After the USA , Europe is also getting the new Volkswagen Jetta sedan, with prices starting from €20,900, equal (but not comparable due to different taxation policies etc) to US$28,984 with the current exchange rates.

Even though the Jetta is the best-selling European car in the U.S. with up to 110,000 examples sold annually, the compact sedan's predecessors haven't really enjoyed the same success across the pond. However, the German automaker hopes that the new generation of the model will prove more appealing to European buyers.

"Never before has a Jetta had this much sports appeal, this much fuel efficiency or this large a size," Volkswagen says in the press release.

We don't know about the visual appeal, but measuring 4.64 m (182.6 inches) in length, the new Jetta is indeed longer than its predecessor 4.55 meters or 179.1 inches). The added length results in a 6.7 cm (2.64 inches) gain in legroom.

Furthermore, the Germans tried to make all that new found space as pleasant as they could. That means that even the entry-level model, the Trendline, has plenty of equipment meant both to serve and protect. You get, among other things, climate control, dust and pollen filters, height-adjustable driver's seat, multifunctional display, electrically adjustable and heated mirrors, six airbags, Hill Climb Assist, ABS and ESP.

Comfortline ups the ante with mild exterior chrome accents, 16-inch alloy wheels, 8-way adjustment of driver and front passenger seats, a more capable radio-CD system and Park Pilot. While you might think that behind this fancy name resides an automated parking system, it's not exactly true. All that Park Pilot does is to lower the passenger side mirror, so you see the curb better.

Highline is the trim level that really tries to convince you that your hard-earned cash was well spent. Beside incorporating all the features offered by Trendline and Comfortline, the flagship version really brings on the bling-gun. The alloys are bigger (17 inches), there's chrome everywhere – around the air intake, on the side of the windows – and you also get cornering lights and a cleaning system for them. There's even a Winter Pack, boasting heated front seats and windscreen, alongside the more efficient Climatronic climate control.

Under the hood, with the exception of the 200HP 2.0-liter TSI unit, it's more about fuel-efficiency than gung-ho performances. The 1.6 TDI four-pot, capable of 105 hp (77 kW), will certainly get most of the attention in Europe, given that it only needs 4.2 liters of fuel per every 100 kilometers (56 mpg US). The second diesel option is the 2-liter 140 hp (103 kW) variant.

On the petrol front, the 2.0 TSI is joined by a 1.2 TSI engine (105 hp) and a 1.4 TSI, the latter delivering 122 (90 kW) or 160 hp (118 kW).

By Csaba Daradics

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