2. 80.7% - Volkswagen Jetta
Most everyone in our group of testers rightly guessed which cars were going to end up in the top two spots.
Volkswagen may have dealt with the height of hell when they introduced the MK6 Jetta almost 4 years ago, but consumers have responded and in no short supply as the car is selling quite well.
The attractive entry price, the sombre German styling, and the promise of a little more behind the wheel are the key elements that make this car so popular for the young and up-and-coming. The latter are typically willing to overlook certain points such as paying a little more and getting a little less, but we could not.
Inside and Out of the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
The current 2014 Volkswagen Jetta was mainly criticized for being far too generic and “Japanese,” in other words conservative -- but it works. Most of the testers agreed that the Jetta did not stand out in the crowd because of its styling. It did so more because of its presence.
The Jetta’s cabin turned out to be the favourite and best received of the lot. Again, in typical German fashion, the dashboard’s layout is simple, efficient with spot-on ergonomics. This particular car suffered from a number of rattles emanating in part from said dash.
Again, from the group, the front and rear seats turned out to be the most accommodating. Up front, the extra thigh support was more than just a nice-to-have, as was the rear leg- and headroom.
The Volkswagen Group are strong believers in attention to detail and thus fit, finish, and materials aboard the Jetta were top notch. Unfortunate things those rattles…
Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
The other reason for us including the 2014 Jetta in this test, other than the fact that it’s No. 6 is the arrival or perhaps return of the turbocharged 1.8L. Other than the ongoing issues with the engine (at time of writing), we could find no true fault with the powertrain.
The 6-speed autobox -- when in “D” -- works as though it was in ECO mode, delaying throttle somewhat and quickly upshifting for maximum efficiency. A slight tug on the shifter towards “S” swaps all hesitations for impressive ass-hauling. Truthfully, as only the 3rd most powerful car on paper, it felt genuinely quick and lively and far faster than its specs would suggest. Keep in mind that this did not come at the expense of fuel, as with the Cruze.
In our experience, Volkswagen usually manages to take the top spot when road manners are taken into consideration. This time around, although the Volkswagen Jetta is nigh-on perfect, the Mazda3 edged it out.
This is not to say that the Jetta is not a superb road-going machine. With high levels of poise and grip, the Volkswagen still displays surefootedness like few other cars in its segment.
Most everyone in our group of testers rightly guessed which cars were going to end up in the top two spots.
Volkswagen may have dealt with the height of hell when they introduced the MK6 Jetta almost 4 years ago, but consumers have responded and in no short supply as the car is selling quite well.
The attractive entry price, the sombre German styling, and the promise of a little more behind the wheel are the key elements that make this car so popular for the young and up-and-coming. The latter are typically willing to overlook certain points such as paying a little more and getting a little less, but we could not.
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| Photo: Philippe Champoux |
Inside and Out of the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
The current 2014 Volkswagen Jetta was mainly criticized for being far too generic and “Japanese,” in other words conservative -- but it works. Most of the testers agreed that the Jetta did not stand out in the crowd because of its styling. It did so more because of its presence.
The Jetta’s cabin turned out to be the favourite and best received of the lot. Again, in typical German fashion, the dashboard’s layout is simple, efficient with spot-on ergonomics. This particular car suffered from a number of rattles emanating in part from said dash.
Again, from the group, the front and rear seats turned out to be the most accommodating. Up front, the extra thigh support was more than just a nice-to-have, as was the rear leg- and headroom.
The Volkswagen Group are strong believers in attention to detail and thus fit, finish, and materials aboard the Jetta were top notch. Unfortunate things those rattles…
Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
The other reason for us including the 2014 Jetta in this test, other than the fact that it’s No. 6 is the arrival or perhaps return of the turbocharged 1.8L. Other than the ongoing issues with the engine (at time of writing), we could find no true fault with the powertrain.
The 6-speed autobox -- when in “D” -- works as though it was in ECO mode, delaying throttle somewhat and quickly upshifting for maximum efficiency. A slight tug on the shifter towards “S” swaps all hesitations for impressive ass-hauling. Truthfully, as only the 3rd most powerful car on paper, it felt genuinely quick and lively and far faster than its specs would suggest. Keep in mind that this did not come at the expense of fuel, as with the Cruze.
In our experience, Volkswagen usually manages to take the top spot when road manners are taken into consideration. This time around, although the Volkswagen Jetta is nigh-on perfect, the Mazda3 edged it out.
This is not to say that the Jetta is not a superb road-going machine. With high levels of poise and grip, the Volkswagen still displays surefootedness like few other cars in its segment.