Volkswagen Jetta review

The new Volkswagen Jetta could be on the back foot before it even arrives. British buyers don’t usually go for small saloons, so its ilk is largely seen as a filler between the bigger-selling C-segment and D-segment models.

Don’t discount it, though. This is no longer simply a Golf with a boot. VW has endowed its perennially forgettable small saloon with some individuality, so it now has a look and possibly a purpose all of its own.

Substantial boot space and an exterior now suggestive of a small but well formed Passat give much more on-paper appeal than the Jetta enjoyed before. With a range starting at £17,160, it’s also very competitively priced. The best seller in the line-up is likely to be the 138bhp 2.0 TDI in base SE trim, which comes in at £20,435.

Other engines from VW’s familiar line-up include 120bhp and 158bhp versions of the 1.4 TFSI petrol. The 138bhp 2.0 TDI is joined on the diesel side by a 104bhp 1.6 TDI.

The Jetta is still a car pieced together from familiar parts, but its fresh looks and enticing price tag could make it one of VW’s top all-rounders. The best bits of the Passat and Golf in a well priced package? Or a model that exists only to mask the white noise between the other models that bookend it in the VW range? We’re here to find out