My 2010 VW Jetta TDI review (43k km later)
I recently purchased a 2010 VW Jetta TDI 6MT Trendline (base model) as my DD.. Just want to post some thoughts for people who are thinking about buying this car 
Exterior walkaround: The biggest difference between the base model and the uplevel are the wheels. 16" steelies with hubcaps is what you get with the base.. otherwise the exterior is pretty much the same except for fog lights and chrome window trims. Many critics have said the exterior of the car is too bland. I personally don't mind it, I think it's quite elegant (in a understated way) and looks like a mini-Passat. 8/10.
Interior: For 2010, the Jetta received the "MK6" interior (revised steering wheel, HVAC controls, dashboard). IMO it is better looking then the MK5 interior, especially the HVAC controls.. the dashboard has been updated with white backlights instead of blue.. the base model does not have a multi-fuction display, and only shows exterior temperature along with the other standard stuff (time, cruise control, etc). The steering wheel has no audio control and is made with vinyl (same as the hand brake lever, uplevel cars get leather) Space is ok, it is a "compact" car after all. Seats are comfortable and I like the materials used for the seats. The trunk is huge.8.5/10.
Powertrain: The TDI engine is one of the best engines I've had the chance to drive. Power delivery is smooth and the traditional diesel noise is pretty much eliminated from the inside. You can still hear the clattering sound on the outside, however it is not intrusive at all. This is my first manual transmission car and I had a pretty easy time learning to drive it. Clutch is slightly heavier than the other cars I've sampled, and the engagment point is relatively high. At first it was hard to execute a smooth take off, however after a while you'll get it (like most cars). I've driven over 300 km so far (good mix of city/highway, as well as low speed on side streets when I was practicing) and I still have somewhere between 3/4 and 1/2 tank. A far cry from my other car (Land Rover LR3). 9/10.
Price/Value: I got mine for 25,900 on the road, which I thought wasn't too shabby. I didn't take the finance option (0% for 66 months) and paid cash instead. The $500 OEM accessories was a nice bonus (you can't take cash credit though, as my salesperson had told me). I got the Edition 30 shifter, pedals, monster mats and a licence plate frame (yes yes yes.. there was a little bit of credit left over that I don't know what to do with). 8/10.
Equipment: IMO the "base" model is pretty well-equipped. I've added the cold weather package (heated seats, washer nozzle jets) and ESP ($725 total). Not too bad for equipments that would greatly enhance winter driving experience. For those who don't know, diesels takes a long time to warm up on a cold winter day. I normally could care less about having heated seats with cloth seats, but this is one exception. For those who are interested in the base model, the notable "useful" stuff that are missing is the center armrest (both front and rear seats) and CD changer. 8/10.
Any other questions or opinions, feel free to post them here. Would love to hear from you guys.
Exterior walkaround: The biggest difference between the base model and the uplevel are the wheels. 16" steelies with hubcaps is what you get with the base.. otherwise the exterior is pretty much the same except for fog lights and chrome window trims. Many critics have said the exterior of the car is too bland. I personally don't mind it, I think it's quite elegant (in a understated way) and looks like a mini-Passat. 8/10.
Interior: For 2010, the Jetta received the "MK6" interior (revised steering wheel, HVAC controls, dashboard). IMO it is better looking then the MK5 interior, especially the HVAC controls.. the dashboard has been updated with white backlights instead of blue.. the base model does not have a multi-fuction display, and only shows exterior temperature along with the other standard stuff (time, cruise control, etc). The steering wheel has no audio control and is made with vinyl (same as the hand brake lever, uplevel cars get leather) Space is ok, it is a "compact" car after all. Seats are comfortable and I like the materials used for the seats. The trunk is huge.8.5/10.
Powertrain: The TDI engine is one of the best engines I've had the chance to drive. Power delivery is smooth and the traditional diesel noise is pretty much eliminated from the inside. You can still hear the clattering sound on the outside, however it is not intrusive at all. This is my first manual transmission car and I had a pretty easy time learning to drive it. Clutch is slightly heavier than the other cars I've sampled, and the engagment point is relatively high. At first it was hard to execute a smooth take off, however after a while you'll get it (like most cars). I've driven over 300 km so far (good mix of city/highway, as well as low speed on side streets when I was practicing) and I still have somewhere between 3/4 and 1/2 tank. A far cry from my other car (Land Rover LR3). 9/10.
Price/Value: I got mine for 25,900 on the road, which I thought wasn't too shabby. I didn't take the finance option (0% for 66 months) and paid cash instead. The $500 OEM accessories was a nice bonus (you can't take cash credit though, as my salesperson had told me). I got the Edition 30 shifter, pedals, monster mats and a licence plate frame (yes yes yes.. there was a little bit of credit left over that I don't know what to do with). 8/10.
Equipment: IMO the "base" model is pretty well-equipped. I've added the cold weather package (heated seats, washer nozzle jets) and ESP ($725 total). Not too bad for equipments that would greatly enhance winter driving experience. For those who don't know, diesels takes a long time to warm up on a cold winter day. I normally could care less about having heated seats with cloth seats, but this is one exception. For those who are interested in the base model, the notable "useful" stuff that are missing is the center armrest (both front and rear seats) and CD changer. 8/10.
Any other questions or opinions, feel free to post them here. Would love to hear from you guys.
