Life is Poppin'

I believe in sharing my life so I can save you time, money and a few headaches! Always learning from my screw-ups.

  • Drives With Girls
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • DIY
  • Kid Stuff
  • Reviews
    • Giveaways

2019 Volkswagen Jetta: As Good as the Family Sedan Can Get

Nov 10 by Leave a Comment

Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta: The Germans are in to please with a good-looking, good-driving, and well-equipped sedan that doesn’t break the bank.

  • Year, make, model: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4T SEL Premium
  • Engine: 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 147 horsepower
  • Seating capacity: Five
  • Sets of car seat anchors: Two
  • EPA-estimated MPG (as tested): 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway (29 mpg combined)
  • Price (as tested): $26,945 ($27,795)
  • Related vehicles we’ve tested: Honda Civic, Mazda 6, Chevrolet Malibu
  • In a nutshell: Volkswagen’s newest sedan kicks it out of the park with modern looks, a swanky cabin, and a great driving experience. On top of it all, a fuel-efficient engine and a price that won’t make you cringe are among this sedan’s best qualities.

Volkswagen Jetta

Our Time Behind the Wheel

Oftentimes car buyers with modest budgets are forced to choose one thing over another. You know, if you want a car that looks cool and sporty then you’ll most likely suffer at the pump, or if you choose a sleek and fuel-efficient car then you’ll most likely have to pay more up front. After spending a week with the all-new Jetta, I’m convinced that it’s one of the most enjoyable and affordable sedans I’ve driven in a very long time. In fact, it’s right up there with the Honda Civic and various offerings from Mazda in terms of overall value and enjoyment (and relative affordability).

For starters, the all-new design is awesome. The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta looks modern, it looks clean, and most importantly, it looks different. Call me crazy, but I think it looks Tesla-ish. Second, the interior is pure German. The dash is clean, well-organized, and easy to operate. The seats are comfortable, the entire layout just makes sense. It’s easy to live with. Lastly, it’s a joy to drive.

Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta

Despite not possessing a ton of horsepower, the Jetta gets around town effortlessly and with confidence. Its relaxed driving attitude makes it a comfortable daily driver in busy city streets, but it can also get up and go when needed on the highway. In our case, we live near downtown which means lots of stopping and going, where the Jetta’s supple suspension and soft steering are quite welcomed. On the highway, the sedan lives up to its German heritage by feeling “planted” at 70-80 mph without breaking a sweat. And if you’re feeling racy, choose the third of three driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, for a slightly sportier feel of the throttle, steering, and gear shifts.

When it comes to family friendliness, the Jetta proves that not every family must switch to a crossover or SUV. The cabin of the Jetta accommodates five passengers quite comfortably, and our SEL Premium tested was equipped with heated, leather-wrapped seats that were quite pleasant. Although the rear seats aren’t heated (totally okay at this price point), there are rear vents that direct cold or warm air to the rear occupants. Furthermore, parents are able to install two car seats in the rear if so desired/needed.

No need to worry about space for the groceries or anything else life may throw at you, as the Jetta’s 14.1 cubic feet of cargo space is more than enough to handle most daily tasks. Plus, the rear seats are able to fold down to increase cargo capacity for those one-off trips to Ikea. In case you’re wondering, the Civic offers 11.9 cubic feet and the rear seats can also be folded down.

Volkswagen Jetta

Overall

We had to look quite hard to find something we didn’t like, but like most cars, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta isn’t perfect. The virtual cockpit, which is basically an enormous screen that replaces the traditional gauge cluster, can be tricky to operate and you may never have the information you need to be displayed at once. I had to choose between a digital speed readout or mpg, as they were both on different “pages.” Also, the start-stop mechanism seems to propel the car forward just a tad when it comes back on (rather than remain neutral), which can induce a bit of motion sickness on some folks.

Related Posts

  • 2016 Volkswagen Passat – The ‘No Gimmicks’ Kind of Family Sedan2016 Volkswagen Passat – The ‘No Gimmicks’ Kind of Family Sedan
  • 2017 Lexus GS F – The Everyday Family Hot Rod2017 Lexus GS F – The Everyday Family Hot Rod
  • 2016 Honda Accord Sport – The King Of Sedans2016 Honda Accord Sport – The King Of Sedans
  • 2018 Volkswagen Atlas – The Germans Are in to Please2018 Volkswagen Atlas – The Germans Are in to Please
  • 2016 Toyota Avalon – The New Family Cruiser2016 Toyota Avalon – The New Family Cruiser
  • 2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI – Can it Family?2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI – Can it Family?
  • 2016 Nissan Maxima Review: Neiman Marcus Luxury at Target Prices2016 Nissan Maxima Review: Neiman Marcus Luxury at Target Prices
  • 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: Small Package, Big Attitude2018 Volkswagen Tiguan: Small Package, Big Attitude

Don’t Miss the Latest

Celebrating the New Year in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

We drive the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 to the Great White North, where we say goodbye to a rather tumultuous 2020. 2020 has been a year for most of us, huh? So happy to get rid of it and here’s to hoping 2021 is better in every way! Of course, we say this with the […]

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Family Road Trip In the 2021 Chevy Tahoe

A large and rugged country requires a large and rugged vehicle. With COVID-19 shutting down most things around us or at least applying rigorous restrictions to help slow the spread of the virus, a lot of activities we would normally do with our family are off the table. Luckily, we’ve always loved family road trips, […]

Explore Chicago: The Four Seasons With Kids

We head to the Windy City in the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Once upon a time, we could get away as a couple whenever we wanted wherever we wanted. Early mornings, late nights, breakfast in bed, shows, clubs, parties—you name it, we enjoyed it. But for a while now, we’ve had to play by a […]

2020 Hyundai Sonata: A Tech-Packed, Versatile Sedan

Yes, it can drive forward and backward without a driver, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of this stylish sedan. Sedans are dying a slow death. No, it’s not just me being negative, but a factual representation of the automotive industry, which in turn, is a direct reflection of customer’s buying habits. People […]

Filed Under: Pit Stop Tagged With: Car, family, german, jetta, sedan, test drive, volkswagen

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

follow-me-on-pinterest

Get to know Drives with Girls!

Drives with girls, lifeispoppin.com

Gifts for Dads

Fox 59 Segment

drives-with-girls

Popular posts you will love:

Fairy in a Jar Night Lights

Fairy in a Jar Night-Lights

4C Spider

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider

gala

Womens Daily contributor transTODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

TODAY.com Parenting Team Parenting Contributor

Everywhere

This post may contain affiliate links

Copyright ©2023, Life is Poppin'. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs