TORONTO, Ontario - Unless you’ve just slipped out of a coma, or you've been living on a remote island without Wi-Fi for the last year, chances are you know what Volkswagen did to the Jetta for 2011. Sacrifices were made so the car could be offered at a price point that's competitive with the likes of the Toyota Corolla, the Honda Civic and the Mazda3.
We’ll spare you the details on how exactly the Jetta changed because you probably already know; however, a lot of those, ah, measures don’t apply to the new GLI model as you'll discover by reading on.
Let's start with the engine. It’s the same unit that's found in the GTI, as well as the previous-generation GLI. Displacing 2.0 litres and featuring a turbocharger, an intercooler and direct injection, you benefit from what is arguably the most powerful 200 hp engine we can think of. Its 207 lb.-ft of torque, peaking all the way from 1,700 to 5,000 rpm, allows the GLI to move along at a fast pace.
A 6-speed manual is standard fair, although for an extra $1,400, you can get yourself one of VW's excellent double-clutch automated gearboxes called DSG. While the sales split is 50/50 for the GTI, VW Canada is figuring 70% of GLI buyers will choose the automatic.
What you need to know - and this will definitely please VW fans who fell into a depression when they learned that the Jetta would revert back to a good ol’ torsion beam - is that the 2012 GLI boasts an independent multilink rear suspension. Personally, a torsion beam is fine with me for run-of-the-mill models, but the GLI needed a better setup.
Together with a cross-differential system, or XDS in VW-speak, as well as suspension lowered by 15 mm, the sportiest version of the Jetta cooks on the track. While not as capable as the segment hot rods (namely the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Subaru Impreza WRX), the GLI proved its willingness to be tossed around at Mosport's Driver Development Centre course.
Now, I'm no race car driver and I don't aspire to be one, but the GLI quickly gave me the confidence to complete each lap more quickly than the previous one while having fun at the same time. The steering is perfectly precise, making each curve easy to master. After a few pointers from professional driver Richard Spénard, who VW brought along to help us journalists squeeze the best out of the cars, we did.
The DSG on the track, however, wasn’t as lightning-quick as I expected. With the shift lever in the "S" position (for, uh, Sport), the gearbox failed to upshift on a few occasions, allowing the engine to bounce off the redline. You do get paddle shifters if you want to gain better control of the transmission. I'd gladly take the manual gearbox with its light clutch pedal and crisp throws.
Oh, and just like regular Jettas, you can't turn off the stability control system. However, I can attest that it does a good job and doesn’t cut the fun at all on the track.
We also took turns driving on country roads on our way from downtown Toronto to Mosport. While the car's suspension felt harsh around the city, thanks to admittedly rough pavement, it settled down once we hit the highway and the country roads. During the drive, the trip computer recorded an average of 8.2L/100km.
The GLI is also a looker, with a front bumper design that mimics the one found on the GTI: a unique front grille, smoked taillights, a black rear air diffuser, red-painted brake calipers, side skirts, as well as 17" alloys that I would definitely trade in for the superb $975 18-inchers. The car definitely exhibits a more aggressive presence, although it's not a great departure compared to lesser Jettas.
Inside, you get a flat-bottomed steering wheel lifted directly from the GTI, aluminum pedals; sport seats with leather/cloth upholstery or optional full leather (Canada gets it, the U.S. doesn’t); red stitching on the steering wheel; seats and shift-lever trim; a 6-speaker touchscreen stereo with 6-CD changer, a USB port with iPod connectivity; keyless entry and start; and (drum roll please) a soft-touch dashboard.
Options include a power sunroof ($1,400), a 400-Watt Fender sound system with navigation ($1,250) and the aforementioned extra features.
As for the price of the GLI itself, it now stands at $27,475, or $2,800 less than the outgoing 2009 Jetta GLI. Volkswagen mentions rivals such as the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, the Suzuki Kizashi and the Honda Civic Si. It’s also cheaper than the GTI and the Beetle Sportline.
It also keeps the other Jetta's virtues including what can be considered the most spacious back seat and the most spacious trunk in the compact-car category. That means you can get yourself a sporty car and keep the kids, too.
So what it boils down to is this: The GLI has improved in several ways over the more plebeian Jetta trims, and the cost-cutting measures VW applied to the regular model haven't diluted the product one bit. GLI fans: no need to worry, your favourite sedan is still worthy of its three-letter badge.
