The Jetta sedan emerged from its 2011 redesign as something altogether more humdrum than the compact, agile and tautly-sprung European car it had been. The cabin is roomier and the trunk is huge, but handling fell short on agility and cornering grip. Interior quality, formerly impeccable, was subpar. The hoary 170-hp, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine carried over. While it delivers adequate performance, it sounds coarse and fuel economy is just OK for a small sedan. The gasoline-powered Jetta scored rather low in our testing.
Adding the TDI diesel engine to the Jetta makes it a more appealing car. Fuel economy jumps from 25 mpg with the gasoline engine to 34 with the diesel with acceleration times remaining similar to the gasoline model. However, the DSG transmission combined with the diesel doesn't shift smoothly at low speeds. The TDI version is also better equipped. But while the TDI scored better than the less-expensive SE, it still suffers from the Jetta's shortcomings of so-so handling and interior quality.