2003 Volkswagen Jetta Reviews, Pricing & Specs

This car is a great commuter that gets 38 MPG combined driving, and about 42-44 highway driving. I love the spacious trunk and room in the front seats. The back seats a kind of small for room but it is not a full size sedan so I don't expect to fit 3 grown adults back there.

It has been a good car overall. I have owned it for about 4 years and not have had any mechanical problems. But I have had problems with the window clips that hold the windows in place, i had to replace the plastic ones with metal ones after they broke from the cold. I have also had a small leak I had to fix that was coming in from the the skylight drain. I had to fix it by running another tube down the existing one and make a new drain collar. Everything else has worked great and it is a fun car to drive.

Pros: Fit/finish, economy, reliability, great transmission (5- speed), huge trunk-space, stock Monsoon sound-system. Cons: FWD, low on power. Cheap to own/maintain. Changing the oil is a breeze. Runs like a top, never had a breakdown. Pretty fun to drive, has excellent brakes and average acceleration for a car of this caliber. I'd recommend it.

Ive concluded that VWs are the best and most enjoyable cars to drive, but when something breaks, you better have a deep pocket! With that said, if you consider a VW...especially a VR6, GET THE WARRANTY!! trust me on this one!

I miss this car so much. Ok so first of all go 03 or higher on the Mark IV body, this is the first year of this generation to have no recalls and only like 2 tsbs! First on the acceleration. The 24v VR6 engine is genius. it feels like much more than just 201hp!! Even with the auto and fairly sticky yokohomas the tires screached if I put my foot down at a light. Gas milage is great, handling is great for a car like this and the interior features on the GLX are very nice: Rain sensing wipers, digital climate control, memory leather heated seats and OMG the monsoon sound system is very loud/bassy. This car retailed for a little over $30k when new and holds it value almost too well. Mine retailed for 14k at 100k miles when i sold it! (I only got trade in value obviously). I drove the hell out of this little thing but with good maintenance and the wonders of amsoil it still purred like a kitten at 100k miles. Even the auto tranny with the original fluid in it shifted like new. If your buying a mark IV you have to get the VR6 engine and remember, 03 and up!

I like the Jettas ability to respond to your reflexes. It has great pick up and speed. The cruise control is great and saves on gas. It is stylish and really fun to drive. A lot of trunk space and multiple cup holders.

My Vw Jetta is absolutely sick no questions. The handling is great, the power in that 1.8 litre Turbo is surprising, and the transmission is very smooth. The Jetta is one of the sleekest looking cars out there,when its kept in good shape. The black plastic bumpers are my only complaint as they folded like paper when i scraped a curb. idk what else to say. drive one and decide for yourself.

Great Acceleration and handling. fun to drive. turbo kicks whenever i need it. Well constructed. Low maintenance. Good mileage.. lots of options for aftermarket tuning/upgrades. silver is a good color to have doesnt show all the dirt and dust.

Performance - For 4 cyl turbo diesel decent acceleration, 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes with enhanced stability program. Build Quality - No shakes or rattles. Doors close with a thud. Appearance - Looks like earlier small BMW. Cost - Amazing 1000 + Km's per tank; round trip drive to Anaheim Ca., back up California #1 to Calgary, Ab. total 6600 km's, total fuel costs $224. Maintenance no more than gas engine, longevity far outweighs gas models. Fun Factor - Easy to drive, park and cruise long hours on hwy trips..

performance is cool; acceleration is solid especially the one I own is manual. there's always some noticeable mechanic noise from time to time; although it didn't affect the performance, it is simply annoying and any car lovers would love to hear crystal clear engine sound, is it? ~~~~ quite fuel economic compared to my other car, lol; so not too much complaint on that one =) build quality is solid after all; it's been 6 years since I purchased it; been through tough winters in Ontario, Canada; Montreal, Quebec; break killer - LA area and finally now I live in Mountain view - quite peaceful car driving friendly area~~ it is absolutely fun to shift gears on the jetta 1.8T, quite amazed to see its acceleration on the road compared to other more prestige cars.

I had an 02 Golf 2 Dr TDI, this car i miss because of the versatility of the wagon. The Jetta has better acceleration and about the same economy.

Not particularly peppy, but at 50 mpg sins are forgiven. Though it is kinda slow it still is quite entertaining to drive, especially on the manual version. There are a few quirky things that rattle, such as the shifter, and the release button for the parking brake, but it's really not bad.

Overall has been a great car for us. Keep up with basic maintenance and the car will last forvever. We plan to keep the car for the great gas mileage, low maint costs, and safe ride with standard side air bags and an overall solid car.

As far as the looks of the Jettas go, i think they're one of the few cars that need any modification to look good. It has great handling and stability, as well as great acceleration. Definitely a good investement for anyone.

The ride is fantastic, gear shifts are smooth, initial acceleration isn't too great but readily picks up from 2nd gear. Effortlessly speedy on overdrive and cruise. Interiors are not extravagant but suited for a comfortable 4 people ride.

I love everything about my car... Its been 4 years already with my car and so far only thing is that after 3 years I have to let it heat up the first time I turn it on every day or it will not have all of its power... besides that its the best car I've had so far...

I really love my car, it rules. The engine is so reliable that you just need to change the oil, having this car is not as expensive as it looks, is a great and fast car, you really enjoy driving it

So far great car, alot of fun to drive, hit 3000rpm and the power just rushes in

I love the paint, it's in really good shape, still has a nice shine. The car is highly update-able, I can add different wheels, a ground package, and fog lights. I love hearing the turbo kick in, and the feel of acceleration, it's pretty quick, and the handling is nimble. I have fun driving it, although I look for good reasons to go out in it, 'cause the price of gas is so outrageous.

I like how volkswagen has such reliable cars, but the parts for a volkswagen can be expensive. I wish the parts were cheaper. Overall I would recommend a volkswagen to anyone looking for a car the is reliable and affordable.

great economic car..good quality, durable, and trustful. it has 4 cylinder.. dvd player in the front.. new tires and rims.. new shocks,new brakes, tinted tail-lights.. halo headlights perfect conditions.. Fun car to drive, especially on the snow... Its stability is crazzzy good.. lots of room in.. comfortable.. air conditioning, heat, emergency brake, 2 outlets

Good handling, quick acceleration and deceleration. Good quality for a compact car. Good styling, not garish or boring. Very fun to drive, but the a/c doesn't work that well. Have not had it long enough to judge maintenance costs.

This is a great car for a college girl but i need something with more speed. It handles great and rides smooth but if it only had more power. Its reliable but when work needs to be done be prepared to pay for it.

Soft, compliant suspension mated with direct, communicative steering make this an easy day in day out driver. 4 Cyl. engine is good with low end grunt but lacks power for truly aggressive driving. Clutch is easy, light, with long pedal travel and sometimes vague shifter. An economy car with luxury intentions, the interior suprises with excellent detail, build quality, and simplicity. Car is very quiet, smooth, and dependable, allowing for long highway trips that are neither arduous nor painful. Although day to day driving is truly easy in this car, sporty driving is not to be had with the GLS model. The balence is on commuting, not on sporting.

Excellent car..only problem is electronics. 20 years of service ,things are going to get tired.The price of the original electronic components should be a lot cheaper than it is .as the stock should be the same price as 20 yrs agoand considered dead stock.

This car is a money pit... sooo easy to mod and so much HP for the money. Currently running stage 17lb of boost at ~ 220hp Not too expensive to maintain, but oil changes are around $90 per change since have to use premium

The turbo is really nice on this sucker. The size makes it feel like you're driving a go-kart on the highway. I really like the acceleration kicking in when you need it.

When i first got this car the acceleration wasn't too bad but after i did some mods to it. The car has good build quality and handles great in the corners. Overall this is a great car and I would have it over many others.

I like everything about it, except the cost of repairing it. I have dumped $2200 in the head and timing belt and am now about to dump another $2200 for tranny and clutch. But it is a dependable car as long as you can fix it right.

bought this car about a year ago used with 30000 miles on it drive it every day for a year and have had no rpoblems with it currently has 52000 miles. brakes are great handeling is amazing (it goes around corners like a dream). the car is great on gas aproximatley 30mpg.

This car is amazing... i won't go anything but German ever agian build qaulity is top notch. 1.8T engine is quick and has lots of aftermarket support... mods will come soon. suspension is sweet and the interior is the best tones of features and insainly comfortable.

great overall car, works great, cosmetics fall apart after hitting 2-3 years old.. engine is great overall and still runs clean. also looks nice for a compact car of it's class.

The nicest part about the VW Jetta is its reliability. I've had to fix a few minor things in the course of our 5 year relationship, and most of those due to I uncerimoniously and rudely decided to get into an accident (whups) and destroyed the entire oil system. She's a beaut, tho, despite how hard I drive her she never says no and always treats me well. I love my car.

Love this car. good everyday driver and gets good gas mileage. love to hear that turbo spool up

A good car overall. Small engine for the size of car but turbo makes a difference. 180hp, good acceleration, the interior is very nice, the factory Monsoon stereo is great so are the heated seats

The 03 jetta 1.8t is a great car. I really enjoy it. It has all of the features that I was looking for, as well as a quick little car. The only thing that im not fully impressed with is the Kickstick feature. It has been shifting on its own, but im sure that as soon as I can get it under control, it will not be an isue.

I like the car I just wanted something newer and bigger. It drives great other than the automatic transmissions that were factory installed suck. Like I said other than that it is a great first car. I really enjoyed driving mine

It would coast for mile and more up to stop signs out in the rural country, it was a challenge to guess when to start coasting so as to save fuel and not overshoot and have to lay on the brakes. Using brakes is totally wasted energy if not a hybrid car with regenerative brakes putting some charge back in a battery.

Turbo is nice, but I'd prefer a bigger engine. Decent handling but a poor turn radius. Brakes are always making noises and the mileage could be better, but in the end it's a very sturdy, dependable little car. In the future I will likely stick with VW but upgrade models.

Its a pretty nice car. Gets me from point A to point B pretty quickly :)