Bigger VeeDub Sports Standard 5-Cylinder Power and Optional DSG Transmission
Yesterday Volkswagen officially released photos of its upcoming fifth-generation compact Jetta sedan, slated to go on sale in North American markets March of next year.
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| Volkswagen has released pictures of its upcoming fifth-generation Jetta sedan. (Photo: Volkswagen of America) |
Jetta is the most popular Volkswagen, and perennially the most popular European car sold in North America, accounting for approximately 40 percent of VW's U.S. volume alone, and therefore the most critical vehicle debut for the German automaker in quite some time.
Being that the current 2005 model remains a crowd pleaser, Volkswagen hasn't taken radical steps in the redesign. Any import enthusiast who sees it driving down the road shouldn't have much trouble picking it out as the Jetta replacement, as it pulls forward many design cues from the current model. Still, there isn't any surface or trim detail, less the VW badge at the center grille position, that's carried over from the outgoing car.
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| The new Jetta derives some of its design language from the recently introduced Phaeton luxury sedan. (Photo: Volkswagen of America) |
If anything, the new Jetta derives its design language from the recently introduced Phaeton luxury sedan, which itself appears similar to the current Passat. Its grille is traditional VW fare, while larger headlamp clusters look inspired by the new Golf, introduced in Europe earlier this year but still not available in North America.
From the side it is wedge-like, at least more so than the current Jetta, while it's horizontal taillight design features a circular dip at the outside center, making for a larger and therefore safer brake light lens area, as well as a nice statement of unique style.