2015 Volkswagen Jetta

Finally, the Jetta TDI has an updated diesel engine that's more powerful and efficient The Volkswagen Jetta receives a variety of updates for 2015, not the least of which is an increase of nearly 3 inches to its wheelbase. There are also front and rear styling changes and new structural enhancements, the latter of which have resulted in improved frontal impact safety test scores. Inside you'll find improved material quality, several new available electronic safety features and some reconfiguration of content for various trim levels.

While not entirely exclusive in the compact-car market, they do endow the Jetta with some of the same features that not long ago were available only for larger and more expensive cars. 8-liter four-cylinder that provides impressively quick acceleration and still very good fuel economy Other Jetta advantages are still intact: a European driving dynamic, a spacious cabin that's tastefully designed (shunning some of the visual gimmickry that can make the interiors of several competitors visually tiring) and the availability of a turbodiesel engine. We also like the turbocharged 1. And to better compete, the 2015 Jetta now has a rather extensive suite of available electronic driver aids, such as blind-spot detection, forward-collision alert and parking sensors.

Gasoline-engine versions of the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta are available in Base, S, SE, Sport and SEL trim levels, while the diesel-engine TDI models come in S, SE and SEL trim.

Most Jetta models will be powered either by a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (1.8T) or a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel (TDI). Both models now receive an active radiator shutter that closes to shorten engine warm-up times and also reduce aerodynamic drag when extra cooling isn't needed. The diesel engine in the TDI models is a new unit, and VW anticipates that engine will deliver an EPA highway rating of 45 or 46 mpg, which nearly closes the gap between diesel- and hybrid-powered Jetta models. The anemic naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four returns to the lineup in base models.

The Jetta Hybrid is also expected to carry over, with its 1.4 liter turbocharged four, hybrid system, and additional battery pack all adding up to a car that's more fun to drive than a Prius, albeit not quite as efficient. And the GLI, with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four and sportier demeanor, will continue as the Jetta that packs the most fun. The Hybrid and GLI models are expected to go on sale early in 2015.

The 2015 Jetta is still so spacious, it barely squeezes into the compact class. A great driving position, the back-seat space of a mid-size sedan, and obvious German heritage throughout, from the first turn of the steering wheel: It's all part of the experience in the Jetta, which is one of the most livable and refined of its kind.