First automobiles are essential. Whether pristine, new and gleaming, or drained, outdated and steaming, they’re amongst most individuals’s first tastes of maturity and freedom. Those reminiscences — each optimistic and unfavourable — follow us perpetually. By the time I acquired my first set of keys in highschool, I used to be already an enormous automotive fanatic. My first automotive, a European-spec 1986 Volkswagen Jetta GLI with round 100,000 miles of, let’s name it “seasoning,” helped set me on trajectory that led me to my life’s work in automotive journalism.In different phrases, the GLI is type of essential to Yours Truly. Thus, it ought to come as no shock that climbing into this 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is freighted with nostalgia and that means for me, even when the brand new mannequin has nearly nothing in frequent with the square-rigged, high-trunked Mk2 I used to personal.
That automotive provided enjoyable, reasonably priced efficiency in a modern (if considerably milquetoast) wrapper with shocking utility. One look at this new 2019 VW GLI tells a lot the identical story. Yes, this sixth-gen mannequin has a unique look from the Jetta it is primarily based on, but it surely’s delicate. There’s extra aggressive entrance and rear decrease fascias, delicate facet sills and a modest rear spoiler, together with distinctive 18-inch alloys. There’s no denying it is nonetheless buttoned-up stuff. The GLI’s most noticeable styling departure is arguably its blacked-out grille, and to my eyes, it is really the mannequin’s least profitable design aspect. Like GLIs previous and its hatchback GTI kin, there is a outstanding purple trim line that ties collectively the LED daytime operating lamps, but it surely’s the weirdly exaggerated open honeycomb remedy itself that appears a bit odd.
Speaking of its GTI brethren, this Jetta GLI inherits most of that wonderful hatchback’s efficiency goodies. As you’d anticipate, there is a model of VW’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter turbocharged TSI four-cylinder engine, tuned right here to develop 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. For these preserving rating, these are will increase of 18 hp and 51 lb-ft over the outgoing GLI, and so they’re streets forward of the 1.4-liter you get in at this time’s commonplace Jetta, an inline 4 that delivers a relatively paltry 147 hp buoyed by a good 184 lb-ft.
Americans drive torque, so be pleased that this 2.0T has loads of it: 258 pound-feet of the stuff.
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My take a look at automotive contains a six-speed handbook (sure, it is again!) with straightforward and correct however long-feeling throws. A fast-shifting, seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox (just like the one seen in our man Antuan Goodwin’s overview video and pictures on this web page) can be obtainable.Regardless of which transmission you select, gas economic system is pegged at 25 miles per gallon metropolis, 32 mpg freeway and 28 mixed — affordable, if unremarkable stuff.As the aforementioned energy figures recommend, nevertheless, efficiency from this engine is gutsy, due to significantly sturdy low-end torque. While the clutch uptake might be barely extra progressive to assist in fast, easy launches, the GLI’s driveline in any other case has no hassle getting its energy to the bottom. Get used to the leftmost pedal’s motion and you will be rewarded with a 0-to-60 mile-per-hour time of round 6 seconds. Sadly, you will not be rewarded with an attention-grabbing accompanying soundtrack.Even whenever you’re not in a straight line, this front-wheel driver has no hassle placing its energy down. Thanks partly to the GLI’s stout MQB platform, VAQ limited-slip differential with XDS digital locking expertise and grippy 18-inch 225/45-series Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 rubber, the GLI hooks up and goes, whether or not ripping away from a stoplight, slingshotting out of a hairpin or deliberately pouring on an excessive amount of energy on an onramp only for a second’s amusement on a morning commute.
In the latter conditions, the GLI resorts to safety-first understeer — there’s little proof of a twitchy rear finish like my ’86. (Like its GTI sibling, my outdated automotive would recurrently raise its interior wheel like a canine at a fireplace hydrant underneath arduous cornering.) It’s maybe a bit much less dramatic, however the GLI receives a extra refined multilink rear suspension as a substitute of the usual Jetta’s cost-savings torsion beam, aiding in each friendlier and extra succesful dealing with. The totally impartial setup is lifted wholesale from the GTI, proper right down to the springs and entrance sway bars, although the diameter of the rear anti-roll bar is up by a skosh to 21.7 millimeters. GLI is out there with no-cost summer season rubber. In this case, 225/45-series Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 rubber.
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The variable-ratio steering system can be up on your favourite winding highway, with a fast 2.1-turns lock-to-lock and fairly good highway really feel. The GLI additionally will get 13.4-inch vented entrance discs swiped from the Golf R, although the rear brakes are modest 11.8-inch stable items. While I did not have a racetrack or a handy mountain roads to fling this automotive round throughout my week with the automotive, suffice it to say that this automotive had loads of constant and simple to modulate stopping energy.
On the upscale 35th Anniversary mannequin, the GLI is fitted with Volkswagen’s DCC adaptive dampers. While my very fairly priced tester went with out this function, I did not miss it. The base passive system is effectively sorted — it does not beat you up on bumpy roads (significantly essential to me, as that is the one type of floor larger Detroit provides), but it nonetheless handles keenly in the event you occur to luck upon a chunk of spaghetti tarmac.DCC-equipped GLIs additionally get an extra drive mode, Comfort, on prime of the 4 settings of my S mannequin: Normal, Sport, Eco and Custom, the latter of which permits the motive force to tune the steering, throttle, differential, engine sound and local weather management settings to go well with their desire. You possible will not really feel the necessity to monkey round with the settings a lot, and admittedly, even with the exhaust notice turned up, the GLI nonetheless sounds a bit too reserved for its personal good.My fairly priced, option-free, manual-transmission S take a look at automotive rides on no-charge summer season tires and wears a $25,995 price ticket — $26,890 together with $895 vacation spot price. Just like my outdated Mk2, that makes at this time’s GLI the most affordable German sport sedan you should purchase in America at this time by a rustic mile. In reality, adjusted for inflation, in at this time’s {dollars}, my outdated 1986 would price about $24,000 earlier than choices. It was additionally a lot smaller and solely had 100 horsepower — sufficient to hit 60 mph in about 11 seconds. And that is earlier than considering all the new Jetta’s superior security and comfort options.VW’s price cutters have gotten their manner a bit an excessive amount of within the cabin, which is lacking sport seats and richer plastics.
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Even by VW’s personal (typically affordable) pricing requirements, the 2019 GLI looks as if a suspiciously whole lot. That’s very true whenever you understand that the GLI prices anyplace between $1,600 and $7,000 (!) or so lower than its GTI hatchback counterpart, relying on choices and trim. That’s a startling price delta, particularly when you think about that regardless of its age, at this time’s GTI nonetheless does not really feel like a foul deal in and of itself.As you’d anticipate, although, there are vital downsides. Most of them happen within the cabin, which might solely be described as a sufferer of The Cheapening. Even the bottom GTI hatch is a delight, with its trademark plaid-insert sport seats, golf-ball shift knob and pleasingly textured plastics. By comparability, the GLI is a little bit of a penalty field, with noticeably poorer arduous polymer panels throughout and incremental cost-cutting measures that instantly influence one’s consolation — specifically the substitution of the usual Jetta’s comparatively flat and featureless seats. Combined with the shortage of a multi-angle armrest and a tinny-sounding stereo with a smallish 6.5-inch display screen, and the GLI’s inside does not simply really feel a lot much less particular, it really feels low cost.Yes, there’s a bigger 8-inch show display screen with a 400-watt Beats audio system on the top-shelf Autobahn mannequin, however even it is not provided with onboard navigation. At least there’s commonplace Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility throughout the board. The Autobahn additionally will get a digital gauge cluster, panoramic moonroof and powered, ventilated seats with adjustable lumbar assist. Of course, at a beginning value of $29,195 (handbook) and $29,995 (DSG) earlier than choices and supply, the range-topping Autobahn can be much more costly, and it nonetheless does not handle to shake the cost-cutting vibe that blights the bottom S mannequin, owing primarily to these aforementioned nasty plastics and relatively unbolstered chairs. In gentle of all this, in the event you’re recreation for modifications, it is perhaps extra advisable to stay with the low-end mannequin and hunt round on-line for a deal on a pair of aftermarket sport seats. VW has mounted loads of what ailed the final GLI — this new one will get an impartial rear suspension and you will get a handbook gearbox, too.
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On the optimistic facet, the Jetta GLI’s cabin is roomier than ever. The new automotive stays labeled as a compact, but it surely rides on a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase and spans three inches longer total. It’s barely wider and taller, too. Plus, VW’s engineers have managed all this with nearly no mass penalty in any respect — the 2019 weighs inside an enormous bag of your pooch’s Blue Buffalo of its outdated self.With these bigger dimensions, there’s loads of elbow room inside, in addition to within the trunk, which provides 14.1 cubic toes of house. Plus, in the event you’re a fan of fundamental, old-school ’80s teutonic interiors with their sturdy driver-focused aesthetic and minimal switchgear distractions, you will really feel at dwelling right here, empty switchgear blanks and all. On the draw back, rivals just like the Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Elantra Sport merely have nicer cabins. Even the dated (however way more highly effective) Subaru WRX’s inside is not that a lot cheaper-feeling, and it is acquired a lot sportier seats.On the security entrance, the 2019 Jetta GLI comes with commonplace blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, plus full LED lighting. Weirdly, adaptive cruise management is just not obtainable. All-in, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI actually does handle to really feel like a GTI at a reduction, for higher and for worse. It’s a sport sedan that is each surprisingly sensible and enjoyable to drive, let down solely by a number of too many company fits enjoying hardball when it got here to signing off on the automotive’s cabin. If VW provided up a GTI-spec premium inside choice bundle with the hatchback’s infinitely higher seats and premium plastics for an affordable surcharge, the GLI can be a top-to-bottom winner. As it’s, it tugs on the heartstrings of this former Mk2 GLI proprietor, however not sufficient to make me proclaim it the clear selection in its class.