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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan Bottom Line

November 7, 2008

By Marty Padgett's avatar Marty Padgett, Executive EditorMarty Padgett

The car experts at TheCarConnection.com studied a wide range of road tests of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta to write this conclusive review. TheCarConnection.com’s editors also drove the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta and have added driving impressions and details, where they help you to sort through other opinions and to choose your perfect car.

Likes:

  • Interior room and quality
  • Sharp handling in GLI edition
  • Dual-clutch transmission
  • Coming diesel version

Dislikes:

  • Japanese styling
  • Dull five-cylinder acceleration
  • Features omitted, not added

Buying Tips:


The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta family grows in 2009 with the addition of a Sportwagen version and a diesel engine option. Expectations are high for the diesel, as VW estimates it could get up to 50 mpg on the highway. Jetta Sportwagen diesels and GLI sedans are the cream of this German crop.

The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is in its third year on the market in its current body style. With a range of five-cylinder and turbocharged four-cylinder engines, a sport version, and wagon and diesel versions on tap for late 2008, the Jetta offers a sportier alternative to the compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, GM, and Ford.

With its restyling in the 2006 model year, though, the Volkswagen Jetta adopted a shape that some critics think is too similar to its Japanese competition. Some feel the new Jetta looks too much like a large Toyota Corolla, and not enough like its own crisply European ancestors. The interior, though, is precisely Volkswagen, with sophisticated looks and feel, switches that work smoothly, and grab handles that are well damped.

The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta’s powertrains start mediocre and finish brilliant. The base engine is a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter in-line five-cylinder with 177 pound-feet of torque. It’s a flat performer with either the notchy five-speed manual or the six-speed automatic. Volkswagen’s marvelous 2.0-liter turbocharged four, with 200 hp, is standard on the Jetta GLI, and it can be ordered with the magnificent dual-clutch transmission, easily the most entertaining drivetrain on the new Jetta. Fuel economy ranges from 22/29 mpg with the five-cylinder to 21/29 mpg with the turbo four--but a diesel version with up to 50 mpg highway fuel economy arrives at the end of summer 2008.

The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is a roomy sedan, with a tall ceiling. It gives occupants more room to stretch their legs, bodies, and necks than the average compact, and it has a cavernous 16-cubic-foot trunk with fold-down rear seats for even more storage. The 2008 Jetta no longer offers automatic climate control or leather seats, but a sunroof and a premium sound system are options.

All 2008 Volkswagen Jettas feature front side-impact airbags, full-length curtain/head airbags, and anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Electronic stability control is optional on the base and midtrim models, and it's standard on GLI. The Jetta gets four stars from the NHTSA for front-impact protection and five stars for side impacts.

Other Choices:

If you like the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta, also consider:

Reason Why:

The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta bridges the size gap among compact sedans. The Honda Civic is a close competitor, but it’s not as handsome as the Jetta. It does offer a coupe body style, a hybrid version, and a natural-gas drivetrain, as well as a better reputation for reliability. The Ford Fusion has a nicely creased style, available all-wheel drive, and a big V-6 engine. It shares some running gear with the Mazda6, which gets a rounded new style for 2009, as well as a more refined interior.

The Bottom Line:

The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta has great room and a great turbo engine option, though its character’s been diluted a little.

The car experts at TheCarConnection.com studied a wide range of road tests of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta to write this conclusive review. TheCarConnection.com’s editors also drove the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta and have added driving impressions and details, where they help you to sort through other opinions and to choose your perfect car. Likes:Interior room and qualitySharp handling in GLI editionDual-clutch transmissionComing diesel versionDislikes:Japanese stylingDull five-cylinder accelerationFeatures omitted, not addedBuying Tips: The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta family grows in 2009 with the addition of a Sportwagen version and a diesel engine option. Expectations are high for the diesel, as VW estimates it could get up to 50 mpg on the highway. Jetta Sportwagen diesels and GLI sedans are the cream of this German crop. The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is in its third year on the market in its current body style. With a range of five-cylinder and turbocharged four-cylinder engines, a sport version, and wagon and diesel versions on tap for late 2008, the Jetta offers a sportier alternative to the compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, GM, and Ford. With its restyling in the 2006 model year, though, the Volkswagen Jetta adopted a shape that some critics think is too similar to its Japanese competition. Some feel the new Jetta looks too much like a large Toyota Corolla, and not enough like its own crisply European ancestors. The interior, though, is precisely Volkswagen, with sophisticated looks and feel, switches that work smoothly, and grab handles that are well damped. The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta’s powertrains start mediocre and finish brilliant. The base engine is a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter in-line five-cylinder with 177 pound-feet of torque. It’s a flat performer with either the notchy five-speed manual or the six-speed automatic. Volkswagen’s marvelous 2.0-liter turbocharged four, with 200 hp, is standard on the Jetta GLI, and it can be ordered with the magnificent dual-clutch transmission, easily the most entertaining drivetrain on the new Jetta. Fuel economy ranges from 22/29 mpg with the five-cylinder to 21/29 mpg with the turbo four--but a diesel version with up to 50 mpg highway fuel economy arrives at the end of summer 2008. The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is a roomy sedan, with a tall ceiling. It gives occupants more room to stretch their legs, bodies, and necks than the average compact, and it has a cavernous 16-cubic-foot trunk with fold-down rear seats for even more storage. The 2008 Jetta no longer offers automatic climate control or leather seats, but a sunroof and a premium sound system are options. All 2008 Volkswagen Jettas feature front side-impact airbags, full-length curtain/head airbags, and anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Electronic stability control is optional on the base and midtrim models, and it's standard on GLI. The Jetta gets four stars from the NHTSA for front-impact protection and five stars for side impacts. Other Choices:If you like the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta, also consider:Honda CivicFord FusionMazda6Reason Why:The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta bridges the size gap among compact sedans. The Honda Civic is a close competitor, but it’s not as handsome as the Jetta. It does offer a coupe body style, a hybrid version, and a natural-gas drivetrain, as well as a better reputation for reliability. The Ford Fusion has a nicely creased style, available all-wheel drive, and a big V-6 engine. It shares some running gear with the Mazda6, which gets a rounded new style for 2009, as well as a more refined interior. The Bottom Line:The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta has great room and a great turbo engine option, though its character’s been diluted a little. The car experts at TheCarConnection.com studied a wide range of road tests of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta to write this conclusive review. TheCarConnection.com’s editors also drove the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta and have added driving impressions and details, where they help you to sort ...

Other Choices:

The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta bridges the size gap among compact sedans. The Honda Civic is a close competitor, but it’s not as handsome as the Jetta. It does offer a coupe body style, a hybrid version, and a natural-gas drivetrain, as well as a better reputation for reliability. The Ford Fusion has a nicely creased style, available all-wheel drive, and a big V-6 engine. It shares some running gear with the Mazda6, which gets a rounded new style for 2009, as well as a more refined interior.

Next Steps:

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for the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan

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for a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan near you

See the Volkswagen Jetta Sedan in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

Comments (1 total)

  1. By Janine #1, Posted: 9/10/2008

    I'm excited for the new Jetta models!

    I have a 2000 Jetta and I love the 2008 model. I can't wait to trade mine in...VWs have always been a reliable source of transportation for me and I feel safe and cute at the same time!

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