Those familiar with VW products will know the letters GLI are to the Jetta what GTI is to the Golf. The GLI is the sportiest of Jettas, and here it gets the 200-hp/207 lb.-ft. direct-injection turbo four and six-speed manual or six-speed twin-clutch DSG from the GTI.
There have been a host of other improvements to the “North Americanized” lower-priced 2011Jetta, a car that took criticism for it’s generic styling, an interior that was a step back in quality for the VW brand, the regression to a twist beam rear axle from multi-link rear underpinnings and an ancient low-tech 8-valve 2.0-litre four in the base model.
That said, in TDI clean diesel form, the 2011 Jetta was named Best New Family Car under $30,000 by the Auto Journalists Association of Canada.
The 2011 Jetta has proven to be a success for VW with sales up 164 per cent, and it accounts for fifty per cent of VW Canada’s sales – thirty per cent of those being the base Trendline with the aforementioned pre-Columbian lump under the hood.
Now arriving at the other end of the Jetta spectrum is the nameplate’s halo car. Is this 2012 GLI more than just a 2011 Jetta with some GTI guts? Yes.
Outside, the GLI gets a more aggressive front fascia with fog lights, side skirts, a new rear valance and diffuser plus twin chrome tipped tailpipes. The car sits 15 mm lower on its standard 17-inch alloys, but you’ll be wanting to spring for the $975 18-inchers – they give the car some needed visual swagger. Like the GTI, the Jetta GLI is fitted with the Electronic Transverse Differential Lock (XDS) that mitigates inside front wheel spin when cornering.
Five colours are available: red, black, white, silver and dark grey.
First impressions behind the wheel are favourable, starting with that lovely multi-function GTI steering wheel in your hands. While the dash design may not be as adventurous as some competitors, it surely is logical and handsome in a timeless fashion, and build quality impresses.
As with all Volkswagens, the seats are right on the money, dishing out comfort and support in equal measure. With backseat legroom being best in class, no apologies need be made to rear passengers. The trunk is also largest in class, and the rear seats are a 60/40 split for added utility.
VW seeks balance here, and is not looking for a torque-steering monster. On the road, the GLI feels solid and substantial, with nicely weighted electro-mechanical steering and a firm but compliant ride that doesn’t give away its sporty mandate until you hit some really nasty surfaces. If you appreciate the premium and buttoned-down feel of most Volkswagens, then this GLI with its extra turn of speed and sharp handling will delight.
The six-speed manual transmission and clutch operate with expected VW precision, although Volkswagen predicts 70 per cent of buyers will choose the $1,400 DSG twin-clutch unit. As VW has been in the twin-clutch biz for a few years, this six-speed DSG is one of the best out there, operating seamlessly in auto mode, while responding pronto to tugs on the steering wheel-mount shift paddles.
Fuel economy for the manual equipped GLI is rated 9.8 L/100 km city and 6.2 L/100 km highway, while the DSG does better at 8.8 city and 6.1 highway.
Unique to the GLI is a “sound actuator” – an under hood resonance chamber that pipes an intake growl into the cabin. I can’t say it’s a particularly pleasant sound, seeming a little gruff and agrarian to these ears, but it does give the car more attitude.
My loaded red tester was fitted with the $2,100 Luxury Leather Package that added leather seating surfaces and sunroof, and the $1,290 Tech Package that includes navigation and a 400-watt Fender sound system with eight speakers including subwoofer. Fender, of course, is famous for making electric guitars and amplifiers, and not for audio systems. This one gets a B rating from me.
The brakes, however, went soft pretty quickly after a few hot laps, although in real world duty this won’t be an issue. While the stability control has no manual override, VW tells us the software is designed to detect situations where a certain amount of wheelspin is advantageous, ie deep snow. Let’s hope.
The 2012 Jetta GLI’s main competitors are the $25,950 Honda Civic Si with its 201-hp 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated four and the $25,578 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V sporting a 200-hp 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four.
Realistically, the Nissan isn’t in the running. It’s crude, looks and feels cheap and has horrible steering. The Honda is a worthy foe, and while it doesn’t have the effortless torque shove of the VW nor its solid German demeanour, it’s a swift and very capable-handling sedan.
Built in Mexico, the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is arriving in showrooms now. As a premium, compact, well priced and very well sorted German-engineered front-drive sedan, it appears to be in a class of one.
