Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta

Recommended. The new Jetta still won't appeal to middle class family buyers like the evergreen Golf, but it's the best version of the model yet.

Speak to anyone at Volkswagen and they will tell you that the Jetta, with over ten million global sales since its launch in 1979, is an unequivocal success story. But, living in the UK, you'd be forgiven for not instantly recalling the appearance of the five generations previous to this one.

Thanks to a British allergy to small saloons, the Golf-derived model has never been a big hit in this country, and it's North America that accounts for a significant chunk of that impressive sales figure. Nevertheless, Volkswagen is launching the latest car in Europe with renewed vigour following its global debut in New York last summer.

Despite its international appeal, the transatlantic switch adds several noticeable features to the Jetta sold in the States. The cars bound for this continent have been dragged upmarket with multilink rear suspension, electric power steering, a more economical engine line-up and an upgraded interior.

Volkswagen is keen to distance the Jetta from its Golf-with-a-boot reputation and insists that the new model shares no body panels with its hatchback sibling. It's hard to believe that stood in front of the saloon given the omnipresent family nose, but the car is certainly no eyesore. However it actually looks better proportioned than VW's larger saloon, the Passat.

Don't assume that's just the benefit of smaller dimensions either because the Jetta's wheelbase has grown by 70mm over the previous model. This means passengers in the back benefit from a similar increase in legroom, making the car feel conspicuously roomier than a Golf. The boot doesn't disappoint either - its cavernous 510-litre capacity is only 18 litres short of the load space you get in a Ford Mondeo.

The Mexican-built Jetta is available in Volkswagen's familiar S, SE and Sport trim levels, with two petrol engines and two diesels to choose from. The 1.4-litre TSI comes in with two power choices, while there is a 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre diesel unit to choose from, the latter likely to prove the best seller.

The downsized TDI benefits from the automatic start/stop and energy recovery system which comes as part of the manufacturer's Bluemotion Technology badge. These additions help it to a claimed mpg in the high 60s and CO2 emissions under 110g/km.

Those figures might make the Jetta more appealing to the average company car buyer, but the 2.0-litre TDI turns in a better drive behind the wheel thanks to the flexibility afforded by a higher torque figure. The bigger engine, mated to Volkswagen's optional DSG automatic gearbox, is also well-suited to the car's efficient driving style.

It's no surprise that the Jetta subscribes to the predictably grippy, well poised, ultimately unrewarding dynamics that Volkswagen engineers into practically every one of their cars, and it will probably suit the vast majority of buyers. As will the car's tight yet malleable ride quality and a superior sense of refinement.

In fact, the Jetta has so many bases covered - conservative good looks, practicality, economy, affordability - that it surely has a better chance of succeeding in the UK than any of the five models that have preceded it. It's a wonder then that the car still leaves us a little cold.

Without being able to put our fingers on it, the Jetta continues to lack that special something which makes the Golf a chart-topping bestseller. Perhaps that's just the demonstrable British aversion to this type of saloon, but somehow the quality of its constituent parts does not equal a particularly memorable car. That shouldn't stop it finding customers though; it's certainly strong enough to grab the attention of would-be Passat buyers at the local dealership.