2011 Volkswagen Jetta officially unveiled

By Tim Beissmann | June 16th, 2010

Updated with official launch details and comments from Volkswagen Australia.

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has been officially unveiled at a ceremony in New York’s Times Square overnight.

Following the design language of all new Volkswagens, the Jetta is sharper, squarer and more refined, based heavily on the New Coupe Concept revealed at Detroit in January and taking cues from the smaller Golf and Polo.

Behind the leather-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel sits a redesigned dashboard featuring aluminium highlights and an integrated multifunction display.

At 4.64m, the new Jetta is 9cm longer than the outgoing model, and more than 6cm of that growth is in legroom thanks to the expanded wheelbase. Loadspace is also impressive at 510 litres.

The European engine line-up experiences a few changes, with four petrol and two diesel units available.

An entry-level 77kW 1.2-litre TSI petrol is new, while the twincharged 118kW 1.4-litre TSI has also been added. The 90kW 1.4-litre TSI and the 147kW 2.0-litre TSI units remain unchanged. Diesel options include the 77kW 1.6-litre TDI and 103kW 2.0-litre TDI. Volkswagen’s DSG twin-clutch transmission will be available on all but the entry-level petrol model.

BlueMotion variants of the 1.2 TSI and 1.6 TDI will also be added to selected markets. Combining start-stop technology and brake regeneration, Volkswagen says the petrol version will use 5.3 litres/100km combined and emit 123g/km CO2, while the BlueMotion diesel model will use as little as 4.2 litres/100km and emit 109g/km.

As expected, six airbags, ABS and stability control are standard across the range.

UK sales are expected to start early in 2011 with a price tag around £17,000 ($29,200).

Volkswagen Australia’s Karl Gehling said the Jetta would arrive in Australia next year, but could not reveal any more details about its launch.

Local sales of the current Jetta, which ranges from $28,990 for the 77TDI to $38,990 for the 147TSI Highline, have increased 6.3 percent year-to-date for 2010 but remain modest overall in the popular sub-$60K Medium segment.

Volkswagen Australia has sold 728 Jettas through the first five months of the year, representing a 3.0 percent share of the market, 286 units and 1.2 percent behind the larger and more expensive Passat, which is officially listed in the same category.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435885244 Yani Hendriawan

they put the wrong badge on it. it’s suppose to be audi not vw

jono hoang

exactly what i was thinking lol
looks exactly like an audi a4 from behind.
LOL my anti-spam word is audi

Golfschwein

Nice, and the first Jetta/Bora/Vento that isn’t so obviously a Golf with a boot.

ox

the gen 4 bora looked quite different from it’s golf twin with it’s unique front and rear end. But agree, gen 5 jetta did look like an ugly booted golf. Wish bora name returned.

Golfschwein

Yes, the Bora was the best looking of all of them, although even it nicked the front doors and cabin off the Golf.

I hope that one of the interiors on offer with this new car will be the one that was on the concept coupe, with its ribbed matt silver and chrome door and dash garnishes. They were a refreshing alternative to the usual matt silver or fake wood.

ox

Don’t get your hopes up mate, It will be all pure golf on the inside unfortunatley.

Golfschwein

Just had a look at another site, where interior shots are up. It’s the same design as the concept (different to the Golf) without the wild and groovy finish.

http://caradvice Onepoppa

Who now needs an Audi A4?

Sparky

Those tail lights are very audi!
Bob

Vw build quality is not bad. But chances are you will have to buy it from a franchised dealer. Where they sell six other brands. Having brought a Golf GTI form such a dealer, Take it from me the service was crap! Buy an Audi, Lexus, BMW, Merc, etc. The dealer sells only that brand and the mechanics only work on that brand. As regards who needs an Audi, I do! My A4 3.0 TDI Quattro is arriving Oct can’t wait. The quality is on another level again.

Jabba the Hut

Buy the BMW and you’ll need their mechanics too. They are inherently unreliable. For the record, up here in Cairns the Audi dealer also sells Winnebagos and of all things Great Wall.

The BMW dealer is trinity who also sell Falcon, Hyundai, Volvo ,Kia, VW ,Mazda and Honda. So there goes your theory on they only doing their own. Infact the only one that is solo up here is Lexus.

Bob

Thats a shame to hear. I do think the quality suffers in the workshop. With the mechanics hopping form one brand to another. If you sell a premium brand you have to back it with a quality after sales experience.

Peter Stone

Bull crap, my local VW service centre has Toyota, Subaru and AUDI in the same place!

Stoney!

Bob

Not here in the part of Sydney where I live!

Stoney!

Irrespective of where you live, on the northern beaches Audi service centre is with toyota subaru and VW. So it’s wrong that the three big marques have their own separate service centre,

Stoney!

Sparky

Yay! They got rid of those yucky headlights.
Just wish they’d put a performance oiler in the lineup.

mdt

Hopefully the 125kW TDI makes a return (it’s “performance-ish”). I’d be surprised to see some of those engine choices available in Australia (such as the 1.2L TSI and the 90kW 1.4L TSI).

ox

Looks great! i’m realy liking vw’s new understated, sharp look, can’t wait to see an R version.

Baddass

My guess is that in 20 to 30 years time, few people will remember the current design language that Volkswagen is employing across the range. Sure it looks pleasing (mainly because it can’t offend), but jeez it’s boring and so predictable! I can pretty much see the Passat, Caddy and Tiguan facelifts now, same headlights, straight-line grille and stretching lower airdam. I’m all for a design language, but sometimes I just can’t tell the difference between them! Let’s face it, it’s usually the controversial and different designs that get remembered. VW may be getting sales now, but they will have to dig themselves out of the hole of anonymous designs that they have just fallen into.

Philip

Nice looking car. As a very happy owner of a current Jetta Diesel, I look forward to upgrading.
http://www.facebook.com/sammo.8191 Sam Moss

Another classy and unpretentious addition to the VW line-up.
Let’s hope that pricing is competitive, which I’m sure it will be.

Cars like this are the reason that the VW group has seen such substantial growth over the past 5 years.

Deutsch Autos sind die besten!

Fenno

Especially when built in Spain or mexico.

myskoda

An absolutely gorgeous looking car. Clearly stylistically and mechanically superior to any japanese and korean competitor out there. I am certain this will blow all the others out of the water and will no doubt dominate the private market.

Philthy

Not bad, but you having a laugh with “Clearly stylistically and mechanically superior to any japanese and korean competitor out there”. Looks boring next to an i45.

Golfschwein

i45s are so…surprised looking. The VW guys know when to lift the pen.
ox

More like it’s a relief to the eyes after looking at a i45 mess

HAL

I really don’t understand why the moderators of this website let you get away with abusing and criticising every person who doesn’t agree with you. It’s ridiculous.

Socceroos

Germany beat us 4-0 (biggest defeat in World Cup till now, shame). Do not buy any German car!

NasalExplorer

What if we get beaten by Korea, France or Japan further on in the World Cup. There’ll be no cars for anybody except Great Wall and Tata.

Bimmerc

Acutally, China has beaten Australia during qualify group game. Not much choice left.
Socceroos

Dont worry. We have plenty of choices: Proton, Skoda, Volvo, Saab, …etc…

nickdl

It’s amazing that everyone so quickly forgot that Australia makes cars as well!!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668475019 Jake Williams

Despite THE FACT THAT the Jetta is made in Mexico?

Socceroos

It doesnt matter. Wherever it is made, Jetta is still German car (VW). So if a Toyota car is made in China, what do you think?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668475019 Jake Williams

To some, Volkswagen is regarded as a German car, but to the people who know where cars are built (and to me, alot of people would be suprised where some of the most popular cars these days are made) know that Volkswagen is a TNC. That is, Trans-National Corporation – they’re worldwide to be smart. Yes, German in heritage but this has been lost because of the international input into the cars. I regard the Jetta as a Mexican car, mostly because Volkswagen America and Mexico put so much engineering into it to make it to their standards. The Mexican-built cars are why Volkswagen in the Americas has such a bad reliability record.

And on Toyotas, they’re engineered all over the world for all over the world. Yes Toyota is Japanese in heritage but the reality is the company is from all countries around the world, mostly because they’re all made everywhere!

http://www.facebook.com/sammo.8191 Sam Moss

That’s a very good point there Jake.
Just because of the German badge, doesn’t mean that is where the vehicle comes from.

It’s like Holden and Australia – I still have friends who think that all Holdens are made in Australia, and that really frustrates me!!
Peter Stone

Wow Sam, as if that topic hasn’t been done to the death already….

Stoney!
http://www.facebook.com/sammo.8191 Sam Moss

What a stupid comment ‘Stoney’; it makes perfect sense that I raise that topic as it correlates directly to the original comment.

Unless you have something intelligent to say that adds to the trajectory of the conversation, then don’t say anything!

Able

I don’t think there’s a more boring VW out there…even the current one is more exciting! Also, the only new engines are the base ones so I think it’s gonna be very similar to the current one maybe like Golf V bs VI. Abit annoying VW…

I can’t wait for the thumbs down, there’ll be tonnes!
bangle

Another VAG winner , just pushed the size up closer to the passat , will gather some sales there .

This looks classy in a way only europe can do it , current jetta with right fat wheels looks very good even after 6 years .

Substance will always win over style , hence good resale values .

nickdl

Exactly right about Europe. Have a look at an 98 E-Class compared to a VT Commodore today. Even the same with a 8 year-old Golf and a Pulsar. The Germans have a knack for making their cars look better for longer, even if they didn’t have the best styling at the time.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668475019 Jake Williams

Look at the panel colour difference at the rear bumper!

That’s what my eye was drawn to first, the rest is very uneventful. Like all new VW’s, the design is simply a few modifications to the current design and wow it’s a new car! I fail to see how so many people could like it, except maybe those who can’t afford an Audi A4 as the rear is very similar.

Sorry, but it’s not to my tastes.
nickdl

I’m getting sick of all Volkswagens looking the same. I’m all for a design language but the new Jetta looks too similar to the new Golf, which incidentally looks like the new Polo which looks like the new Transporter which looks like the new Touraeg which looks like the new Passat.

Any bets on what the facelifted Scirocco, Eos, Tiguan, Caddy and Multivan models will look like???

Socceroos

VW designers have run out of idea.

bangle

Yep bit like subaru , thats the trouble the asian guys do a good design , sorry cant follow up with the next model .

It has to be evolution over revolution if you want a sustained customer base .

This is why BMW , MERCEDES , AUDI , VW etc have such good retained value.

Steve-Poyza

I’m so disappointed, as much as I don’t want to admit it, Jetta has far too many Audi design cues. Even if you’re family you don’t have to look exactly the same as Audi, VW…

http://www.facebook.com/sammo.8191 Sam Moss

I see a bit of Suzuki Kizashi in the rear/side profile as well, which is strange…

Anti-Spam word: Renault

Steve-Poyza

Yeah I see that as well, geez I feel bad for the Jetta. I like the car, I’m sure its great just like the rest of the VW range, I just really am strongly against that rear end design. Overall its okay, they’re just keeping with the family face I guess.

Anti-Spam word: Volkswagen
I think yours was better though

Hyundai45

KIAUDI KAY5???
Shak

Im not liking this new direction VAg is taking. While their cars are all attractive, they all look the same. i understand that Audi and VW are all from the same empire, but they should have different design languages. VW’s old googly design was individual. Audi’s LED/ block design is very classy, but when they start copying each other, it just makes me in my audi think im being short changed as the guy in his the jetta next to me thinks he has an A4.
Gene

Yeah but that’s Audi’s problem.. I don’t have the numbers but I’ll bet that selling boatloads of Jetta would mean more profit for VAG than a smaller number of more expensive A4s. Audi has more profit per unit but at some point you can’t trump volume.

Jetta is a bit player in Australia but huge in the US
Anthony

It is going to be interesting to see how the new Jetta compares to the current Honda Euro,as the previous generation cars were arch rivals.
The Honda then leaped ahead,but maybee VW is carching up ???
Peter Stone

I wish they would get rid of those god ugly and cheap looking door handles already and put the golf type ones on them.

Stoney!
Stoney!

Hope they bring out the 118 tsi in it again, or even 132kw version from gti polo!

Stoney!
ox

“Looks like an Audi”…. Are you kidding me! It’s looks nothing like an Audi , proportions and surfacing are completely different. The new VWs look way better than bulldog faced Audis IMO.
Wolfie fan

Best looking Jetta ever.Give me an R
Anyone know which platform it is built on – other sites say it is not based on the golf vi.

Pops

*Yawn*. Very generic design, particularly the front headlight and bumper arrangement.

The new Passat design renders unfortunately also look just as plain.

Shame because the CC & Sciroccos look the biz. Guess it would be too much to ask VW to make the rest of their range less pedestrian.

Gene

I may be the only one but the car looks wrong to me. The headlights and grille are too thin and the grille pattern on the front bumper makes it look like a Peugeot stretched sideways. Not good at all.

May be it’ll look better in metal. Right now I think the current Jetta still looks better. It does look to tall and frumpy at the back, but fixable with lowered sports suspension and 18″ wheels.

Then if you put 16″ on this new Jetta it would look pedestrian too.

The non-projector headlights in both the new and current models looks aged already. The Xenon option would be a worthwhile upgrade.
laurie

Now wait and see what options are on offer to bring the price up a few thousand $$$ from the base price that’s why I never got the Jetta just plain ridiculous

laurie
Adelove

Front picture looks like a face of Iron Man.
Does it transform to human like robot?
Camski

Looks like a nice redesign over the last model.

But all I can say is…. The nose looks like this -__- HAHA
m2m

I think it looks well-proportioned. But i’ve looked around online and can never get a straight answer on running costs for Volkswagens. I know i’m getting ripped off blind by my Mazda dealership but i sure as hell don’t want to pay a thousand dollars for a 40k service on a $30,000 car! Does anyone have a rough guide on VW dealer servicing?

Golfschwein

VERY rough guide, because I don’t have time to go back through receipts for my Golf:

The first three come in at $300 ish, although they were on VW. The 60,000 is a killer at over $600. Mine’s a diesel, but that probably makes little difference in the overall scheme of things, apart from the expense of genuine VW oil. For that one service only, I took it to a well known national franchise and regretted it, so stick with the VW dealer and budget for the service costs.

Golfschwein

Correction: quoted $698 for 60,000 service. The 75,000 was again $300 – $400.

http://mymaties.com VDub Fan

The perfect car to p!zz a VW fan of. What the hell. It remains a Golf with extra boot space. Sis VW. Do better. More NCC please.

Golfschwein

You’re the VDub Fan. So show us the shared Golf panels. You can’t.

gearboxdawg

I like the rear Audi A4 crisp boot surface. Front headlights are a bit bland but improvement on the current model with daytime running lamps. It would be nice to add the chrome grille back rather than using the standard stock matte finish.

Don\’t like the sharp edges on the side mirrors. Prefer them to be blocky and squarish