If there ever was a car that could be termed stoic, apart from a Lada, it would probably be the Volkswagen Jetta. While Europe has seen one in various forms for generations, we have only had it here since the last one made its debut in 2008. I clearly remember going on a drive in Germany and we had the option to sample the TSI engines to some stonking diesels. What we eventually got for our roads in the end was the tried-and-tested 1.9 TDI and the wheezy and dull 1.6 petrol.
There was nothing wrong with the last one – it was well built, went around corners neatly and didn’t look half bad either. Okay, so its engines were a bit of a letdown and then there was its cousin, the exciting Skoda Laura, that felt better to drive and the Chevrolet Cruze that would make a light snack of it in a straight line.
You could say that the Jetta needed some oomph, without losing out on its core identity. And that’s what should have been the brief of the new one, so here you have it, entering the ring yet again with a new pair of gloves, new shoes and a new attitude. Does it make an impression against the other two? We find out.
AM I A LOOKER?
The Jetta is a bit of a hit, bit of a miss on that count. The Vento resemblance factor takes away a lot from the design cues and in a shade like silver, the connection is just too strong. While the nose may be too much of a family look, it’s the overall stance and the way the tail has been given a treatment that makes it look somewhat appealing from the rear three-quarters. The non-LED day-time lights, the smart 16-inch wheels and the strong tail lamps are some of the key highlights of the overall vehicle’s design.
In comparison, the Cruze is more in-your-face. From the very strong front end to the equally strong character line that runs from the head lamps to the tail, the Cruze feels every bit an amalgamation of European and American infuences, as it should. The Laura, in this company, feels a tad underwhelming and we have never been big fans of the fish-eyed headlamps that it received in 2009. Apart from that, the rest of the design is inoffensive and pleasing enough and like the Jetta, it’s the rear three-quarters that are its best profile.
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