Moving inside, however, I don't find its styling all that jazzy. In fact, this is another area where I feel the car has taken a step
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| I don't find the Jetta's interior styling all that jazzy, in fact, this is another area where I feel the car has taken a step backwards. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press) |
backwards. For the lack of a more proper term, the interior is kind of... blah. It really has no striking accents or dashboard trim that would otherwise make me say "ooh" or "ahhh." There isn't even any chrome trim around the instrument gauges, which would have made the interior a little more upbeat.
On the positive, mind you, I can say that, like the previous generation Jetta, all the buttons and knobs are clearly labeled and easy to find, plus the button placement doesn't feel cluttered. I never feel lost when I initially sit in a Jetta, and that's a big plus for me because the last thing I want to do is fiddle around with buttons or be forced to flip open to the owners manual in order to find out how to turn the stereo on or how to get the heat to blow on my feet. Sometimes, it almost seems like manufacturers purposely confuse individuals just to show how state-of-the-art their technology really is. To me, it's more of a hassle than impressive.
Where
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| The new Jetta is significantly larger than the previous generation. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press) |
the new Jetta interior excels is in its size. It is significantly larger than the previous generation, partly due to its increased exterior dimensions: an additional 7.0 inches was added to its length and 1.0 inch to its width. This allows for an even comfier interior than the previous Jetta. This same scenario is also true for the trunk, which now offers 16 cu-ft of space for stuff; a cargo capacity comparing to vehicles in the midsize sedan range. But wait a minute? The new Jetta has grown so much that it's now classified as a midsize sedan, with interior passenger volume measuring only 1 cubic foot smaller than last year's midsize Passat. The extra room made it handy for me to load all of my groceries in the back seat without having to use any of that cavernous trunk space.
