I drove this car first and then checked the price. I was awestruck: Here was a fun, powerful car with a great sound system, heated seats, push-button start and a great navigation system for less than $25,000. I've had to look at the price a few times to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Sure, there's no heated steering wheel, but for the price, the 2011 Jetta is great.
The Jetta drove in a way that belied its low price tag. It felt smooth and zippy, and it handled the roads in a sportier fashion than I'd expect from a car that costs less than $25K.
The 2011 Jetta has been redesigned. A few inches have been added to the overall length, and the price has been lowered from just upward of $17,000 for the 2010 base model to just under $16,000 for the entry-level Jetta this year. The SEL trim I tested is the highest Jetta trim aside from the TDI diesel and it starts at $23,395. With the optional sunroof, my test car clocked in at $24,165.
Of course, when you get a discount on price and an increase in size, you have to give something up and the 2011 Jetta takes some less luxurious turns than in past years. But on the whole, the 2011 Jetta is a solid car for a great price.
EXTERIOR
The 2011 Jetta looks cool enough for anyone to drive. Parents will feel stylish in it whether they take it to the carpool lane or to work. Even the most brooding teenagers would secretly enjoy being seen in the 2011 Jetta. This is not to say that it's outlandishly lovely, but thanks to some slick spoke work on the SEL's wheels and to a lesser but still noticeable degree on the lower trims' wheels, the 2011 Jetta is able to stand slightly apart from the Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas of the world.
My test car was painted in Reflex Silver, which is another name for b-o-r-i-n-g silver. In fact, one of the few complaints I have about the 2011 Jetta is its dull exterior paint colors. They simply don't live up to the fun factor — I believe the technical term is fahrvergnugen — Volkswagen cars are supposed to embody.
The SEL I tested came standard with some upscale features like 17-inch alloy wheels and fog lights. It also included power heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals and windshield wipers with heated washer nozzles, both of which came in handy on a couple of cold Colorado mornings. A few other notable niceties include the trunk that pops open automatically, which is nice when your hands are as constantly full as mine are; passenger doors light enough for my 4-year-old to handle; and, a low step-in height that allowed my teeny 2-year-old to get in and out of the car on her own.
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