Volkswagen Jetta

Numerous sources note that the Jetta nameplate derives from the Atlantic "jet stream" during a period when Volkswagen named its vehicles after prominent winds and currents (e.g. the Passat after the German word for trade wind, the Bora after bora, and the Scirocco after sirocco).^[3]

A 2013 report by former VW advertising copywriter Bertel Schmitt said that after consulting VW sources including former Volkswagen of America Chief Dr. Carl Hahn and former Volkswagen sales chief W.P. Schmidt, no evidence suggested that Volkswagen employed a naming theme for its front-drive, water-cooled vehicles, nor was there evidence that the names derived from a theme or that a naming system "was ever announced, either officially or confidentially."^[4]

Although the Golf (known as the Rabbit in the US and Canada) reached considerable success in the North American markets, Volkswagen saw that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration. The styling of the 1970 AMC Gremlin was controversial for truncating the Hornet sedan, but Volkswagen stylists reversed the process by essentially grafting a new trunk onto the tail of the Golf to produce a larger Jetta saloon.^[5] The Jetta became the best-selling European car in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.^[6][7] The car was also popular in Europe, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Turkey.^[8]

The Jetta was introduced to the world at the 1979 Frankfurt Auto Show.^[9] Production of the first generation began in August 1979^[10] at the Wolfsburg plant.^[11] In Mexico, the Mk1 Jetta was known as the "Volkswagen Atlantic".

The car was available as a two-door sedan (replacing the aging two-door, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive Volkswagen Beetle sedan in the United States and Canada) and four-door sedan body styles, both of which shared a traditional three-box design. Like the first-generation Golf, its angular styling was penned at ItalDesign by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Styling differences could be found depending on the market. In most of the world, the car was available with composite headlamps, while in the US, it was only available with rectangular sealed beam lamps due to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 (FMVSS 108). The suspension setup was identical to the Golf, and consisted of a MacPherson strut setup in front and a twist-beam rear suspension. It shared its 2,400 mm (94.5 in) wheelbase with its hatchback counterpart, although overall length was up by 380 millimetres (15 in). The capacity of the luggage compartment was 377 litres (13.3 ft³), making the Jetta reasonably practical.^[12] To distinguish the car from the Golf, interiors were made more upscale in all markets.^[13] This included velour seating and color coordinated sill to sill carpeting.

Engine choices varied considerably depending on the local market. Most were based on 827 engines of the era. Choices in petrol engines ranged from a 1.1 litre four-cylinder engine producing 37 kW (50 hp; 50 PS), to a 1.8-litre I4 which made 82 kW (110 hp; 111 PS) and 150 newton-metres (111 lbf⋅ft) of torque. Some cars were equipped with carburetors, while others were fuel-injected using K or KE Jetronic supplied by Robert Bosch GmbH. Diesel engine choices included a 1.6-litre making 37 kilowatts (50 hp; 50 PS) and a turbocharged version of the same engine which produced 51 kilowatts (68 hp; 69 PS) and 130 newton-metres (96 lbf⋅ft) of torque.

Volkswagen briefly considered producing the Jetta in a plant located in Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.^[14] However, due to declining sales in North America, the decision was postponed and abandoned in 1982.^[15] The site was subsequently sold to Chrysler in 1983.^[16] This generation of the Jetta was also produced in SFR Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, under the joint venture Tvornica Automobila Sarajevo (TAS) for the Balkan area.^[17]

The second generation of the Jetta is the longest-running so far. Introduced to Europe in early 1984 and North America in 1985, it proved to be a sales success for Volkswagen. The car secured the title of best-selling European car in North America, and outsold the similar Golf by two to one in that market.^[18] Based on the all-new second-generation Golf platform, the car was larger, heavier, and could seat five people instead of four as in the Jetta Mk1. Exterior dimensions increased in all directions. Overall length was up by 100 mm (3.9 in), the wheelbase grew 66 mm (2.6 in), and the width went up 53 mm (2.1 in). The suspension setup was basically unchanged from the first generation, albeit refined slightly, with the inclusion of a separate subframe for mounting the front control arms to help noise isolation, as well as improved rubber mountings for all components. Aerodynamics improved considerably, with a drag coefficient of 0.36.^[19] With a 470-litre (16.6 ft³) luggage compartment, the trunk had grown nearly as large as some full-sized American sedans.^[20] Interior room was also increased by 14 percent, which changed the EPA class from sub-compact to compact.

In Germany, Volkswagens were assembled in a new plant at Wolfsburg in Assembly Hall 54, which was heavily robotised in an effort to make build quality more consistent.^[21] New innovations on the second generation included an optional trip computer (referred to as the MFA, German Multi-Funktions-Anzeige), as well as silicone dampened engine and transmission mounts to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness levels. In 1988, a more advanced, fully electronic fuel injection system, known as the Digifant engine management system, became available.

As with its predecessor, the second-generation Jetta was offered as a two- or four-door sedan. External changes throughout the series' run were few: the front-quarter windows were eliminated in 1988 (along with a grille and door trim change), and larger body-colored bumpers and lower side skirts were added in 1990.

In 2007, Volkswagen of America held a contest to find the diesel-powered Volkswagen with the highest distance traveled on the original engine.^[22] The winning car was a 1986 Jetta Turbodiesel in Blue Rock, Ohio, which had 562,000 miles (904,000 km).^[23] A local dealer verified the odometer reading. Notable on this particular car was that it also had the original muffler despite being located in an area subject to road salt in the winter.

For its third generation, the Jetta was renamed the Volkswagen Vento in European countries, following the precedent of naming cars after winds ("Vento" means "wind" in both Portuguese and Italian). This generation debuted in Europe in 1992, followed by North America in 1993 (as the Jetta) after production delays and quality problems at the Volkswagen plant in Puebla, Mexico.^[24] It went on sale in most of Europe in the first quarter of the year, though it did not arrive on the British market until September 1992. Because of the success of the second generation in North America, Volkswagen decided to keep the Jetta nameplate. However, the car was given the Vento name in Europe to appeal to a younger market.^[25]

Styling was penned by a design team led by Herbert Schafer, and the car became more aerodynamic than the previous generation. Although visually similar to the second-generation Jetta, there were many refinements underneath. The two-door model was dropped, and aerodynamics were improved, with the car now having a drag coefficient of 0.32.^[26] This included a new structure which now met worldwide crash standards.^[27] Suspensions were an evolutionary rather than revolutionary refinement of the setup on previous editions, and mainly consisted of a wider track, and even maintaining backwards compatibility with older models. In addition, the car became more environmentally friendly with the use of recycled plastics, CFC-free air conditioning systems, and paint that did not contain heavy metals.^[28]

This generation of the car is widely credited for keeping Volkswagen from pulling out of the North American market.^[24][29] At the time of its introduction in 1993, Volkswagen of America's sales hit a low not seen since the 1950s, as the division sold only 43,902 cars in that year. Sales began slowly due to the aforementioned issues at the Puebla plant.^[30] However, sales rebounded dramatically in the following years, mostly based on the strength of the Jetta, which continued to be the best-selling Volkswagen in the United States.^[31]

Production of the fourth generation began in July 1999.^[32] Carrying on the wind nomenclature, the car was known as the Volkswagen Bora in much of the world. Bora is a winter wind which blows intermittently over the coast of the Adriatic Sea, as well as in parts of Greece, Russia, Turkey, and in the Sliven region of Bulgaria. In North America and South Africa, the Jetta moniker was kept once more due to the continued popularity of the car in those markets.

The Bora debuted shortly after its larger sibling, the fifth-generation Passat, with which it shared many styling cues. The rounded shape and arched roofline served as the new Volkswagen styling trademark, abandoning traditional sharp creases for more curved corners. A distinguishing feature of the Bora is its Whiptenna, an antenna on the rear end of the roof which was said to incur less drag than traditional antennas due to its short length and leeward position. For the first time, the rear passenger doors differed from those of a five-door Golf. The car was also offered as an estate/wagon (whose rear doors are also non-interchangeable with the others). New on this generation was some advanced options such as rain sensor-controlled windshield wipers and automatic climate control. However, these were expensive extras and many buyers did not specify them on their cars; as a result, the used market has many sparsely equipped models.

Although slightly shorter overall than the Vento, the Bora saw the wheelbase extended slightly. Some powertrain options were carried over. Nevertheless, a new internal combustion engines was offered: the 1.8-litre turbo four-cylinder (often referred to as the 1.8 20vT). The suspension setup remained much as before. However, it was softened considerably in most models to give a comfortable ride, which was met with some criticism as it was still quite hard in comparison with rivals such as vehicles offered from French carmakers.^[33]

The fifth generation Jetta debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 5 January 2005. After the New Beetle, it was the second Volkswagen product to make its world debut at a US auto show.^[34] The A5 Jetta sedan went on sale in the US before any other country, reflecting the importance of the car in that market for Volkswagen.^[35]

The fifth generation was marketed as the Jetta in most markets, and as Bora in Mexico and Colombia, Vento in Argentina and Chile, and as the Sagitar in China.^[36][37][38] The Jetta Mk5 is 170 millimetres (6.7 in) longer, 30 millimetres (1.2 in) wider, and has a 70 millimetres (2.8 in) longer wheelbase than the previous iteration. Interior room has increased from 2.46 cubic metres (87 cu ft) to 2.58 cubic metres (91 cu ft). In particular, rear legroom was increased by 65 millimetres (2.6 in) over the fourth generation. Luggage compartment volume is up to 453 litres (16 cu ft). One major change is the introduction of the first multi-link independent rear suspension in a Jetta. The design of the rear suspension has a strong resemblance to the one found in the Ford Focus.^[39] Volkswagen reportedly hired engineers from Ford who designed the suspension on the Focus.^[33]

Styling included a new chrome front grille, first seen on the Golf Mk5 R32, which has since spread to other models.^[40] Some critics appreciated the new styling, while others dismissed it as just as bland as the fourth generation.^[41][42]

The A5 Jetta was manufactured in the largest volumes in Mexico. VW spent US$800 million to upgrade its Puebla facilities for this model's production. This included a US$290 million new engine production line for the 5-cylinder power plant, a US$50 million investment in the press shop, and a US$200 million purchase of 460 robots, which increased automation by 80%. Final A5 assembly also took place in China and South Africa for those markets.^[43] Like initial production of the second generation in China, the Asian and African plants built the car from a complete knock down (CKD) kit shipped from the factory in Puebla. Local assembly in Kaluga, Russia, started in early 2008.^[44] Production also began in India in 2008 at the Škoda factory in Aurangabad.^[45][46]

The sixth-generation Volkswagen Jetta, known as the NCS (New Compact Sedan) during its development, was announced for the North American market on 16 June 2010.^[47] The A6 Jetta marked the departure from being a sedan derivative of the Golf, opting for a dedicated bodywork. It is partly based on the PQ35 platform shared with the Golf Mk6. The new model was larger and less expensive to manufacture than the previous generation, making the vehicle more competitive against mainstream rivals in the compact car segment, as part of Volkswagen's goal of reaching sales of 800,000 units in North America by 2018.^[48][49] The A6 Jetta was primarily designed by Volkswagen Mexico under the supervision of Volkswagen Germany.^[47][50]

Volkswagen's target of increasing its North American sales removed the Jetta from the premium compact car market. This forced many cost-cutting measures to be made for the North American models, which included a lower quality trim material for the interior and the replacement of leather with leatherette as an optional seating upholstery (leather was still available on Canadian-spec models). The North American version also lost the multi-link rear suspension of the previous generation.^[51] The turbo hybrid version was unveiled in January 2012 at the North American International Auto Show, and was discontinued in 2016.

This is the latest generation to be offered in Europe.

The seventh-generation 2018 (2019 in the US) Jetta debuted at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, on 14 January 2018, after Volkswagen released an exterior design sketch in December 2017. It is based on Volkswagen's MQB platform, which underpins other vehicles including the Golf and Atlas.^[52]

The A7 Jetta is larger than its predecessor, offers more interior room, and has the latest generation of Volkswagen's infotainment systems, including integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its ten-color customizable ambient interior lighting includes lighting across the dashboard and instrument panel, front and rear doors, footwells, and the gauge "rings" of a newly available fully digital instrument cluster display, marketed as the "Digital Cockpit".

As with its predecessors, production of the A7 Jetta would continue at Volkswagen's assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico. It would reach Volkswagen dealerships in the US in the second quarter of 2018. A GLI model with a multi-link rear suspension would come as a 2020 model. However, the A7 Jetta would not be sold in the European market nor in right-hand drive countries. The MK7 was recently launched in Korea,^[when?] where it became one of the top selling imported models.^{[citation needed]}

The Chinese-spec long-wheelbase Volkswagen Sagitar was launched on 19 January 2019, both in Beijing and Shanghai. It is about 50 mm longer than the U.S.-spec model, and is equipped with independent suspension.^[53] This was an attempt to occupy the more upscale market than the Volkswagen Lavida built by SAIC-VW, which share similar looks. Production would continue at the FAW-VW Chengdu plant.^[54]

In 2022, the facelifted Jetta was revealed in Chicago. Bearing an updated look and design, the new C-segment sedan also gained added kit and a new engine. The 1.5 litre turbo four-cylinder replaced the long-serving 1.4 TSI. As for the GLI, it retained the EA888 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo from the Golf GTI.^[55]

In 2001, at the 18th International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition in Berlin, Volkswagen released two environmentally friendly cars: the Bora HyMotion and the Bora Electric.

The Bora HyMotion was a hydrogen powered variant of the Bora (the fourth generation of the Jetta) with a 75 kW fuel cell that could accelerate from 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 12.5 seconds. With a 49-litre tank of cryogenically stored hydrogen, it had a range of 350 km (220 mi). Top speed was 140 km/h (87.0 mph).^[56]

In 2002, Volkswagen, along with Paul Scherrer Institute, released another hydrogen-powered car called the Bora Hy.Power. The car was powered by hydrogen compressed to a pressure of 320 bar (4600 psi). It had ratings very similar to the HyMotion, with a 75 kW (101 hp) power source. A special feature of the car was a 60-kilowatt supercapacitor which could boost power when needed and also recover energy when coasting.^[57]

Volkswagen had considered producing a mild hybrid version of the fifth generation mainly for the North American market, but never produced it.^[58] In 2013, Volkswagen produced a turbocharged full hybrid sixth generation for the North American market.

Biofuels

Volkswagen released a Jetta MultiFuel in 1991, at first to the governments of the state of California and New York, then for limited retail sale in those states to the public. They are an early example of an E85 vehicle, burning a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. These Jettas can still be found on US roads.

Volkswagen also released a Bora TDI which was powered by SunFuel, a synthetic fuel developed in partnership with Royal Dutch Shell.^[59] The company also displayed the Bora TDI, powered by SunDiesel, which Volkswagen also developed with DaimlerChrysler, along with Choren Industries.^[60]

Use of the two most popular blends of biodiesel that are mostly biodiesel, B80 and B100, is not recommended in 2009 and 2010 US TDI engines.^{[citation needed]}

In Brazil, until 2015, the Jetta was sold with the 2.0 L flex-fuel (marketed as "Total Flex") engine in Trendline and Comfortline trims. It could run on either E100 or Petrol. From the 2016 model year onwards, the 2.0 L flex-fuel was replaced by the 1.4 L TSI turbocharged engine from EA211 family, which runs exclusively on petrol.^[61]

In November 2008, the Jetta TDI (clean diesel) won the 2009 Green Car of the Year award from Green Car Journal.^[64] In 2015, however, as a result of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the award was rescinded.^[65]

From 2008 to 2010, Volkswagen and the Sports Car Club of America hosted the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, using factory-prepared 2009 Jetta TDIs.

For the 2010 SCCA World Challenge season, Irish Mike's Racing campaigned GLIs in the touring car class. Todd Buras won rounds one and two at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg^[66] and round 10 at Virginia International Raceway,^[67] while Chip Herr won round four at Mosport.^[68]

On 30 September 2011, Volkswagen of America announced a recall involving 2009–2012 Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models with the 2.0L TDI engine. This recall pointed to a resonance condition with the number 2 fuel injector line and the fuel injector pulses, causing small cracks in the line which could leak.^[69]

Many versions and derivations of Jetta has been built and produced in China by FAW-Volkswagen (FAW-VW) and SAIC Volkswagen (SAIC-VW), and the Jetta name itself has been used by FAW-VW as a new automotive brand since 2019.

The Volkswagen Jetta nameplate was produced from 1991 to 2019 by FAW-VW. It initially started as a rebadged version of the Mk2 Jetta, using the A2 platform. Later versions followed a different development path from the global Jetta, retaining the A2 platform until 2013, when it switched to the A05+ platform. In 2019, the Jetta nameplate was discontinued and spun off as a new brand called Jetta. The Jetta VA3 is the spiritual successor, as it is a sedan using the same A05+ platform.

The Volkswagen Bora has been produced by FAW-VW since 2001. It initially started as a rebadged version of the Mk4 Jetta (which was sold as the Bora in most markets). Later versions followed a different development path from the global Jetta, retaining the A4 (PQ34) platform until 2018, when it switched to the MQB A1 platform, similar to the global Mk7 Jetta.

The Volkswagen Sagitar has been produced by FAW-VW since 2006. It largely follows the design of the global Jetta, using the A5 (PQ35) platform from Mk5 to Mk6. For the Mk7 version, the Sagitar is still similar to the global Jetta (using the MQB A1 platform) except with a longer wheelbase of 2731mm.

The Volkswagen Lavida has been produced by SAIC-VW since 2008. It was based on a heavily modified FAW-VW first generation Bora (which itself was a rebadged Mk4 Jetta). In 2018, it also switched to the MQB A1 platform, similar to the 2018 Bora and global Mk7 Jetta.

Currently, the Bora and Lavida are considered to be similarly positioned as C segment cars, and the Sagitar is positioned slightly above them due to the longer wheelbase, while the Jetta VA3 is considered to be one segment below.

• Volkswagen Jetta (China)
• List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles