer’s last attempt when VW built a plant in Pennsylvania where they made atrocious cars that were completely different from what a Volkswagen is supposed to be. It was a failure. But they swear to us that, this time, they learned their lesson and that Volkswagen is a completely reorganized company that wants to get the part of the North American market that they have coming to them. And succeeding on the North American market will make this manufacturer be able to become the world number one by 2018, which is the date that management has targeted.

Source: Denis Duquet

http://www.carguideweb.com/articles/8096/

Battle of the Sexes- and their cars: Women love Volkswagen Beetle, men like Bugatti, finds study

Karmeka Danner — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:41:26 +0000

Girls love the bug. Guys like the Bugatti.

Attracted by its price and practicality, women are more likely to purchase a Volkswagen Beetle than any other automobile, according to a study by Truecar.com. Men, however, prefer the more masculine GM trucks and expensive luxury sport vehicles.

Although only 36 percent of new car buyers are women, they account for 56 percent of new Beetle owners.

“It fits the description of what women want in a car,” Truecar’s Jesse Toprak told ABCNews.com.

“It’s cheap to maintain and own. It gets good gas mileage. It’s practical to get around in big cities yet it’s stylish to drive in hip metropolitan areas.”

In the men’s category, the study showed a predilection for big cars and big dreams.

In addition to bulky GM trucks, men also stated their preference for high-powered vehicles like the Bugatti and Ferrari (though how these guys plan on paying the $2 million price tag for that Bugatti is unclear!).

The study, conducted from 13 million car owners over the past two years, also showed that females prefer smaller vehicles such as the Volvo S40 and the Nissan Sentra.

Source: Joe Tacopino
DAILY NEWS WRITER

The $16,000 Jetta: VW’s New Entry-Level Assault on Toyota and Honda

Karmeka Danner — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:21:51 +0000

The Volkswagen Group (including Audi) is profitable, but Volkswagen’s U.S. arm is not — it’s been struggling with low sales of its entry-level cars, such as the Golf and the Jetta. For 2011, VW made the bold and probably smart move of lowering the price of admission for the new Jetta, introduced in New York yesterday, to $16,000 (from $17,735). It’s also consciously trying to court a more youthful image, which is why it introduced the car in New York with a pop star and a celebrity chef.

Picture a Jetta with a surfboard sticking out of the trunk, camping gear in the back seat, and two twentysomethings up front listening to an iPod through the auxiliary input. During the weekday, one or both is headed for a high-tech job in the city. That’s the new and influential consumer VW is going after with the $16,000 Jetta. And that price buys a well-equipped car with air-conditioning, CD, power locks and keyless entry. Power comes from a 115-horsepower four in the entry-level model, but there are three other choices, including a diesel TDI (35 percent of sales now), a five-cylinder R5 (currently the most popular Jetta engine), and a turbocharged TSI (for the GLI model).

Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen of America, in New York for the Jetta introduction, sees a return to profitability in the 2012 to 2014 time frame, with a volume of 400,000 to 450,000 vehicles. The new $16,000 Jetta is a big part of that strategy, because it will be competitive with a $15,450 Toyota (TM) Corolla and a $15,655 Honda Civic, and it could lead to mass-market volumes. The company’s long-term goal, which looks pretty distant now, is (with Audi) to sell a million cars annually in the U.S. by 2018. An all-new Beetle, coming next year, will be a big help in reaching toward that goal.

The new Jetta, which played second fiddle at the Times Square introduction to singer Katy Perry in a turquoise plastic miniskirt, aims to beat Japanese compacts at their own game. Jacoby spent three years running Mitsubishi’s European operations (2001 to 2004) and he presumably learned something there about how to market entry-level cars.

This is a segment of the market that has proven notoriously difficult for many western carmakers. VW, with two successful generations of the Beetle, certainly knows more than most. But its lineup needed a kickstart, and a new and lower-priced Jetta — conservatively styled but with enough branding cues that your local “punch buggy” spotter is unlikely to miss it — could be just what the accountant ordered.

Jacoby was a low-key presence at the Manhattan event, attracting less attention than celebrity chef Mario Batali, who gave a cooking demonstration. But he did point out to the crowd that VW has been in the U.S. market for 55 years, and has “done well by standing out from the pack with a sense of fun.” The Katy and Mario Show, attended by international media, seemed an effort to align the Jetta brand with fun, though the car does not naturally project that quality. It’s an attractive but somewhat buttoned-down small sedan.

VW will hammer the fun point, however, and by the summer of next year the turbocharged TSI version will add a choice for performance buffs. There’s also a hybrid Jetta coming by 2012 that will incorporate a 1.8-liter turbo engine and reportedly achieve a combined 41 mpg. If it’s as attractively priced as the entry-level Jetta, it should attract a considerable following. And it might even be fun to drive, too.

Source: http://industry.bnet.com/auto/10005297/the-16000-jetta-vws-new-entry-level-assault-on-toyota-and-honda/