2011 Volkswagen Jetta

Many of Volkswagen's recent cars haven't really fit into established market segments, but the automaker aims to change that with the redesigned 2011 Jetta sedan, which is roomier on the inside and has a significantly lower starting price to better compete with mainstream models from Honda and Toyota.

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Volkswagen has a dedicated following, and diluting some of the essence of the brand in search of higher sales — which is what the new Jetta does — is a risky move. The 2011 model will probably be seen as a step backward by Volkswagen faithful who've become accustomed to upscale interiors crafted down to the smallest detail.

In short, in Volkswagen's effort to be all things to all people with the new Jetta, it may very well lose some of its most ardent customers.

The redesigned Jetta sedan hits dealerships this fall and will be sold alongside the previous-generation wagon, which received styling tweaks last year but hasn't undergone the redesign that the sedan did.

I tested manual- and automatic-transmission versions of the uplevel 2.5 SEL trim, which starts at $21,395. You can always compare this trim with the base $14,995 version, the midrange 2.5 SE and the range-topping clean-diesel TDI.

Sensible Style

Some observers might call the redesigned Jetta's styling bland, but I can appreciate the car's understated elegance, and the look was well-received by other Cars.com editors. The design doesn't call attention to itself, but it will still look good years from now.

The sedan's sheet metal is all new, and its lines are more angular than the outgoing model's. It also sports Volkswagen's new front-end design — a thin front grille bordered by the headlights — that's appeared on other cars, including the Golf hatchback.

The redesigned Jetta is about 3 inches longer overall, with a wheelbase that's increased by the same amount. (See all the old and new specs compared here.) All in all, it's a well-proportioned car with sloping C-pillars that finish at a short trunklid. The taillights have a bit of Audi styling to them.

Though I like the Jetta's understated looks, the design won't make the car stand out in the crowded compact-car segment — especially with the impending arrival of the redesigned Ford Focus, which is one of the prettiest cars to come along in this class in some time. Send me an email to let me know what you think of the new Jetta's looks.

An Underwhelming Interior

We've heaped considerable praise on VW interiors in the past because they generally offer exceptional materials and thoughtful details that surpass some so-called luxury cars. Unfortunately, much of that is gone in the 2011 Jetta sedan.

Take the dashboard: The previous Jetta's dash was finished in an upscale soft-touch material with nice graining. While the new sedan's dash retains the eye-pleasing graining, it's now made of a hard plastic that sounds hollow if you rap on it with your knuckles. This is less of an issue for me than it is for some people, as I don't spend much of my time in a car touching the dashboard. (And if you do, I suggest you seek professional help.) What's more problematic is that the upper part of the door trim — where you actually might want to rest your arm — is made of hard, uncomfortable plastic, too.