[AmarPaithankar]

Mod Note : The new Jetta's review has been released at this link.

Today on a trip to Lavasa, I came across a batch of Volkswagen and Skoda cars undergoing real world testing on the twisties.

Although the consignment consisted of VW's new Passat, the regular Skoda Superb with its badges masked, a Yeti also with its badges masked (a downsized engine being tested is my gut feeling), the two cars that caught my attention instantly were the all new Jetta with a 2 litre diesel engine and a Vento sedan with a 1.4 litre petrol power plant.

As is the trend now-a-days for that "family look", the Jetta looks similar to the 1.6 litre Vento from the front but with noticeably larger dimensions. The rear is butch looking and imparts a solid feel. Even the wheel sizes are noticeable bigger than the Vento.

As expected, the petrol 1.6 litre Vento is not selling in volumes due to it being a petrol and pricing as compared to similarly specced cars is higher.

When and if launched with the 1.4 litre petol, the Vento will compete directly against established rivals like the Linea 1.4, Tata Manza 1.4 Safire and Chevrolet Aveo. Although these three cars are not volume players, VW hopes its brand name normally associated with more expensive cars may just rub off.

All this is possible if the Vento 1.4 is priced in the Rs. 7-7.50 Lakh (on road) range. VW cannot afford to price the 1.4L variant lower as it may affect Polo hatch sales and if the price it higher, customers may as well shell out the extra Rs. 1.5 - 2 Lakh and buy the top of the line 1.6 diesel Vento whose performance is nothing short of excellent.

I managed to take some images of the Jetta with my cell phone camera which show the car quite clearly and before proceeding for the others, the VW officials politely barred me from advancing any further.

[nik_kapur]

Well done buddy. Those pix are just great.
It seems like the Jetta is all set to be launched! I wish you had some images of the interior. The car does look way too similar to the Vento and for me thats not the best idea. I understand the family look argument but seriously man, the face on the Jetta is almost Identical to the Polo/Vento. Im definitely buying the Jetta when its launched, just hope they get the pricing right.
BTW Did you notice if it was an AT Box on the 2.0TDI Jetta? They discontinued the DSG on the previous gen Jetta and i hope they are bringing it in.

With respect to the Yeti, i feel it is the AT Yeti that they would be testing as that car is eagerly awaited.

[drmohitg]

Thats a fantastic catch Amar. The car looks a lot better then the current generation jetta. Just hope they announce the launch dates soon.

[SmartCat]

The new Jetta is a beauty! Reminds me of the look Audi carried before the Bulgarian Beard era.

[nik_kapur]

Just noticed that this is the Highline Jetta in the pix but its missing a sunroof! Even the Passat doesnt get 1, wonder why they are removing it from there topend cars.

[drchernish]

i have been also waiting for jetta to upgrade from my verna vgt.Hope they get the pricing right and not price it at too much of a premium above corolla.Starting price should be from where the topend vento leaves.

[.anshuman]

Nice Scoop Amar!!

The Jetta looks very good with clean proportionate lines even though its too plain jane. Some might even confuse it for Passat or Vento on the road.

Hope VW is planning the 140hp engine and DSG, 170hp engine from Passat in the top end variant would be even better.

I guess the Yeti must be with the Dsg transmission and Superb with 170hp diesel.

[n:CorE]

Awesome scoop buddy! Well done! .. Seems like VW and Skoda have alot lined up in their kitty for the near future.

All the turbo-diesels are perfectly placed!. VW Vento 1.6TDI (105bhp), VW Jetta 2.0TDI (140bhp), VW Passat 2.0TDI (170bhp)

The superb could definitely be a face-lift, with more equipment (I say some borrowed from the sister passat) and of course the 2.0TDI Engine in the higher state of tune (170bhp)

As for the Yeti, it can be the much-awaited DSG A/T Gearbox as everyone is suspecting.

From the front, The new Jetta does look really similar to the Vento/Polo. But yaa I expect it to be quite loaded with equipment but the absence of the sunroof on this test model might just prove me wrong. I hope this is the trendline version they are testing although thats highly unlikely. Anyway, answers to all this will be when its launched and by the looks of it, it seems its just around the corner.

[julupani]

Fantastic Catch Amar.

But I think VW is now in a similar styling situation that Skoda was in a few years ago.

You could distinguis the Octavia, Laura and Superb too easily.

The new Jetta looks almost exactly as a Vento. From afar nobody will be able to say which is which.

[drmohitg]

Well but the new front end surely looks a lot better then the current one which resembles the tata Indigo. Honestly I hope that they take away the sunroof and decrease the price a little bit .

[vb-saan]

Great catch Amar!
The Jetta indeed have some styling cues from the A4.

Originally Posted by AmarPaithankar

When and if launched with the 1.4 litre petol, the Vento will compete directly against established rivals like the Linea 1.4, Tata Manza 1.4 Safire and Chevrolet Aveo. Although these three cars are not volume players, VW hopes its brand name normally associated with more expensive cars may just rub off.

All this is possible if the Vento 1.4 is priced in the Rs. 7-7.50 Lakh (on road) range. VW cannot afford to price the 1.4L variant lower as it may affect Polo hatch sales and if the price it higher, customers may as well shell out the extra Rs. 1.5 - 2 Lakh and buy the top of the line 1.6 diesel Vento whose performance is nothing short of excellent.

This will not be the case. Across the world VW 1.4 TSi is their bread & butter petrol power plant for VW Golf /Jetta / Touran MPV / Skoda Yeti, Octavia (Laura in India) etc. Max. Power output is 122bhp for the regular version, and 160bhp for the Sports version. Gem of a motor, and will be great if launched in India. Normally the 1.4 TSi is priced higher than the old 1.6 motor. So the estimate mentioned for Vento will surely not be the case. It will be expensive than the current petrol offering.

Even though this motor is extremely fuel efficient, our fuel quality maybe an issue.

[2cents]

Originally Posted by AmarPaithankar

Although the consignment consisted of VW's new Passat, the regular Skoda Superb with its badges masked, a Yeti also with its badges masked

Beats me!! why do they need to mask a regular looking Superb and Yeti??!!

[buz]

Originally Posted by nik_kapur

The car does look way too similar to the Vento and for me thats not the best idea. I understand the family look argument but seriously man, the face on the Jetta is almost Identical to the Polo/Vento.

Agree on the part that the front grill being the same doesn't suit a car of the order of the Jetta. Frankly, the Jetta had a great premium feel to it beyond the likes of the Laura, Corolla Altis, etc. and the front grill just blew me away when I saw it for the first time. The new look a la the Vento/Polo doesn't come close. Nevertheless, I would still buy the car if I had the opportunity

[vinya_jag]

I Guess, VW should have their car name badges on all four sides.
They all look the same for me.
They could also being the hatchback versions of their Jetta and Passat and the picture would be complete

For me the VW family is plain 'Uninteresting'

[crackingride]

Good clear pics of the new Jetta. At least it looks like this version has front and rear parking sensors if nothing else. Compared to the outgoing version, you can see cost cutting, especially in the amount of chrome. The window surrounds are now only a horizontal stripe. The front makes do with a bead on the airdam. Anyway, my question was this: did you see a 1.4 badge on the Vento, or is this post speculative as far as that goes? The 1.4 (in TSi) guise, would be too expensive for the Vento. I think that it was probably being tested ( if you actually saw it) as the petrol version of the Jetta, which is known to be offered with a 1.4 TSi engine. As far as the Yeti goes, it is probably likely that this is a petrol TSi being tested, and given that, it is probably the same 1.4 TSi as will make its way into the Jetta, since the current 1.2 TSi Yeti would not make it given that it means homologating yet another engine! I cannot see the TSi being justified for the Vento in any form or guise. Ditto for the 170BHP mill making its way into the Jetta. Won't happen. As far as DSG goes, I think I would rather stick to a reliable manual instead of living with the fear of unreliable mechatronics, especially in this country.