[aseem]

Jetta MK6 has joined my garage. I am wee bit excited, have some new car butter flies, have probably spent more then I wanted too, but in the end I ended up with a Jetta which never figured in my car search initially. Have you ever had a feeling where you outgrow a car or a segment without even owning a car of that budget? That has what happened to me during my search that left me dejected, depressed and really hoping that the Indian Car Scene improve.

Finally I settled for a Jetta... (but more on this later).

It all began in June when I ended up with an offer to relocate to Bangalore which I couldn't resist. The new Fiesta (2012) was almost 2 and a half years old and I had the car bug in my stomach and the itch had started to buy a new car. I loved the Fiesta very much. Although it had poor interiors, cramped rear, but boy was it fun to drive. Putting many cars above its segment to shame. Unfortunately Fiesta was considered a segment lower then City and average Joe really couldnt understand why I had sold the City (ANHC) V-AT (2010) to buy the Fiesta. As 99% of the people have "driven" the Fiesta (what a shame!).

But my heart secretly wanted a new car.

I convinced myself that there is no point paying the road tax (exorbitantly high) in Bangalore and just buy something new when I land. So with a heavy heart I decided to sell the Fiesta. Since I was not desperate, I ended up with quite a good offer from an end customer & sold my car.

I had a tear in my eye when I sold my Fiesta and not many cars can do that.

Fiesta:


I began the process of shortlisting cars. The list was varied to say the least is an understatement. But like everyone wanted to test drive everything available. I considered X1 to Polo TSi in my journey and drove cars like Audi A4, got invited to GLA events, officially launched Ciaz. Went half crazy and made my whole family crazy as well. Here is how it all began... the journey!

Honda City:

Well I had the 2010 AT City which was my first big car. At that time I was not that much aware of things like handling, turbo charging, or how important torque is. I was into specs, considered myself fairly knowledgeable and was bowled by the big car feel that City offered over my Swift.

However after a few months I realized that the car was not a "drivers" car. It under steered, the engine was noisy at high revvs, the torque converter gearbox was sluggish and on top the petrol prices kept rising. I invested a lot in the car, changed the music system, upgraded tires, but never got a smile while driving the car. You can drive it fast, but the car doesn't inspire confidence or keeps you planted.

However middle class (including myself) are obsessed with Honda. It offers solid reliability and gives you the executive image. I missed that in Fiesta. So I went and gave the 2014 City a look. Wife was impressed with a gazillion features and the fact that it was at lower end of our budget which at this point was 15-16 lakhs. It had all the features one could wish for and more. The quality was a bit tacky, tires were skinny, but boy o boy isn't it loaded.

So I decided to TD the diesel and I was impressed. Then came the i-Vtec as I wanted to go for an auto (preferably in a City like Bangalore) and the car failed to impress me. Maybe I am used to the torque of the diesels, but wow, no matter what spec sheet says, its difficult to extract power from this engine. I seriously believe its the most over-rated engine on TBHP.

Still things progressed until I test drove the CVT at Magnum Honda and things just went downhill from there. The initial response was great (compared to the older torque converter) but if you floor the pedal, all you get is sound, all go no show, the rubber band effect comes into play (this is the first time I realised what people meant by this effect). It reminded me why I sold my City in the first place and went for Fiesta (a decision that no one but only a TBHPian would understand). To summarise...

Pros:
-Honda Badge has an aspirational value in India
-Loaded to the "T"
-Quite spacious and big car feel

Cons:
-Quality of plastics has gone down over the previous generation
-Too many gimmicks like capacitive AC
-Horrible resolution music system that looks odd in a large glossy dash
-Horrible CVT with rubber band effect
-Not a drivers car per se. Lacks the European feel of being "planted"

So on a somber note & remembering why I sold my City in first place, I let this one go.

Polo TSI

If I didn't live in the world I live in I would have bought this car home. However just couldn't convince my family, they recommended a big car, wife already had the Polo & no one, no one would know what TSI or DSG meant except the very few. I drove this car, though there is an initial lag, but boy oh boy, this car is a totally different animal with DSG gearbox. It can be more fun than Audi A4, and I mean what I say as I test drove the Audi A4. I am not talking features, safety, braking or handling. I am just talking fun, this car is FUN, period!

However there are no perfect lunches. Wife had a big no, mom & dad too were not convinced of why I wanted a Polo. If I could, this would be my wife's next car (that I can drive as well ) but she has her eyes set on the EcoSport as her next upgrade from Polo Tdi 1.2 that she currently drives. In short...

Pros:
-Fun revving engine with quick speed DSG
-Sweet sounding engine at high revs

Cons:
-Little demarkation from Normal Polo
-Cramped rear (can't take baby seat with ease)
-Cramped boot (after subwoofer)
-Brakes don't inspire confidence
-Neutral handling not like Fiesta (softly sprung at rear)
-No one would know you are driving a 10 lakh car (folks prefer Vento isntead)
-Notorious reliability of the 7 speed DSG

So I moved to cars in the D segment. The first stop was Toyota Corolla & second stop was Skoda Octavia. After looking at the Skoda me and wife forgot about Toyota however she kept reminding me of Skoda horror stories.

Skoda Octavia:

Ok so the car had everything going for it. It had the interiors that give your feel of the A4, its spacious, based on newest MQB platform, is lighter then Jetta, torque kicks in lower and goes higher. In short, I fell in love with this car. I convinced myself that I would go for the extended warranty and cover all the risks associated with Skoda. Had arguments with fellow BHPians that Skoda is improving etc. etc. all the while convincing myself that this is the car for me.

Since I couldn't afford 24 lakh OTR (I mean I could but not on an Octavia as I had a mental block coming from Delhi where cars are much cheaper and you can't associate more then 15 lakhs to an Octavia) so I decided to go with the DSG Ambition at 22 lakh OTR.

I drove the 1.8 TSI as well as the Elegance was 23 lakh OTR Bangalore, but since it had lower torque, I didn't enjoy it as much as the 2.0 TDI (I guess I like torque more). Plus the 1.8 TSI was plagued with poor resale and mileage & fuel qaulity issues. So I went ahead and booked the 2.0 TDI Amibition DSG at Tafe at 22 lakh OTR in August the very first week I arrived in Bangalore.

However I remember I couldnt sleep that night as I kept on working on the excel working out my expenses. Wife was leaving her job, had to rent a house in Bangalore, and the fact that I was alone with I got cold feet. I cancelled my booking the very next day.

The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that buying a Skoda would be a risky proposition from an aftersales, resale & outright cost standpoint. The fact that Skoda later increased prices by further 50k made me never look at the car again. I can still safely say, as a car, and simply as a car, it probably is one of the best vehicles out there. But then we just don't buy the car do we? (more on this later).

Another factor against Skoda was that the Ambition variant doesn't get DRL's which make the car drool worthy. The standard headlamps are downright cheap and belong to a much lower category.

A quick note, Skoda dealerships in Bangalore are either cocky or laid back. I mean they showed no urgency in taking my cheque or making me feel special as someone who had booked a 22 lakh rupee car. The experience was "underwhelming".

Pros:
-Joy to drive with planted European feel
-Refreshing interiors both in Ambition and Elegance
-Sunroof
-Huge Boot
-Did I say DSG?
-Based on latest platform with better tuned engine
-Leather seats
-Drool worthy DRL's on the Elegance

Cons:
- Skoda's poor A.S.S
- Horrible Resale Value
- Skoda is considered lower then VW as a brand
- The Ambition variant doesn't get DRL's or Xenon's and the Halogen's are very ugly to look at
- I have a feeling Skoda might close shop in India
- Price hike after price hike
- High handedness or laziness displayed by dealerships

So I parked the thought of buying an expensive car. I thought I would come to a segment below. Never seriously considered the EcoSport although it was always a backup in my mind. The wife loves it too. Kept coming to TBHP and checking car sites for new launches. So much so, that I got my 2nd infraction in 9 years since I have been a member of this forum.

Vento
During this time one of my colleauge bought a Vento TSI but I thought VW skimped just too much on this car. Apart from the gearbox and engine there wasn't really much too offer. The rear tires looked skinny and car looked raised from the rear. So never really seriously considered. They have provided a diesel DSG at a very attractive price point, but with all due respect, too little too late. The competition in this segment is offering a lot more and Vento needs a complete refresh.




Look at the gap between tire and the car...



Along came Polly... the new Ciaz
I read in US that MUL is launching Ciaz. I landed in India and booked the car on 4th September. I was as excited as I was when I had booked my Swift in 2005.



The car was loaded to the "T" being Maruti was extreme value for money. I didn't hesitate 1 second in putting down 21,000 Rs. Then the wait began. During this time I kept reading its reviews daily, participating in forums, having discussions convincing myself this is the car for me.

I mean its big, has the space, decent interiors, terrific resale, diesel will be a little fun (*hoping*).... I just kept convincing myself.

I quickly realised, that even though I didn't care about the brand, the world, including fellow BHPians, my wife and family did. They just couldn't phantom MUL making a big car.

I realise its all about branding. If tomorrow cheap brand shoes says they have made better shoes then Nike at 3/4 the price, people may not go for cheap brand as the brand that Nike has built is enormous.

The wait just went on and on.... A terrible strategy by Maruti to pre-launch the car without putting it in dealerships without launching the car for months. The hype and excitement in me just died in me and I moved on...

So I started looking at D segment again. This time I was looking at Corolla.

Corolla


Toyota is the exact opposite of Skoda Octavia. Its reliable, inexpensive to maintain, and absolutely "no" fun in the sense its more of a point A to a point B in comfort. I was evaluating the G AT model as I simply couldn't digest spending 21 lakhs OTR on a petrol Corolla. The G-AT was 18.5 OTR with no discounts. During this time they kept showing me the V model for the test drive and in the display. I test drove the car and was happier in the automatic then the manual. Coupled with fact that the CVT is super quick and more efficient then manual made me lean towards G-AT.

But one day my friend and I saw the JS model and we were shocked with quality of cheap plastic (beige and black) on the door trim. Corolla was a "mind" decision and it was not exciting me. I mean I was buying it caz it was "safe". But rarely do we buy cars that don't excite us. Final nail in coffin was when I took my dad and mom and showed them the G-AT at the showroom. They said its like a big City and if you want to buy this, please buy the Ciaz instead and save some money. The 15" tires and alloys looked skinny and even after spending 19 lakhs you didn't get leather seats or for that matter even leatherette. For a 20 lakh rupee car it doesnt get dual zone climate control, rear ac vents, has old naturally aspirated petrol engine, diesel engine...(mmm lets just skip it), the digital clock in the interiors looks cheap, and the door trip is from a segment lower.

So all my plans to play safe were ruled out by my family and I was back to square one....

Pros
- Toyota's realibility
- Toyota's after sales
- Toyota's resale
- V model is externally appealing

Cons
- Old naturally aspirated engine petrol is unappealing
- Diesel is outright not even worth considering and only aimed at taxi operators or chauffeur driven
- Poor tacky interior plastics in places like door handles, digital clock
- Poor kit in G model
- Expensive for what it offers
- Safe but "unexciting"...

To be continued...

Other cars considered were BMW 1 Series and BMW X1. There were very tempting discounts on the X1 but I was more inclined on the 1 series if it had similar discounts (as space in Bangalore is at a Premium). The dealers on the other hand were not interested in selling the 1 Series. I mean they kept pushing X1 with almost 10 lakh rupees discount. It seems they imported too many kits in 2013 and are disposing them off.

BMW X1:

Even though I couldn't muster the courage to go for this, my friend who accompanied me to the showroom did. I did evaluate it so I thought I would still pen down my feelings about the car. The base X1 doesn't come with I-drive, doesn't come with xenon's or sunroof.

The steering is hard (typical BMW), so is a suspension, the start stop system takes like 2 tenths of second to wake up when you are at a stoplight and press gas. The car gives you a lot of snob value, right from the keychain to the bragging rights that come with owning a Bimmer.

However if you look purely at the car, its getting a little old, its not a looker and the interiors are basic. Ok you do get driver and passenger side seats with electric assist (did I tell you I secretly craved for this feature) the music systems sounds good, its got 17 inch alloys and gives you an entry into the exclusive BMW club. At 31 lakhs with BMW secure this was way higher then my initial budget I had set out for the car. Do remember I had sleepless night after booking Skoda at 22... imagine the countless sleepless nights I would have had if I had to sell out 30.

But like all things in life there is the good with the bad. The car doesn't get leather seats, no parking display or aids (except audible sensors) in Base Model, the seats don't have a lot of contours, the wood on the dash is slightly dated, there is no display on the car in base model. And most importantly something that I noticed. The gearbox takes a while to get going from the get go. I mean floor the pedal, nothing happens, count 1... 2... and then ready steady PO!

The car shoots of and then there is no lag in the gearbox. You get feeling of being pinned to the seat although not quite in Pontiac category, but you are planted and the drive is exhilarating. Long story short...

Pros:
- Most people cant get over the feel good factor of the badge to even realise what are the things that are missing (even Ciaz has them)
- High ground clearance makes it practical for our roads
- Solid mechanical package with rear wheel drive
- Did I say you get the badge and oodles of attention
- Extremely funky gearshift or more like a plane joystick

Cons:
- Pricey to buy and own even though BMW Secure takes away lot of the tension
- Lot of goodies missing in base model
- Seats don't look that great in terms of shape
- Expensive spares in case things go wrong
- Steering a little too hard for my liking
- Road undulations felt in the car
- The fact that you drive extra safe and cautious that no one scratches your car

I haven't mentioned that during my parents visit to Bangalore, before showing them the Corolla I did stop buy to show them the Jetta. There were few discounts on offer as the 2015 Jetta with revised front grill, newer flat bottom steering, minor interior tweaks and rear tail lights (like A4) is in the offing. The changes are comsetic in nature like the old Yetti and the new Yetti so essentially you get more or less the same car minus few features and end up saving 2-3 lakhs. (More on discount breakup later).

But my parents instantly liked the Highline version of the car. My father said he loved the Xenon's like the Audi's (he is not informed about cars, but his comment left a mark on me). Perhaps this was the reason they didn't like Corolla G-AT parked in showroom after seeing the Jetta. All this while I had never really seriously considered Jetta as one of my friend had a Comfortline and compared to Octavia the interiors were dated (more like a grown up Polo) so the critic in me stayed away. Like I said, many times we outgrow a car, without ever owning a car. But this time on a second look, a hard and strong look, I liked the car. I mean the options I had, the Corolla, the Ciaz and the Jetta. It was the most tempting of the choices I had... but still I decided to wait for the Ciaz launch.

Ciaz Unvieled

Attachment 1301714



I have never seen a more mismanaged launch like "evuh". What was MUL thinking, doing the media drives & then not even putting the car in the showroom. Not just me, but I feel almost everyone felt that they themselves shot themselves in the foot. Not only that, they are still not offering test drives?

To be honest when the car was launched I went there to see it. I was the only one at the showroom and made to inaugurate the car

Frankly I had outgrown it even before I saw it as my heart was leaning towards the Jetta and it was not fair to compare it with Ciaz. Yes there is no value in the D segment cars and the moment I buy a big car I loose approximately 8 lakhs. In Ciaz or City you can drive them for years and take a 2-4 lakh rupee depreciation. So buying a C-Semgnt car was practical but what about the fun when you own it? Its like when you go on an expensive vacation do you think about saving money? Its obvious by staying at a cheaper hotel you can save money but hat also hampers your experience doesn't it?

But still I gave Ciaz a look. The design is conservative, specially the front. The interiors though not bad, but in a typical MUL fashion they had put some oil/polish on the dash making it greasy (on a new car... yuck!). Mom liked it as she wanted me to save money (typical mom) but dad gave his frank opinion that it looks like a big "Swift"

That sealed it, I had had enough. I realised when you buy a car, you just don't buy a car, you buy a "badge" as well. And MUL needs to really work on their branding. Coupled with the fact that unlike Swift which was revolutionary in its time, the Ciaz was a "safe" effort by MUL and not something that appealed to heart.

I didn't even objectively analyse the car and didn't even get to drive it, but still the pros & cons:

Pros
- Unlike D Segment cars excellent resale
- Got lots of features
- Loaded with features
- Rear 3 quarters look good
- Big boot

Cons:
- Be prepared to be looked down upon by your Vento friends even if you are spending as much as them
- Part sharing with Swift Ertiga in interiors (not a good thing)
- Odd looking, non aggressive, Balenoish front stuck on a City's back
- Lacks character (subjective)

I had never been so happy in rejecting a car as I knew rejecting this meant that I had only 1 option left... The Jetta. But this decision too was not easy as I had to choose between waiting for 2015 model, or take discounted 2014 Jetta & choose between Comfortline and Highline DSG.

Jetta



As I grow older I have seen in last few years my risk taking ability has actually gone down then going up vis-a-vis my salary. The fact that Bangalore was a new City and my wife just quit her job to move here made me more conservative then I generally am. But there were a few things that help me made this decision. A few statements that left a lasting impression on me during my decision making process:

- Even Vijay Mallya (no offence) doesn't know where he will be next year. So don't think too much.
- You should either play safe (like Ciaz) or go with your heart (Jetta). But don't compromise on something like a Corolla in the middle.
- Yes D Segment cars loose out on value. But think of the years you will drive and enjoy it.
- You critique cars, have this knowledge, always have opinions, now if you buy a Ciaz how seriously would ppl take your advise?

Now I know some of these points sound quite cheesy, but at the decision making point, these did give me the "justification" I wanted to take a leap.

I realised that badge plays a crucial role in decision making process. I now know why few folks here chose Jetta over Octavia. I used to think ppl are crazy spending 23 lakhs on a Jetta but now I know why... but the choice was not easy.

So then came the tricky part. There was significantly higher discount on the Comfortline MT (Petrol & Diesel) then on the Highline AT as only handful of models were left. The difference:

Petrol Comfortllne MT: 17 Lakh OTR
Diesel Comfortline MT: 18 Lakh OTR
Diesel Highline AT: 22 Lakh OTR

Sweet Jesus! Such a huge difference. To make matters worse I contact Harsha (GM) at Mysore VW dealership gave me awesome discount. Unfortunately he was out of Highline AT's as when I called him, just 1 day before that he had sold the last of his cars. Having said that I loved few things about the high line (purely heart):

1. Power Seats (I have a fetish)
2. Drool worthy bi-xenon's
3. DSG
4. Those sexy looking Atlanta Alloys
5. RCD 510 given that Comfortline comes with same head unit as Polo
6. 8 Speakers as opposed to 4 in Comfortline
7. The fact that Comfortline from front looks too much like Vento
8. Parkotronics (Visual parking aid)

Couple with that I felt that Comfortline looks too much like a grown up Vento. The points mentioned above make Highline standout vs its junior siblings. But this is the first time dad told me to settle for Comfortline. What made matters worse was that Harsha was willing to trade in alloys of Comfortline for Highline at a very reasonable price, give me the Caska or Blankpunt HU. So apart from DRL's and AT I wasn't loosing out on anything and had the potential to save 4-5 lakhs.

My friend who owns Comfortline Jetta recommend I go for AT as he regrets having bought a manual every single day. Even Harsha from VW Mysore himself told me to go with DSG even with lower discounts. He recommended not to go with Elite (whose pre-sale experience was not good with me) even though Elite had a Black Highline AT which was the colour I preferred and they were cheaper then Palace Cross by approximately 15k. But Harsha's selfless advise (thanks to him) and motivation & encouragement made me chose what my heart always wanted. Money & practicality be damned. And everytime I am stuck in Bangalore traffic I would be happy I had an AT. So that was it..

I just went ahead and threw caution to the wind. The fact the the "last" VW Jetta 2014 Highline AT was left at Palace Cross in Tempest Blue made me hurry up and grab it before it left.

Why this urgency, why not wait for 2015. Cause we are instinctive creatures and by nature impatient. In addition I got close to 1 lakh rupee discount. Couple this with fact that 2015 Jetta with cosmetic changes would cost more like the Yetti. I save good 1.5 Lakh Rupees and sealed the deal at 22.57 OTR.

Now at 24-25 Lakh OTR for new Jetta 2015 it becomes tantalisingly close to BMW X1 territory and there is no comaprision between the 2 in terms of badge. And given the Jetta is slightly dated then Octavia but at the price of Ambition DSG I got the Highline AT of VW... The VW has the following things going for it over the Ambition Octavia:

1. Better Brand Image and Resale Value*
2. Better After Sales Support
3. I got the top model for price of middle model which gave me DRL's
4. Independent multilink suspension at the rear
5. More solidly built
6. Power seats (my fetish)

So I decided to take the plunge before the last car was sold... I got the last highline AT in Bangalore. Ppl brag about being first to own an iPhone I brag about being the last!

[aseem]

Since there is no official review at TBHP for Jetta 2014 and the new Jetta 2015 along the corner... I think I should take a shot at reviewing the 2014 Jetta.

The 2014 Jetta got the following features over the 2013 Jetta:

1. DRL's with bi-xenon's
2. Atlanta Alloys on the Highline
3. Dual Zone Climate Control
4. The Highline went from 8 Airbags to 6 Airbags
5. Power adjustable driver seat with lumbar support

Exteriors:

This is a poor man's Audi A4 from the side profile, engine, and driving feel. The car in its Comfortline Avataar looks more like a grown up Vento, but the Highline Version with DRL's & Bi-Xenon's is a looker from the front as well.





The shark fin antenna, and long wheel base make the car a looker from the side. The rear is much more mature and grown up. Typical VW in every form.



The bi-xenon's remind me of A-Class. Turn the car on, they go up and down, right left, wow an amazing feeling.





The car is truly an understated beauty. Its not too much in your face, its a timeless design that just grows on you kind of like me..



Interiors:
The interiors are truly german in character. I could appreciate a wee bit more chrome but they are so well built together that it feels like they can last a very long time.



The doors close with a typical VW thud, finding a good driving position is easy thanks to the electronically adjustable drivers seat.



Coming to the seats, their shape would make X1 look cheap. They are very good looking with lot of under thigh, back and shoulder support.



The RCD510 comes with front and rear parking sensors along with 8 speakers. Music quality is decent (average plus) but the parkotronic feature is a boon specially as it has both front and rear sensors. No need to get out of the car when parking in tight spaces.



Even the faux wood has gorn on me. If anything, they could add a wee bit more flare to the interiors. But definitely from the armrest to the steering their is a big car feel.

Coming to the steering, even though it looks like Vento, its very different from Vento's steering. It has better shape, and holding grip plus is a wee bit thicker.

The boot is fairly large even though unlike Octavia the access could be a wee bit wider.




About the drive:
Drive Jetta sedately and press the pedal and you immidiately realise the 140 horses and 300+nm of torque is waiting to unleash.

Take her on a highway and floor the throttle and it responds. It doesnt feel fast though, no pinning in your seat, no sounds like Polo/Vento TSi, but one look at the speedo and you realise its insane the speeds you can do in the car.

But despite the speed, despite the fact that almost 90% of cars are in your rear view mirror, the car, doesn't feel "FAST".

Why?

1. Well the suspension for starters, absolute gem, isolates you from the world.
2. The well insulated cabin, I mean its so quite that you dont realise the speeds you are doing.
3. The engine is quite, it doesnt make any noise.

To put it in prespective, a Go-Kart at 40kmph feels faster then a car doing 100kmph right. In similar terms the Jetta at 100 kmph feels like its doing 40kmph. You just dont feel the speed you are doing. Period!

The handling is league ahead of anything at this price backet. Since the car is heavier then the Octavia, and has a multi-link rear, it handles way better then the Octavia.

But if its purely fun you are looking at, the Fiesta for me was still more fun to drive then the Jetta. The car begs a remap, but then again, like I said, the speeds this car can do are insane, so maybe no remap (plus fact that German cars are nightmare to repair).

The DSG even though 6 speed is quicker to respond then the gearbox in BMW X1.

The car is definitely slower then the Octavia but not by much. Where it gains is that it isolates you from noise, feels more composed or solid. Its no slouch when it comes to power, but it won't pin you to your seat. The new 2015 Jetta comes with 150 bhp so it would be even more fun. But there is nothing that a remap won't fix but won't this void my warranty? Will the dealership figure out?

Solid. Yes "solid" is a word that comes to mind again and again when you think of Jetta.

Niggles/Issues:
1. DRL's have moisture inside (need to take to SA) on Day 1
2. Someone banged into rear bumper gave me 1000 Rs for whatever its worth (minor scratch)
3. Sometimes in rain when closing mirrors only 1 mirror closes and mirrors refuse to open, keep rotating the button and they open (the car had mirror control plastic open when I took delivery so maybe some issue with loose cables)

Conclusion:

I remember booking a Vento in Tempest Blue colour in 2012 but now I got its elder brother in 2014 in the same colour. I am not like very much in love with the car like in Fiesta, but I am a little excited, definitely way more excited then what I would have been had I bought the Corolla. I am also happy that I bought the top model even though CL offers most value.

Lastly now when I comment on a thread that City doesn't handle well or Vento is softly sprung, I would not be accused of being a biased Ciaz owner

Pros:
- Amazing ride quality, handling and suspension
- Well insulated cabin
- Extremely refined engine with enough oomph to keep your boy racer satisfied
- DSG gearbox boon in traffic jams (I am looking forward too them)
- A Car that makes you plan road trips that I wouldn't have otherwise planned
- DRL's that make me feel like I own a poor man's Audi
- Amazing seats that are drool worthy
- Atlanta alloys are really awesome
- My "biggest" car yet... and no its not a "caaaaar"

Cons:

- The interiors have too much in common with Polo
- Slower then the Octavia
- Average plus music system (first impression more on this later)
- DSG is overpriced by at least 2 lakhs. I feel the new Jetta may come with DSG in comfort line
- It could use Polo's horn



Got the delivery of the car yesterday...

This is a poor man's A4:



But from the side and the rear its a looker. I was drooling over the DRL's and flashing lights (sorry) to flaunt a little.

Few observations from first drive:

1. From side the car looks like A4, my neighbour intact congratulated me for buying an A4
2. Its really refined and silent inside the cabin
3. Am not changing her shoes as terrible buyback in Bangalore. Perilli P7's costing 12k after exchange. Might as well use the NCT5 for a year and buy new P7's for 30k.
4. Music quality is decent, not bad at all, but I am used to a woofer
5. It gives you a feeling that you are driving a big car or a luxury car. At least to me its a poor man's Audi
6. I hate driving so consciously
7. DSG is a boon in Bangalore traffic. I mean I am so glad I put the money for the automatic
8. We were so excited yesterday. Really very happy with the new car feeling.

I seriously feel that buying Highline version was the right thing as I am getting the full experience of buying a Jetta without compromise.

Special thanks to TBHP for making this happen!

Here are some pictures:

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[ortho_surgeon]

Congrats on your new vehicle.

You have summarised the pros and cons very well.

The Jetta is get car to drive, but please don't consider the resale value. Enjoy the car as of now.


You rightly pointed that the Skoda has a better resale value than VW. But in Bangalore and even in Kerala the resale value for a VW vehicle is low, as people associate the brand with higher maintenance costs.

[etrast75]

Congrats.. The second tempest blue in bangalore after mine. You will love the AT in bangalore traffic.. I am a way more relaxed driver driving the AT than the MT.

[ajaypjayaraj]

Congratz mate! Great car and great choice of color too! Thanks for putting up a review. Wish you lots of fun rides and trouble free miles on your new machine.

[shan_ned]

Congrats !!! The review was good. The narration was too good that few of the guys who are going for Vento may think a little bit and get tempted about pushing themselves towards Jetta after reading your post.

A couple of weeks, I was returning back from Goa to Bangalore and I was driving at a moderate speed. Suddenly I saw a car zooming past me like a rocket and it disappeared in a matter of few seconds. The car which overtook was so fast and even my father was caught by surprise about the manner in which the car passed by. In fact I haven't seen any such brutal overtakes by any car. Within few secs after that, I approached a toll plaza and there I found that car standing in front of my car. It was Jetta ... Then I thought what the hell this car is

Anyway I hope you drive your Jetta within a safe speed limit and enjoy it's cruising abilities. I wish you safe and happy driving.

[Amarendranath]

Aseem,

Heartiest congratulations on getting the JET. I had an eye out for your thread. Beautiful shade as well. Take it from me, the shade grabs a lot of eye balls. Enjoy the attention. Those Atlanta's surely look hot as hell.

I did notice the same niggle with the ORVM's. Let's hope an update may fix this bug. Also you may notice a few bugs with the audio system.

Wishing you miles of safe and niggle free ownership. I don't have to comment on the car. Hands down, the best poor man's Audi out there.

[iliketurtles]

Well well well, isn't this a surprise! Congrats on the new car Aseem, you've made a great choice. I'm slightly caught off guard to see you go with the Jetta, as I felt you'd go with the Octavia but then that decision between the two of them is a hard one to make. They both have their advantages.

Your buying decision really went high and low, but in the end I think you've made a very sensible decision. The Jetta, as someone else pointed out, is the starting point of the true VW experience.

As for a remap, it will only be an issue if you take the car in for an engine related warranty claim. In the course of a regular VCDS scan it simply won't be an issue. I myself fully intend to remap the car to 180 horses after a year or two, just want to enjoy the stock car to the fullest.

The trouble with the car as I see it though is that a 3 series of A4 doesn't represent that big a jump up. But for the time being, enjoy your Jet. May you enjoy miles of smiles behind the wheel!

[coolboy007]

Congrats on your Jetta Aseem, looks super good in the tempest blue shade and am glad you chose highline, for me Jetta is not a Jetta if one goes for the CL or TL. I had a feeling that you would not be happy with the Ciaz after driving Fiesta around for so long but its good that you jumped a segment up and went for this car. Am also planning to upgrade from my Vento in another year and Jetta seems a practical choice, just wish the interiors had some flare, they are a wee bit boring compared to Octavia. Recently got the facelifted Fiesta home and as you say its one heck of a car to drive around corners

How cumbersome is it to drive around city? Size wise, it is a big jump from Fiesta and one does have new car jitters trying to save your car from bikes etc? How is the all round visibility? Polo/vento have such a high dashboard and that obstructs visibility, had a drive in Octavia and found it perfect.

[aseem]

Originally Posted by ortho_surgeon

Congrats on your new vehicle.

You have summarised the pros and cons very well.

The Jetta is get car to drive, but please don't consider the resale value. Enjoy the car as of now.

You rightly pointed that the Skoda has a better resale value than VW.

Thanks. I factored in 8 lakhs loss in 1 year resale so I think I should be good to go. I feel Skoda's have poorer resale compared to VW as I have a hunch by the way things are going that Skoda may "close" shop in India. I maybe wrong though.

Originally Posted by etrast75

Congrats.. The second tempest blue in bangalore after mine. You will love the AT in bangalore traffic.. I am a way more relaxed driver driving the AT than the MT.

Thanks. My car driving pattern has changed. Caution, caution, caution and then when you get a free stretch... zoom!

Originally Posted by ajaypjayaraj

Congratz mate! Great car and great choice of color too! Thanks for putting up a review.
Wish you lots of fun rides and trouble free miles on your new machine.

Thanks, fingers cross hoping for a happy outcome.

Originally Posted by shan_ned

Congrats !!! The review was good. The narration was too good that few of the guys who are going for Vento may think a little bit and get tempted about pushing themselves towards Jetta after reading your post.

Anyway I hope you drive your Jetta within a safe speed limit and enjoy it's cruising abilities. I wish you safe and happy driving.

Like I said the car is "FAST" but the way it develops speeds, it doesn't "FEEL" fast. Its rather laid back. What an anomaly!

Originally Posted by Amarendranath

Aseem,

Heartiest congratulations on getting the JET. I had an eye out for your thread. Beautiful shade as well. Take it from me, the shade grabs a lot of eye balls. Enjoy the attention. Those Atlanta's surely look hot as hell.

The colour reminds ppl of BMW and yes, its really a looker. The car's worst angle is front dead on... maybe 2015 with Passat like Bumper will fix it. But when viewed from rear or side, its a LOOKER!

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Well well well, isn't this a surprise! Congrats on the new car Aseem, you've made a great choice. I'm slightly caught off guard to see you go with the Jetta, as I felt you'd go with the Octavia but then that decision between the two of them is a hard one to make. They both have their advantages.

Yes, Jetta never figured in my initial hunt. But some temptation on discounts, and the fact that I was put off by way Skoda is doing business in India. I had to go down this route. As really so limited options in D segment. Either stretch to 30 or you are limited to Corolla or Elantra that are both not driver's cars. Its expensive no doubt, and you do get odd eyeballs that this guy spent this kind of money on Jetta, but its well worth.

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Congrats on your Jetta Aseem, looks super good in the tempest blue shade and am glad you chose highline, for me Jetta is not a Jetta if one goes for the CL or TL. I had a feeling that you would not be happy with the Ciaz after driving Fiesta around for so long but its good that you jumped a segment up and went for this car. Am also planning to upgrade from my Vento in another year and Jetta seems a practical choice, just wish the interiors had some flare, they are a wee bit boring compared to Octavia. Recently got the facelifted Fiesta home and as you say its one heck of a car to drive around corners

How cumbersome is it to drive around city? Size wise, it is a big jump from Fiesta and one does have new car jitters trying to save your car from bikes etc? How is the all round visibility? Polo/vento have such a high dashboard and that obstructs visibility, had a drive in Octavia and found it perfect.

You drive very cautiously in City. As the car is HUGE in Bangalore traffic. You always hope no one bangs into you, but the Parkotronic is a huge boon for parking. Its the most amazing feature in the car for me. No need for someone to get out and tell me when reversing or forwarding into a tight corner.

On the highway its a totally different animal.

Thanks everyone for the wishes. Video review coming up TBHP exclusive!

[arvi86]

Originally Posted by aseem

Jetta MK6 has joined my garage.

Hearty Congratulations aseem! I have got to say that the Jetta looks every inch the perfect sedan to my eyes. Its understated design and sheer elegance would make it a timeless classic in years to come. Wishing you several years and miles of happy ownership.

P.S: The Tempest Blue shade is awesome too!

Originally Posted by aseem

I had a tear in my eye when I sold my Fiesta and not many cars can do that.

I agree, the Fiesta is such a brilliant car. Yet again, Ford had to swallow failure for no fault of its own, which is so disappointing.

Originally Posted by aseem

Coupled with the fact that unlike Swift which was revolutionary in its time, the Ciaz was a "safe" effort by MUL and not something that appealed to heart.

I had a sneak peek at the Ciaz and the fact is this is Maruti-Suzuki's most ambitious attempt yet in cracking the mid-size segment. The Baleno was bland, the SX4 was half-hearted but the Ciaz offers in plenty what majority of customers in the mid-size segment want. But you made a right decision not going for it as the Ciaz is anything but an upgrade from the Fiesta.

[zombiedriver]

Congratulations on the new ride. I actually understand your confusion about deciding which car to move to especially after owning a fiesta. I owned a fiesta myself and I completely agree that it's a super fun car to drive. I'm in a similar predicament as you were in, I drive the ANHC A/T right now and in my search for an upgrade have tried almost every car you considered including the X1. I was very close to picking one up just because of the tempting discounts on it. But then I realized the jetta was more VFM than the X1. I've had to delay my purchase due to some personal reasons but I'm looking forward to the 2015 jetta.

[rattanw]

Congratulations Aseem. Great choice I must say. It must be a relaxed feeling now after months of going up and down with the varied choices available. I always thought you were going to buy a ciaz, sorry for being presumptive but I got that impression from your earlier posts in the ciaz launch thread.

Now that your task of buying a new car is over, you must be feeling that vacuum having lot of free time on your hands, spend it well enjoying the comforts of your new car I bet!

[rutvij]

Heartiest congratulations for your new wheels.

At a first glance it seems that car market in India has matured and you have many choices but when you really are in a market you realise that the choices are very limited particularly in D segment. I am sure you have taken the right decision. I am in the same dilemma and I must say you have inspired me to go for it. Eagerly waiting for 2015 Jetta...