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The 2019 GLI is Jetta Perfection | MotorWeek Road Test

17K views 145 replies 60 participants last post by  Numbersix 
#1 ·
 
#3 ·
The clutch in modern VWs frankly seem to suck. Why is this?
Probably a hydraulic clutch, they should go back to the good old non assisted clutch, they always worked beautifully.
I mean honestly that vague clutch uptake is inexcusable for the car that does everything else so well.
Come on VW you can't tell me that you've forgotten how to make a good positive feeling clutch. I know because I own cars of yours that do that perfectly too. Geeze!:rolleyes::mad::banghead::screwy::what:
 
#12 ·
Get rid of the clutch delay valve (remove the restrictor inside, no need to buy the expensive bleeder block) and there is a spring you can remove under the dash that is supposed to help too (I have not done that mod before, but did the restrictor delete on my mk7 GTI and made a hell of a difference).

GLI Perfect? No, but compared to most things out there in its price range its actually pretty good. I spent several months looking for a fun DD, new that gets decent MPGs, was a sedan and manual transmission (or at the very least, not a junk CVT trans) and there isn't much out there, the car market isn't what it was 5 years ago. If you want a fun DD for less than 30k (again, New) that is a sedan and has a decent transmission...there isn't much out there.
 
#4 ·
"Perfection"
I do not think that means what you think that means.
The styling is...polarizing.
The interior feels cheap.
You have to get the top of the range in order to get the good head unit, and the lower end unit looks cheap and out of place.
The seats, while not terrible, are massively disappointing compared to the GTI.
Beats Audio is garbage.
According to VWs own web site they come standard with H-rated touring tires. The three I have seen in my local dealer all have H-Rated Hankook A/S Touring garbage. :confused:
 
#19 ·
I crossed shopped it vs a 2.0T Accord Sport and while I agree with the GLI value based performance and price, I just couldn't get past the polarizing front end and cheap interior compared to other VWs, even the GTI.
The dealer (where I bought 2 GTIs and a R32) tried hard to sell me, esp on the warranty and discounts...but I just couldn't do it.
 
#23 ·
Former MK6 owner chiming in -

New Jetta design is a step forward, with the MQB platform and all, so that's good. Some interior materials may be cheap, but there was some of that in the MK6 too.

Not digging the styling though, and they fundamentally reworked the ergonomics so as to eliminate me from the potential buyer pool. No more slidey armrest, fale.
 
#26 ·
My dad, someone who has driven quite a few over the top cars and has daily driven a BMW 330i and now DDs a tuned mk5 TDI Jetta drove the base Jetta 2019 on a business trip and hated it. He said it drove like a boring American fleet car. Curious as to how the GLI package changes that up. Might go test drive one next week on my way home from work. (VW dealer right on the way) I would still never buy one - just not at all my visual style. Though, I do prefer "cuter" cars. That's part of the reason my Mk6 Golf TDI daily was chosen over a Mk7. The front end is cuter rather than the "angry headlights" look of the Mk7.
 
#27 ·
As the owner of a 2018 Mk6 Jetta, when I drove a 2019 Mk7 Jetta as a loaner for two weeks, it felt bigger, heavier, and softer -- because it is.

And unless you're a dash-stroker, the soft-touch dashboard doesn't make up for the downgrading of many of the other interior materials. The seats are flatter and wider -- good for fat American butts, but not for those who liked VW seats the way they used to be.

That being said, when I first drove a Mk6 Jetta years ago, I wasn't impressed with it either. In VW's quest for lower prices and more sales, they made it cheap-looking and boring. But incremental improvements over the years rectified many of those shortcomings. Hopefully they'll do the same with the Mk7 Jetta.
 
#35 ·
While the MK7 is definitely an upgrade in many areas compared to the MK6, Its clear VW didn't really have a replacement so they just took a car designed for the Chinese market and slapped a Jetta badge on it while also making the front end look worse. It doesn't feel like a successor - more like an imposter. Just look at the C pillar design, its completely different to all previous generations. The new Jetta is based on the Chinese Lavida:



They should have given us the Lamando instead. It's closer to a Jetta successor IMO:



 
#37 ·
He Speaks Truth



I think you have the best take of the Jetta so far. Volkswagen halfassed it for our market. Much like the Passat, Volkswagen wanted to keep the budget low for the American Jetta because it's never going to be a big seller and resources are better spent elsewhere.

I will say it's a slap in the face to veedub fans to bring a cobbled and ugly vehicle here. The bean counters won and honestly if it were me I would have done the same budget wise, it a low seller. But I would have made it look better :laugh:
 
#38 ·
I'm on the positive side of the debate. I hated the face when it first came out. My brother picked up a standard SEL and looking at it up close, I appreciate the details more. The front could be toned down a bit but I honestly prefer it to the MK6 which was void of any personality.
 
#41 ·
I saw a 2019 gli yesterday at the dealership and I looked inside and out and all I could think of is " wow looks like Honda had a part in this one". I mean the cockpit driver seat design with the radio towards the driver I'm not a fan of ( no offense), and the taillights and body lines all remind me of a Honda Civic or Accord. I loved my mk6 Jetta 1.8t , it was simple and practical and not overdone. It reminded me of good looking German elegance. I'm a proud owner of a CC and I just feel VW went over the top with the body design and interior
 
#56 ·


Loving my GLI so far. Yes, the GTI has more soft touch materials inside, but the GLI, especially in Canada, has far more equipment for a lot less money, and it gets all the GTI PP goodies. A slight drop and some Pretoria’s has my GLI exactly where I want it. Very happy with it so far.
 
#57 ·
That's Car Guy Level Good



You're happy with your car and now that I'm down with. That color with those black Pretorias look right, this is the best expression of the new GLI I've seen so far. It kinda reminds me of my ugly car, a FiST (Molten Orange with black wheels)! Those red brake calipers will drive you nuts like mine do for cleaning. The FiST's brakes powders up quick! But I like them, like yours, against black wheels they look good and match the car too.

More goodies for less money equals win IMO. Thanks for sharing that and enjoy! :thumbup:
 
#65 ·
MQB, MQB, MQB. Everytime someone writes these 3 letters in a post I feel as if they are aroused by it and I must be lesser because my nipples dont get erect at the mere mention of the platform that was surely touched by God himself.
Can anyone of you fanboys explain to me the advantages to the consumer of an MQB vehicle?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
#67 ·
Price Baby, Price



It's mainly to lower the price to produce vehicles by sharing a common platform, theoretically that lowers the price to the end consumer. Mant car companies have been doing for along time.

I think VW fans rightly praise the architecture because it's an update but yeah, it's no magic sauce. It doesn't make the car in the new platform great, just supposedly better than what it replaced.

Opinions of course vary but yeah, it doesn't make them great.

Edmunds:

Pros

Spacious cabin feels like a class larger
Large trunk has plenty of space
Quick acceleration with optional engines
New, longer warranty coverage
Cons

Downmarket cabins in many trim levels
Limited availability of advanced safety features
Not much fun to drive because of lifeless steering and handling.
https://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/jetta/2018/options/?legacy=true&style=401737912

But in defense of the Jetta it's about thr same as most in the segment on the cons side. Ii actually think VW tried to meet the vakue delta with the Jetta and achieved it. In doing so it disappointed VW fans but hey, they do have to sell theses to the majority.
 
#69 ·
Hold on guys, I just did a little googling and it appears the 2019 is more expensive than the 2018. Must be a clerical error or something. I know this because everyone I ask tells me MQB is saving people money.
I'm going to call corporate and get this straightened out. I wouldn't want anyone to think the greatest of corporations found a way to save money and turned it into profit instead of passing it on to the consumers. No way they would do that, they're the greatest corporation ever!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
#70 ·
I don't understand all the emotions over this. Bottom line the Jetta is a great car if you can get past the looks and materials. And I think VW really spent money where it matters to the Jetta's market. I think better design choices wouldn't have cost anything, but objectively there's nothing bad one can say about this car in the context of its price and competition.
 
#80 · (Edited)
Like political conversations, the two extremist sides are to blame....

Back on topic:

I have been a Jetta guy since my first VW. I had a '92 Wolfsburg, '98 GT, '00 VR6, some Beetles/Golfs/Gti's out in between, back to a '14 GLI, and finally a '16 GLI. My wife wanted to dump her GTI and wanted my '16 GLI, so it was time for car shopping. I test drove both the GLI and the GTI. I was impressed by both, but the GTI won in the end and it didn't have to do with the looks, it had to do with the better bolstered seats, adaptive lighting, and better stereo. If the GLI had those three things, it would be in my garage today and not the GTI Autobahn.

I do think the facelift on the GLI in a few years will correct the looks. Its 75% there, they just need to fix the polarizing snout. I like it as is, but it will look even better in a few years. I think they will adjust the trims as well. The way the packaged it makes no sense.

Also: MQB. Having driven the MK6 and the MK7, the MQB MK7 is superior. Is it the best thing ever? Maybe not, but its a huge improvement.
 
#82 ·
The 19 GLI is a great car. Yes the interior is cheaper, but the car itself is cheaper as well, so it's not like VW is gouging for the "privilege" of a sedan. It is on my list to replace my 2018 WRX. I am between a GTI and a GLI. I used to have a 13 GTI. Previous recent cars have been a 13" GTI, a 16" FiST, a 18" WRX.

I test drove a 35th and loved it - got to test the LSD around a parking lot and it's no joke. Looking at the autobahn trim and its about 3k cheaper than a GTI SE with the experience package. Worse interior? Well i love the center stack tilted towards the driver, and the seats are less aggressive which is nice for a bigger sedan- they still hold you in sufficiently, and are vented as well as heated which is a nice touch. The car on sport setting was pretty good, steering was nice, turn in was crisp, and power was acceptable. Nice sized car. While i love the A3 dimensions, those are pretty small and the GLI is a big bigger. I really liked how it clawed out of turns under power. Almost gone was the understeering scramble of an open-diff car shuddering as XDS tried (and failed).

No DCC is a bit of a letdown (in autobahn), and no nav in the center dash display is a big letdown. No fog lights - well i hope the aftermarket will provide solutions in time. Outside of that, finally the sedan is every bit the bigger sedan version of the GTI. It is going to appeal to older buys and those that wants family sedans - so the seats should be less aggressive. It's a GTI'd Jetta, not a GTI'd Golf. They are different. The Jetta is a bigger vehicle aimed at family sedan buyers - a dying market. Happy that VW is going to at least commit to this space for a bit longer. I doubt we will ever see a GTI'd Sportwagen or Alltrack, so if you want a real LSD and some space, the GLI is the only ticket (Arteon is 8-speed slush and open diff).

The only hangup I have right now is the GLI is new and I am wary of cars that are new in their life-cycle. I usually like to pick up something after it has had its refresh (like my 18 WRX? so that much of the initial stuff gets ironed out, and a few good updates gets implemented. With the GLI i am sure DCC will come to the autobahn in time, and maybe they will do fogs down the road too.

The GLI isn't great looking to me, but it gives me most of what i would want in a DD now:
1. good dual clutch (7 speed dsg) Ready to move to one and VW's is 2nd best in the biz - and the 7th speed is icing on the cake.
2. A real LSD coupled with e-diff/XDS. Finally this. Done with open-diff FWD cars.
3. turbo motor. EA888 3rd gen is a gem.
4. Good aftermarket support.
5. OEM+ upgrade path due to higher end models existing (S3 FMIC, etc..)
6. Good stereo - with a dedicated sub. Easy to upgrade but at least better than the base stereos ive been suffering with - the wiring is run so upgrades will be easier to do.
7. Heated seats. My must-have. Vented with the leather is great since i really don't want leather.
8. Loving that pure gray.
9. VW new warranty resolves any durability concerns for me, always a VW concern. As an aside, I owned my GTI for about 4 years and 40k, and had a bad water pump as my "only" issue. Car was tuned stage 1 when bought new (dealer was APR dealer) and went stage 2 with a S3 FMIC and a terrible SPM exhaust, and never had any issues.

Wish it was RWD but that's not an option anywhere new at that price point. Already about 2500 on the hood so you can already get an DSG Autobahn for about 28k - that's a great price for a great car with a great warranty. The only comparison is an Accord Sport and while they seem to be fantastic, they are much bigger, open diff, and no premium stereo/leather at that price point. I think best value there is to get to an EX-L, for about 2k more you get better stereo, leather, and ditch the wagon wheels - but still talking open-diff.

No need for hate. Sedans are no longer a mainstream thing in America. VW is staying in the area at least for a few more years, and that's a great thing for enthusiasts who don't want a crossover. With the MQB/LSD/DSG upgrades the GLI has all the running bits of a GTI with a bigger and more relaxed form-factor. Win. Of course it's based on the Jetta, a bigger and cheaper sedan for the American market, but if you are a serious dashstroker surely the 3k in savings can pay for some custom interior work.
 
#87 ·
Good Post!

The 19 GLI is a great car. Yes the interior is cheaper, but the car itself is cheaper as well, so it's not like VW is gouging for the "privilege" of a sedan. It is on my list to replace my 2018 WRX. I am between a GTI and a GLI. I used to have a 13 GTI. Previous recent cars have been a 13" GTI, a 16" FiST, a 18" WRX.

I test drove a 35th and loved it - got to test the LSD around a parking lot and it's no joke. Looking at the autobahn trim and its about 3k cheaper than a GTI SE with the experience package. Worse interior? Well i love the center stack tilted towards the driver, and the seats are less aggressive which is nice for a bigger sedan- they still hold you in sufficiently, and are vented as well as heated which is a nice touch. The car on sport setting was pretty good, steering was nice, turn in was crisp, and power was acceptable. Nice sized car. While i love the A3 dimensions, those are pretty small and the GLI is a big bigger. I really liked how it clawed out of turns under power. Almost gone was the understeering scramble of an open-diff car shuddering as XDS tried (and failed).

No DCC is a bit of a letdown (in autobahn), and no nav in the center dash display is a big letdown. No fog lights - well i hope the aftermarket will provide solutions in time. Outside of that, finally the sedan is every bit the bigger sedan version of the GTI. It is going to appeal to older buys and those that wants family sedans - so the seats should be less aggressive. It's a GTI'd Jetta, not a GTI'd Golf. They are different. The Jetta is a bigger vehicle aimed at family sedan buyers - a dying market. Happy that VW is going to at least commit to this space for a bit longer. I doubt we will ever see a GTI'd Sportwagen or Alltrack, so if you want a real LSD and some space, the GLI is the only ticket (Arteon is 8-speed slush and open diff).

The only hangup I have right now is the GLI is new and I am wary of cars that are new in their life-cycle. I usually like to pick up something after it has had its refresh (like my 18 WRX? so that much of the initial stuff gets ironed out, and a few good updates gets implemented. With the GLI i am sure DCC will come to the autobahn in time, and maybe they will do fogs down the road too.

The GLI isn't great looking to me, but it gives me most of what i would want in a DD now:
1. good dual clutch (7 speed dsg) Ready to move to one and VW's is 2nd best in the biz - and the 7th speed is icing on the cake.
2. A real LSD coupled with e-diff/XDS. Finally this. Done with open-diff FWD cars.
3. turbo motor. EA888 3rd gen is a gem.
4. Good aftermarket support.
5. OEM+ upgrade path due to higher end models existing (S3 FMIC, etc..)
6. Good stereo - with a dedicated sub. Easy to upgrade but at least better than the base stereos ive been suffering with - the wiring is run so upgrades will be easier to do.
7. Heated seats. My must-have. Vented with the leather is great since i really don't want leather.
8. Loving that pure gray.
9. VW new warranty resolves any durability concerns for me, always a VW concern. As an aside, I owned my GTI for about 4 years and 40k, and had a bad water pump as my "only" issue. Car was tuned stage 1 when bought new (dealer was APR dealer) and went stage 2 with a S3 FMIC and a terrible SPM exhaust, and never had any issues.

Wish it was RWD but that's not an option anywhere new at that price point. Already about 2500 on the hood so you can already get an DSG Autobahn for about 28k - that's a great price for a great car with a great warranty. The only comparison is an Accord Sport and while they seem to be fantastic, they are much bigger, open diff, and no premium stereo/leather at that price point. I think best value there is to get to an EX-L, for about 2k more you get better stereo, leather, and ditch the wagon wheels - but still talking open-diff.

No need for hate. Sedans are no longer a mainstream thing in America. VW is staying in the area at least for a few more years, and that's a great thing for enthusiasts who don't want a crossover. With the MQB/LSD/DSG upgrades the GLI has all the running bits of a GTI with a bigger and more relaxed form-factor. Win. Of course it's based on the Jetta, a bigger and cheaper sedan for the American market, but if you are a serious dashstroker surely the 3k in savings can pay for some custom interior work.
This was an interesting read. You're into some of the same cars I am. I like the WRX but bought the FiST, also a 2016, and love it.For me I just needed a fun daily and size wasn't a concern.

I'm curious, what didn't you like about the WRX and have you thought about the STI?

Looks aren't everything, I drive a car my wife calls ugly :laugh: and I love it, so if the GLI ticks your boxes, I agree, it's not a big deal. Interior either.

Now I'm wondering which way you'll go, post up what you buy and thoughts.

Good post :thumbup:
 
#94 ·
2018 was not a representative sales year for the Jetta as it was a change-over year for the model. Sales are up %50 this year as they have enough supply now and are actually marketing it. It's still no Civic in terms of sales but its a 120K to 150K volume model.
 
#101 ·
Ha!



"Best?" How dare you Rick and/or Shana! Did you not read the title? It's perfection! Jetta perfection!

Which upon reflection that must mean it's bland to the tenth power.

There's something about this new Jetta, it's like how much more Jetta could this be? And the answer is none. None more Jetta.
 
#106 · (Edited)
Won't cut it, that side profile on the Lavida/US Jetta once looked at can't be UNlooked at. Bleech!:p:facepalm:
Also I hate the dash layout, looks like a Honda product.


I wonder if the Lamando would pass DOT crash tests? :cool:

Seriously if the Lamando GTS drives as well or better than the Lavida/ Jetta GLI and can pass the DOT crash tests just bring that over here,
I wonder if that was the original plan until Trump started talking about big tariffs on Chinesium products. :eek:
 
#139 ·
I just took delivery of my 2019 GLI Autobahn. Only bummer to a stock, un-tuned car is it feels super slow. But it's a very nice car and I'm happy to be back in a manual transmission car all the time.



To say I love the color is an understatement.





Going to miss the GTI...








The best part, so far, is the ambient lighting.







 
#141 ·
Congrats!



I'm still living the reddish orange hatch life in the FiST and have ambient lighting too. I thought it was gimmicky at first but grew to love it, I keep it on red. It looks more dramatic in yours, nice!

That cool exterior color accentuates the red calipers and red stripe. And I hear you on loving being back in a manual. IMO it adds to the enjoyment of the drive.

You took some good picks, nice angles, thanks for sharing that and congrats!
 
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