2014 Volkswagen Jetta SE TSI Test Drive and Video Review

For about ten years, base model Volkswagens have been powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder gasoline engine, and the VW Jetta was no exception. For the 2014 model year, though, Volkswagen updated its compact sedan with a new drivetrain, a 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder TSI. Since it’s a mid-model year refresh, some sources might actually refer to the car as a 2014.5 VW Jetta. Aaron Gold, Road Test Editor for Autobytel, test drove the refreshed Jetta and was satisfied with the results. The 2014 Jetta’s new engine yields 170 horsepower. When paired to the five-speed manual transmission, it’ll return fuel economy of 26 MPG city and 36 MPG highway, an improvement of about 3 MPG over the outgoing 2.5-liter Jetta. The overall driving experience is great, especially since the engine, suspension, and steering systems complement each other well and the car’s size provides precise handling. The new 1.8 turbo provides good midrange power and satisfying acceleration. A simple, uncluttered cockpit and easy-to-read gauges enable to driver to pay attention to the road. However, the Jetta SE’s monochromatic hard plastic dashboard takes away from the cabin’s modest appeal, and looks too cheap for the car’s price, a problem that is remedied at more expensive trim levels.