In Europe, the VW Jetta is a fading memory. The first models with this name appeared back in early 1980 when VW realised that although the market for family cars had largely moved to hatch back designs, something they had capitalised on very successfully with their Golf, there was still a demand for the traditional three-box saloon. Southern European markets in particular were keen on this format, but in Western Europe, the sales ratio settled at about 10:1 in favour of the Golf. To try to differentiate the models more clearly, when the third generation Golf came along, the saloon version took a new name, Vento, and the styling was different at the front as well as the back. For the fourth generation, there was another new name, Bora, and this car did enjoy modes success especially with the larger and more potent V5 and V6 engines. After that, the Jetta name returned, but sales were barely discernible. In America, though, things have been quite different with the sales ratio of hatch to saloon being the complete opposite. The Jetta outsells the Golf by about 10:1, and VW figured that they would probably have sold even more had the car not been quite so costly. So by the time of the sixth generation Jetta, which appeared on the American market long before the half-hearted attempt to sell any in Europe,  this Mexican-built car manifest some obvious cost reductions, including the substitution of fully independent rear suspension with a torsion beam setup, and some much lower quality plastics. The press complained bitterly but sales went up. Even so, during the life of the car, VW did gradually restore some of the more costly features that they had earlier tried to save. Based on the ubiquitous MQB platform, a seventh generation Jetta was launched at the 2018 North American Auto Show in Detroit, going on sale later in 2018 for the 2019 model year. It is slightly longer, wider and taller than the outgoing model, with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs. The exterior styling is more distinctive, with sharp character lines, a larger grille, and a much larger presence on the road. I spotted one at Hertz’ Sky Harbor airport facility in Phoenix on my last evening there, so decided to take it to see what the latest car would be like. It turned out to be a 2019 model year car and was in entry level S trim.

All 2019 Jetta models use the VW Group’s familiar 1.4 litre four cylinder TFSi engine. It generates 147 bhp and a fairly hefty 184 lb/ft of torque. This is enough to endow the Jetta with quite spritely performance, with strong acceleration much in evidence. You can buy a Jetta with a 6 speed manual box, but this one had the optional 8 speed automatic transmission. It seemed well matched to the engine and made very smooth and almost imperceptible gearchanges. The engine is pretty refined and generates relatively little noise, but there is some road noise evident at higher speeds. There is a standard Stop/Start system which worked well despite what US critics of such systems claim. When I collected the Jetta, the fuel gauge did not quite show full. I covered a total of 180 miles and the car needed 6.4 gallons to fill it. That means that the car did a bit better than 28.15 mpg which those numbers would suggest.

If you are expecting the Jetta to feel as sharp to drive as a Euro spec Golf, prepare for a disappointment, as this is a car that has been tuned to meet perceived American tastes. The steering is not as light as that of some vehicles but it is pretty unremarkable, with none of the precision or feel of the best cars in the class, feeling quite numb and rubbery at times. There were no significant complains about the handling and roadholding, though, again, there are cars – such as the Mazda 3 – which do it better. The suspension is quite soft which, combined with the 205/50 16 wheels of this entry level spec car, gives a comfortable ride. Those wheels do look cheap, though, with their plastic wheel covers. The brakes are quite soft and could feel a bit grabby at low speeds. Visibility is OK and there is a Blind Spot Monitoring system as well as a rear-view camera.

Overarching impression on opening the door and looking inside is that this does appear on the basic side. But actually, the dash is made from a soft touch material and there are some patterned grey inlays which lift things a bit, whereas the plastic moulded wheel does remind of the cost saving intent of the Jetta’s maker. There is a simple instrument cluster with two large dials and two smaller ones for water temperature and fuel level inset within them, and the same sort of trip computer display area between the dials that you find on other VW models. You can cycle through the options for this with buttons on the right hand steering wheel spoke. Also on the wheel are the audio repeater functions and the cruise control. There are a couple of column stalks, whilst the lights operate from a rotary on the dash. They include an auto function. The centre of the dash has a really very basic audio system included in the 6.5” infotainment screen. Bluetooth, Apple Car Play and Android Auto are both included and there are just four speakers for the sound. The entry level models have air conditioning as opposed to automated climate control and there are three rotary dials for this lower in the centre of the dash. It is all very usable in a way that most modern cars just are not.

The seats are trimmed in a patterned cloth. Adjustment is all manual, as you would probably expect from an entr y level model. Only the driver gets the benefit of a height adjuster, but both occupants here have height adjustable seat belts. Even with the seat set quite low, I found there was only just enough headroom.

As each successive Jetta has got bigger, so some of the extra dimensions have been to the benefit of rear seat passengers. There is now pretty good space here for what is still a relatively small car, by US standards. The central console does come back a long way, but otherwise there is ample leg and knee room for occupants here even with the front seats set well back, and there’s just about enough width for three adults to sit without feeling unduly squashed in. In basic S model trim, there is no central armrest and nor are there any door bins, so odds and ends have to be confined to the seat-back map pockets.

Although the boot is slightly smaller on this Jetta than its predecessor, it is still a good size, being really quite long from front to back. More space can be created by dropping down the asymmetrically split rear seat backs. Pleasingly for an entry level trim car, there is an external boot release as well as a remote one, though evidence of the cost-saving comes from the rather thin feeling single-skinned boot lid. There is decent provision for odds and ends inside the passenger compartment with a generously sized glovebox, a deep armrest cubby, bins on the doors and a recess in front of the gearlever.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is available in five trims. The base S aims to undercut its competition with a lower price point without sacrificing features. The SE model adds more convenience features, while the R-Line has similar features but with different styling elements. The SEL and SEL Premium trims add enough tech to turn the Jetta into a mini luxury sedan. All are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 147 bhp and 184 lb/ft of torque. The base S comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard, with an eight-speed automatic optional. The eight-speed auto is standard on the remaining trims. Highlights for the Jetta S include 16-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and taillights, air conditioning, a 6.5-inch touchscreen-based infotainment system, a rearview camera, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a USB port, Bluetooth and a four-speaker sound system. An optional Driver Assistance package adds forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Jetta SE has those features as standard plus a sunroof, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, simulated leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and keyless entry with push-button start. If you want a slightly different look, opt for the Jetta R-Line. It has similar equipment to the SE, but it rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and replaces the chrome grille and mirror caps with gloss-black pieces. A unique rear bumper finishes the look. On the inside, contrasting stitching on the steering wheel and R-Line badges remind you of your purchase. To help improve the Jetta’s traction when powering out of turns aggressively, VW’s XDS, an electronic differential lock, is standard on the R-Line only. With the Jetta SEL, buyers get a taste of luxury-car life thanks to high-end features such as adaptive cruise control, an eight-speaker BeatsAudio sound system, an upgraded infotainment system with an 8-inch display, satellite and HD radio, a fully digital gauge cluster (Digital Cockpit) and an extra USB port. Other safety items such as lane keeping assist, auto high-beam control, automatic wipers, and auto-dimming rearview mirror are standard as well. Oddly, the SEL drops back down to 16-inch alloy wheels, though you do get a 10-colour adjustable ambient lighting system. A Cold Weather package is available on SE, R-Line and SEL trims. It includes a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a heated windshield wiper park zone, heated windshield washer nozzles, and remote start. The SEL Premium is the icing on the cake for the Jetta line. It has the features from the Cold Weather package plus 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory settings, and a navigation system.

Although this Jetta might not have all the qualities that Europeans expect from a VW, there is much to commend here. This is a roomy and comfortable car and it goes well thanks to that trusty TFSi engine even if the numb steering and chassis set up mean it is not quite as good to drive as some of its rivals. The S spec is a bit on the basic side, though, so it is probably worth looking at least at the SE if you conclude the Jetta is the car for you. I can see why you might, though there is still lots of competition with around 10 alternatives on offer on the US market. Although I’ve yet to drive it, I still think the Mazda 3 is probably the one I would pick if they were all available. Would it still in Europe? Honestly, I doubt it, so VW’s decision to confine this Jetta to the Americas is probably a wise one.