[Y@SH]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

There isn't a dedicated button for Hill Hold, but it's there alright. The car holds its ground for a few seconds courtesy the Hill Hold on inclines.

Im sorry, my confusion, I actually meant the Auto-Hold function. I have it in my Audi and got too used to it. I think All Top Spec automatics should have this feature!
Else Everytime I have to shift to N and apply the hand brake in my city.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Y@SH

Im sorry, my confusion, I actually meant the Auto-Hold function. I have it in my Audi and got too used to it. I think All Top Spec automatics should have this feature!
Else Everytime I has to shift to N and apply the hand brake in my city.

Ah yes. That's something I wished for too, sad that it's missing. Ironically, I heat the Ciaz is being tested with it. Wonder when the D segment will do likewise!

[Zahir]

Originally Posted by Y@SH

Only Zahir would be able to help in this matter.

Yes Yash, the armrest moves forward on the new Jetta. Hope that helps.

[bhaskaracs]

Originally Posted by harryputtar

Hi Vitalstatistiks,
On that count, the best way to figure how safe is a car, is to look at its Euro NCap ratings and trying to understand them. Jetta scores a 5-star safety rating in Euro Ncap, the same ratings for the 2009 Elantra is 3 stars.

Comparing the current Jetta with a 2009 Elantra is inaccurate. The reincarnated Elantra in its fludic mode has a safer and sprightier soul under its hood. It was rated 5 stars in US NCAP ratings if i were to offer a benchmark.

From a Euro NCAp standpoint, the car perhaps never underwent any testing as I didnt find any information on the euro ncap website - some research i did before. At least I didnt come across any.

In the case of an event when one is driving at legible speeds, both cars should protect you equally well on rough terms. That unless someone tells us with conviction and proof that Euro NCAP standards are positively stringent compared to US NCAP.

Having said that, Jetta has got a better badge value for a 20 lakh plus car and looks like a robust vehicle. I would have loved to own one.

[R17]

Originally Posted by bhaskaracs

Comparing the current Jetta with a 2009 Elantra is inaccurate. The reincarnated Elantra in its fludic mode has a safer and sprightier soul under its hood. It was rated 5 stars in US NCAP ratings if i were to offer a benchmark.

From a Euro NCAp standpoint, the car perhaps never underwent any testing as I didnt find any information on the euro ncap website - some research i did before. At least I didnt come across any.

In the case of an event when one is driving at legible speeds, both cars should protect you equally well on rough terms. That unless someone tells us with conviction and proof that Euro NCAP standards are positively stringent compared to US NCAP.

Having said that, Jetta has got a better badge value for a 20 lakh plus car and looks like a robust vehicle. I would have loved to own one.

The Elantra has been tested by the AUS NCAP which is an exact replica of the Euro NCAP (as explained in its doctrine and the fact that ratings for several cars for Aus NCAP are directly lifted from the Euro NCAP with due disclosure) eg for the Peugeot 308:-
http://www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratin...eot/308/7db105

The Euro NCAP is more stringent than the US NCAP - its a 40% offset frontal crash vs a full frontal crash and its at a higher speed (64 km/hr vs 56 km/hr) - both sites explain the differences.
US NCAP: http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shop...r+FAQ#thirteen
Euro NCAP: http://www.euroncap.com/en/vehicle-s...mable-barrier/

That said, the most stringent crash test today is the small overlap crash test of IIHS, also a US regulatory body. Herein, the Jetta trumps the Elantra. Incidentally, most of the biggies eg- Merc C Class, BMW 3 series, Audi A4 etc have fared poorly in the IIHS small overlap test.

Jetta: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/veh...lkswagen/jetta
Elantra: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/veh...yundai/elantra
Merc C: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/veh...rcedes/c-class

So net-net, the Jetta evidently does offer superior crash protection.

[SUPERSPORT]

What would be the best tyre upgradation for the Jetta? My Jetta 2015 HL TDI should be home soon and I have plans to change the tyres to 225/55 R16. I would like to know the pros & cons of such a change. AFAIK the A4 rides on 225 section tyres on 16 inch wheels and looks perfect. The 205/55 goodyears fails to give the Jetta a complete look. Will the ride quality be affected with such a change? What are the options available and how much can I expect for the stock tyres in exchange?

[Zahir]

Originally Posted by SUPERSPORT

What would be the best tyre upgradation for the Jetta? My Jetta 2015 HL TDI should be home soon and I have plans to change the tyres to 225/55 R16. I would like to know the pros & cons of such a change. AFAIK the A4 rides on 225 section tyres on 16 inch wheels and looks perfect. The 205/55 goodyears fails to give the Jetta a complete look. Will the ride quality be affected with such a change? What are the options available and how much can I expect for the stock tyres in exchange?

The Primacy 3st came highly recommended by quite a few members. I just got them installed in the stock size & while its too early to tell, initial impressions are very good. I can barely feel the road. They do come in a 225/55 offering. I was leaning towards Continental but both dealers I spoke to told me clearly that the company support wasn't as good as Michelin. I would say that looks apart and I know that is your criteria, stock in p3sts are pretty good.

Also vw can be pretty finicky about the little things from what I hear so be prepared to contest any denial on suspension warranty since you're moving away from stock sizes.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by SUPERSPORT

What would be the best tyre upgradation for the Jetta? My Jetta 2015 HL TDI should be home soon and I have plans to change the tyres to 225/55 R16. I would like to know the pros & cons of such a change. AFAIK the A4 rides on 225 section tyres on 16 inch wheels and looks perfect. The 205/55 goodyears fails to give the Jetta a complete look. Will the ride quality be affected with such a change? What are the options available and how much can I expect for the stock tyres in exchange?

The right upsize is 225/50 R16. I'm running the same on my Laura. If you want a comfortable and silent ride, with better grip than stock pick up the Michelin P3STs; or for less comfort and outright performance get the Pilot Sport 3s. Of course there are also other tyres available in this size.

Grip is far better in this size, and ride quality is unaffected since the sidewall height is exactly the same as stock.

I would suggest you stick to the above size since 225/55 R16 is a fair amount larger than stock.

[SUPERSPORT]

Originally Posted by Zahir

I would say that looks apart and I know that is your criteria, stock in p3sts are pretty good.

Also vw can be pretty finicky about the little things from what I hear so be prepared to contest any denial on suspension warranty since you're moving away from stock sizes.

Are you sure upgrading tyres can void warranty? If so I will have to think again! Giving away warranty on an expensive VW can be suicidal. They always search for reasons to deny warranty claims.

Originally Posted by akshay1234

The right upsize is 225/50 R16. I'm running the same on my Laura. If you want a comfortable and silent ride, with better grip than stock pick up the Michelin P3STs;

I would suggest you stick to the above size since 225/55 R16 is a fair amount larger than stock.

So seems like P3STs are the best bet. I was thinking 225/55 would be the right upgrade. Thanks for correcting me.

[coolboy007]

Originally Posted by SUPERSPORT

Are you sure upgrading tyres can void warranty? If so I will have to think again! Giving away warranty on an expensive VW can be suicidal. They always search for reasons to deny warranty claims

Yes, the warranty will be void if you upsize the tyres but from what i know, VW cars like Polo, Vento come with a miniscule 6 month/10,000 kms warranty on suspension and brakes. It is as good as non existent if it is the same for Jetta. Check with the company, if it is the same, go for the upsize, if the warranty coverage is 35-40k kms like other brands, stay with stock size.

VW ASC's are too finicky about such things, these vultures even made a comment on my job card that i have after market parking lights fitted in my Vento after seeing the LED there

[Vitalstatistiks]

Ok. Took a test drive of New Jetta and thought I will share my thoughts with forum. It is a very ‘regular joe’ assessment of the vehicle, please don’t expect any technical information. Also, these are my personal views, driven by my requirements and needs and may not necessarily reflect on the vehicle's capabilities or any other person's requirements.

Current steed- Honda Jazz

Requirements-
In one word, upgrade. In two words, proper upgrade.

To elaborate-
Upgrade in terms of size: I was looking for a vehicle that feels substantially bigger when you sit in it. Not necessarily "need to raise my voice to be heard by the passenger" big, but big enough that you think twice before trying to reach out to left side ORVM while sitting in driver's seat. Big enough for 3 adults to sit reasonably comfortably at back. Big enough to not even think about squeezing through tight spaces.

Upgrade in terms of features- Give me all the sweet things I keep reading on team-bhp about. Hill hold assist, GPS navigation, reverse camera, multi touch display etc. Actually, I am not even a stickler for some of these useless features. I should just simple get a feel that I am sitting in a 20+ lakh car. It includes nicer touches like quality of fabric upholstery, auto dimming lights, quality of plastics used etc.

Upgrade in terms of power- While Jazz has a nice, smooth motor, it is a 1.2 litre engine after all. Has a visible lag below 2k rpm. Need a steed that doesn't huff and puff when you hit the gas.

Upgrade in terms of driving mechanism- Again, reference point being Jazz, which is competent but will win no awards for its handling and suspension.

Safety features- While I don't know how helpful something like traction control is, or XYZ detection/ABC systems are, I would be happy if the car is equipped with 6 air bags, ABS and EBD. I would be delighted to be educated by members of this forum to suggest if one should have any other safety features as 'compulsory' on their list while car shopping.

With the above in mind, and high regards for Jetta on the forum, I was sure that Jetta may not be elixir for my requirements but it will match them no other car in this segment (or below). Got a Highline DSG for a test drive and here's how it went:

First view of the stationary car.

Me: 'Is this the new Jetta? Doesn't look like it.'

VW salesman- 'Sir, this is the new Jetta. Excellent build quality, packed with features, equipped with possibly the most powerful engine in its segment blah blah'

Me (thinking to myself): 'Hmm. Yes, the VW logo is not cutting into the bumper. This is the new one. But this doesn't look like a small Passat. It still looks like Vento only. Damn !'

VWSM- 'Sir, let's go for a test drive and I will explain the features after that'

So, off we go. Test driving it initially on a highway.

Me (thinking to myself): This steering feels nice in the hands. Definitely an upgrade, Plus 1 to Jetta. But what's this? Why is the handling so vague? This is like the Jazz only. I was thinking it will be sharp and precise, as Europeans are expected to. Let's test this further, may be it will become heavy with speed.

I floor the pedal, and suddenly realise I am sitting in a diesel vehicle. The engine groan fills my head, though honestly I don't mind it much. Because it is accelerating well. It doesn't push me back in the seat or anything, but it's better than Jazz. Way better. So it ticks the box. But that is to be expected from a 2 litre engine, 140 bhp, so I digressed. We accelerated to feel the steering and handling. To my surprise, it did not inspire the kind of confidence that is otherwise exhibited on this forum about Europeans. The steering was still vague! It did not inspire confidence for quick manoeuvring between vehicles and despite 140 horses breathing fire under the hood, I still hesitated to squeeze between two vehicles while overtaking. Not because of the size, but because I wasn’t sure if the steering will react will react as I needed it to. Sorely disappointed. Was I expecting too much?

After pottering on the highway for sometime, accelerating, overtaking and sudden braking, decided to test the much acclaimed multi-link suspension. Took permission from the sales guys, and drove off the highway on to an unpaved, uneven road full of potholes. Jetta behaved admirably. While it was no sofa on wheels, there were no thuds or sudden crashes.

The ‘eager for feature’ sales guys tried to draw my attention to number of buttons on the dashboard, which honestly I had not paid much attention to so far. Sole focus so far had been on driving mechanics. Honestly, while he continued to sell Jetta’s features thereafter with ‘Saar, parking sensor, Saar fatigue detection, saar sliding armrest’ etc. the car had lost me. If I wanted features, I’d go with Hyundai. But the test drive left me very underwhelmed. And worst part was, the car did not even feel like a big car. The personal space was very much equivalent to what you would see in a B+ segment hatch. And I maintain, a fifth person cannot sit in this car. Just cannot. To fit, even the people’s carriers carry 10 buffalos in one Tata 407 but that cannot qualify to be its capacity.

Overall, I came back extremely disappointed. More for myself than the car, honestly. Because I expected it to blow me away in terms of driving dynamics but it was nowhere near my expectations. Unfortunately, now I am thinking if a Jetta doesn’t tick, then there is no other car in this segment that can…

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by Vitalstatistiks

Overall, I came back extremely disappointed. More for myself than the car, honestly. Because I expected it to blow me away in terms of driving dynamics but it was nowhere near my expectations. Unfortunately, now I am thinking if a Jetta doesn’t tick, then there is no other car in this segment that can…

I think the electric power steering spoiled the dynamics for you. I'm not sure whether your Jazz has electric or hydraulic. Honestly when I first got the Laura, which uses a similar steering setup with similar feel to the Jetta, I too wasn't confident after driving the Accord for years. But you get used to the steering, and then you can explore the dynamics of the car properly. Suggest you take a longer TD, and even TD the Octavia.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Vitalstatistiks

More for myself than the car, honestly. Because I expected it to blow me away in terms of driving dynamics but it was nowhere near my expectations. Unfortunately, now I am thinking if a Jetta doesn’t tick, then there is no other car in this segment that can…

You are not alone. I too had high expectations from the Skoda Yeti's dynamics. The *connected* feel which you get from a Fiat/Ford is missing on the VW/Skoda. Have not driven a BMW, so can't comment on it, but the Audi which I drove, was too similar to the Yeti's feel (steering/suspension behavior).

But Jetta presents a strong case for itself in this segment, especially in Diesel MT avatar.

Did you drive other short listed contenders? Here is something.

[Zahir]

Originally Posted by Vitalstatistiks

Overall, I came back extremely disappointed. More for myself than the car, honestly. Because I expected it to blow me away in terms of driving dynamics but it was nowhere near my expectations. Unfortunately, now I am thinking if a Jetta doesn't tick, then there is no other car in this segment that can…

Originally Posted by akshay1234

I think the electric power steering spoiled the dynamics for you. I'm not sure whether your Jazz has electric or hydraulic. Honestly when I first got the Laura, which uses a similar steering setup with similar feel to the Jetta, I too wasn't confident after driving the Accord for years. But you get used to the steering, and then you can explore the dynamics of the car properly. Suggest you take a longer TD, and even TD the Octavia.

Originally Posted by Sheel

You are not alone. I too had high expectations from the Skoda Yeti's dynamics. The *connected* feel which you get from a Fiat/Ford is missing on the VW/Skoda. Have not driven a BMW, so can't comment on it, but the Audi which I drove, was too similar to the Yeti's feel (steering/suspension behavior).

But Jetta presents a strong case for itself in this segment, especially in Diesel MT avatar.

Did you drive other short listed contenders? Here is something.

The Jetta's eps is targeted toward easy of city driving. With electronic steerings you do loose out on outright feedback but its about getting used to the way the car moves. None the less, its still a very precise steering, just minus the feedback an enthusiast expects but I still think it strikes a balance. High speed stability & mannerisms are very good on the Jetta

Of the 4 cars I have had recently, I found my Audi to be the lightest steering of them all. The Jetta & the i20 follow and the c-class comes in last. I'm so used to the feather touch movements of the q5 that I actually find my Jetta to be a little heavier in comparison especially when turning on the spot to take an opening. All in all, I still find the q5 the easiest to manoeuvre in traffic. In fact, I'm actually going to get the Jetta steering checked up for it's weight because I expected it to be lighter

When I first got the i20 after having driven a swift ddis for years, the light steering really put me off. Fast forward one week and I was blessing the lighter feel. Its just about getting used to the dynamics of the car.

[spyder_p8]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

VW cars like Polo, Vento come with a miniscule 6 month/10,000 kms warranty on suspension and brakes. It is as good as non existent if it is the same for Jetta. Check with the company, if it is the same, go for the upsize, if the warranty coverage is 35-40k kms like other brands, stay with stock size.

VW ASC's are too finicky about such things, these vultures even made a comment on my job card that i have after market parking lights fitted in my Vento after seeing the LED there

Where can i find this information on brakes/suspension warranty. Are they really covered under warranty being parts subject to wear and tear? I haven't seen a separate warranty mention for such parts. The car itself is warranted for 2years/unlimited.

Every ASC is finicky for that matter. Especially when it comes changing electricals.