Secret small family cars of 2006 - Volkswagen Jetta

On sale: January 2006
Prices: From £14,500

UK buyers have never gone crazy for the saloon version of Volkswagen's all-conquering Golf, but on many foreign shores, the Jetta is Volkswagen's best-selling model.

Having had a number of names in the past for varying national markets, the new Jetta is to be known as such worldwide. The car has been on sale in Germany since June this year, and hits UK forecourts in January.

The Jetta's styling up front uses a chrome grille to set its nose apart from that of the current Golf, while the rear styling borrows heavily from the new Passat. Jetta models will boast more standard equipment than their Golf hatchback equivalents.

The new Jetta is longer, wider and taller than the Bora it replaces, and luggage capacity has also increased by 72 litres to 527 litres. To offset the lack of hatchback flexibility loved by British buyers, the backrests of the rear seats can be folded almost flat to extend cargo space right up to the front seats.

With the omission of the Golf range's 1.4-litre petrol engine, the entry-level Jetta comes with the 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI engine. Otherwise, the engine choices for the Jetta are identical to those of the Golf, with two other petrol engines, and two diesels. The 197bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre unit from the current Golf GTI will be offered in the Jetta, but won't be badged GTI.


For more details on the What Car? 100 Secret Cars of 2006 and Beyond, see the latest issue of What Car? magazine, on sale now.