Sometimes a car will take you completely by surprise. When it was confirmed that the Jetta Sport would be joining our fleet for a few days, I was mildly interested, but nothing more than that. Now that it's gone, I want it back.Why? Because although there is nothing dramatic about this car, no single feature that delights or astonishes, its elements combine into a very satisfying whole. Against all predictions, this has turned out to be one of my favourite cars of 2006.The reason there is such a thing as a Jetta at all is to provide potential Golf owners with a saloon alternative. This is something Volkswagen has been doing since the 1980s, when the first Jetta was launched, though never with remotely the same styling flair. The saloon equivalent of the last-generation Golf was the Bora, but the new Jetta beats it not only on looks but on practicality: where the Bora had 455 litres of luggage capacity, the Jetta has a handsome 527 litres.The Jetta's rear seat folds down (on a 60:40 split basis) so you can extend the load volume considerably further, though obviously only half of the resulting space reaches up to roof level.Build quality is top-notch; everything feels as if it has been made of good stuff and been put together with skill by people who know what they're doing. "How typically German," you may be thinking to yourself, but that's not entirely true; all Jettas are in fact built at Volkswagen's plant at Puebla in Mexico.At the time of writing, there are 16 Jettas in the range, with a choice of three trim levels, six-speed manual or DSG gearboxes and five engines, the most exciting of these being the two-litre T-FSI turbo petrol unit. The test car came with the highest trim level, called Sport, the manual gearbox and the non-turbo 2.0 FSI petrol engine.The Sport package doesn't simply consist of high equipment levels. The suspension is uprated relative to lesser Jettas, and the ride height is 15mm lower. 225/45 tyres on attractive 17" alloy wheels are standard too.Manufacturers frequently apply the term Sport to cars which are anything but sporty. Volkswagen has avoided that trap. The Jetta Sport is a delight to drive - nimble and precise, but without a crashy, fussy ride. Actually, the ride could be slightly more compliant than it is, but that's a minor criticism of an otherwise splendid set-up.The FSI engine produces a maximum of 148bhp and provides a fine balance with the handling. In all honesty, it doesn't need to be mated to a six-speed gearbox, but the shift quality is so good (if you like the Volkswagen Group gearchange, which I do) that churning through the gears is more of a pleasure than a chore.The Sport also gets firmer seats than other models in the range. One passenger commented - not too favourable - on their solidity the moment he got in the car, but the support they provide is excellent and adds still more to the driving experience.You can, if you wish, and if you have the budget for it, request heating for the front seats, along with an upholstery upgrade to Vienna leather. This adds £1500 to the price, and it's probably worth it. Other appealing options fitted to the test car included a rear side airbag system for £215 and a strangely-constituted pack including rear parking sensors, cruise control and electronic tyre pressure monitoring (who dreamed up the idea of putting those together?) for £295.Far more costly is the DVD-based navigation-cum-radio system with a 6.5" colour screen and a 6-CD autochanger mounted in the front central armrest. That will set you back £1650, which is actually pretty good value compared with similar systems available from other manufacturers. The display is attractive and everything is easy to use, which - as you'll know if you've read almost anything ever written about BMW's i-Drive - isn't always the case in German cars.What with all of the above plus a winter pack, the a Jetta Sport with the same equipment as the test car would cost £21,395, and no doubt many customers would be prepared to make the extra investment. But you could also stick to the £17,340 list price and still have a car that is good-looking, lovely to drive, impressively practical and generally a delight to live with. Engine 1984cc, 4 cylinders Power 148bhp Transmission 6-speed manual Fuel/CO2 34.4mpg / 197g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 9.2 seconds Top speed 131mph Price £17,340 Details correct at publication date
Our Rating
