Volkswagen India is all-set to launch the long-awaited, new Jetta saloon in the Indian market on August 17th.
The all-new Jetta was launched in the global market last year, but VW India was in the process of setting up a CKD assembly base for the new Jetta at its Aurangabad facility. This pushed forward the India launch.
The simple, clean lines of the Jetta look stylish and the large tail-lamps infuse a certain degree of flair to the design. A prominent highlight is the L-shaped stoplight. The front bears a resemblance to other Volkswagen models, while the rear gives the impression of the Audi A4 saloon. The Jetta will get a 2-litre common rail diesel motor that churns out a decent 140bhp. This motor also does duty in the current Skoda Laura.
In addition to the 2.0 TDI motor, the new Jetta is also likely to feature a new 1.4L TSI turbo petrol motor and will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Considering the recent fuel hike which has skewed the demand towards diesel cars, VW expects the diesel Jetta to be the primary focus for the Indian market.
The new Jetta will also offer better space than its predecessor, as it is longer and wider than before. It is likely to emulate the Passat by offering class-leading levels of equipment, refinement and performance at prices that will make it attractive. It will compete with the likes of the Corolla Altis, Skoda Laura, Chevrolet Cruze, and the recently launched Renault Fluence.
Since many of the parts for the new Jetta are manufactured in Puebla, Mexico – Jetta’s mother plant (which has lower production costs as compared to Germany) – expect the new Jetta to be priced competitively.