2010 Volkswagen Jetta Trims and Specs

Offering German engineering, a reasonable base price, and efficient handling, the five-passenger 2010 Volkswagen Jetta S compact sedan also comes equipped with more than its fair share of standard appearance, comfort, and convenience features. Beginning with a generous 16 cubic feet of luggage capacity, 16-inch steel wheels, and velour upholstery, the list of standard amenities continues with power-adjustable, heated front seats, split-folding rear seatbacks, power windows, door locks, and heated outside mirrors, cruise control, telescoping tilt-wheel steering, air conditioning, and a single-CD player with eight speakers. Options for the Jetta S include a power sunroof and a number of appearance upgrade packages, including 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels. Safety-wise, the Jetta S offers solid test numbers, as well as four-wheel ABS, traction and stability control, dual front side-mounted airbags, front and rear head airbags, remote anti-theft alarm, daytime running lights, turn-signal-integrated exterior mirrors, and a post-collision safety system. Additionally, rear side-impact airbags are available for not only the S trim, but across the lineup.

With its standard 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine, the 2010 Jetta S generates 170 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. This power is managed by a standard five-speed manual transmission, with a six-speed auto-manual transmission also available. Mileage with the five-speed is estimated at 23/30 mpg, 22/30 with the auto-manual.

A notch above the S trim level sits the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta Limited Edition. This front-wheel-drive-only (FWD) five-passenger sedan is unavailable in the SportWagen body style, but offers such extras as 16-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, multi-level heated, power-adjustable front seats. Of course, all the options offered for the S level, including upgraded wheels and a power sunroof, can be ordered with the Limited Edition trims. As with its lesser siblings, the Limited Edition features 16 cubic feet of trunk space and retains such standard safety features as four-wheel ABS, traction and stability control, dual front side-mounted airbags, front and rear head airbags, daytime running lights, remote anti-theft alarm, turn-signal-integrated exterior mirrors, and a post-collision safety system. Rear side-impact airbags are available across the Jetta lineup.

As with its S siblings, the 2010 Jetta Limited Edition boasts the standard 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine that’s mated with either a standard five-speed manual or available six-speed auto-manual transmission. Either way, this powerplant puts out some 170 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, with the five-speed stick getting 23/30 mpg and the auto-manual transmission, 22/30.

Volkswagen’s 2010 Jetta SE compact sedan adds such standard features as a power sunroof, flat-folding front passenger seatback, faux-leather upholstery, front and rear floor mats, a 6-CD player with 10 speakers and satellite radio, and Bluetooth wireless communications technology. A significant additional option offered by the Jetta SE that sets it apart from the S trim is a touch-screen DVD navigation system.

Again powered by the standard 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine under the management of the standard five-speed manual transmission, the 2010 Jetta SE puts out 170 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. As with its brethren, the SE is also available with a six-speed auto-manual transmission. A not-so-bad 23/30 mpg can be expected with the manual transmission, and 22/30 with the auto-manual.

At the higher end of its lineup, the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition, available only in the sedan body style, features several added standard appearance and cabin amenities over its lower-level siblings. Starting with 17-inch alloy wheels and a power sunroof (with remote operation), this five-passenger compact family car is also delivered with multi-level heated front seats, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and a USB connection. Added options, meanwhile, include wing spoilers, upgraded paint, and ground-effects packages.

A standard turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder (I4) powerplant gives the 2011 Jetta Wolfsburg Edition its giddy-up, some 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. A standard six-speed manual transmission manages these ponies to the tune of 21/31 mpg. Additionally, an available DSG six-speed auto-manual transmission comes with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and gets 24/32.

Though it looks, rides, handles, and is equipped like the traditional Jetta, the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI five-passenger sedan is powered by a turbodiesel engine that gets better gas mileage than some of the hybrids out there. The TDI’s efficient drivetrain consists of a standard 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder (I4) turbodiesel and six-speed manual transmission that combine to put out 140 hp and a whopping 236 lb-ft of torque. The EPA estimates that the TDI provides all this while burning a paltry 30/41 mpg. Additionally, the highly regarded, dual clutch, six-speed DSG auto-manual transmission is also available with the TDI, which inches mileage up a notch to 30/42.

Amenities for the 2010 Jetta TDI are sort of a cross between all the other trim levels, with faux-leather upholstery, power windows, doors, locks, and heated mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning, and a 6-CD changer as standard equipment, but without the power sunroof prominent in the SE and SEL trims. The sunroof, however, as well as DVD navigation, upgraded appearance features, and a rear spoiler are offered as options. Naturally, the TDI boasts all the safety features found in the rest of the Jetta lineup.

Amenities-wise, the 2010 Volkwagen Jetta SEL sedan comes equipped with a few additional doo-dads that put it in a dead heat with the TDI at the top of the Jetta heap; add in the Wolfsburg Edition, basically a re-badged and turbocharged SEL, and this is about as high-end as it gets. Additional appearance, comfort, and convenience features include 17-inch alloy wheels, multi-level-heated front seats, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, remote power window operation, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a USB connection. Options for the SEL and Wolfsburg Edition sedan essentially mirror those of the SE trim level. For the 2010 model year, the Jetta SEL and Wolfsburg edition are no longer available in the SportWagen configuration.

Powering the 2010 Jetta SEL is the standard 170-hp, 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder (I5) engine that, in combination with the sole transmission offering, a dual-clutch (DSG) six-speed auto-manual, begets 177 lb-ft of torque. The EPA estimates 23/30 mpg for the 2.5-liter I5 powertrain. But wait, there’s more. The Jetta Wolfsburg Edition offers a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder (I4) gasoline engine, with a six-speed manual as its only available transmission. This pair nets some 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque and sprints from 0-60 in about 7 seconds. Mileage for the Wolfsburg Edition is estimated at 21/31.

For 2010, Volkswagen intros its latest mover and shaker, the Jetta TDI Cup Edition, named for its legendary Grand Prix racing machines. This watered-down, five-passenger screamer comes equipped with all the same bells and whistles as the straight TDI, including 18-inch alloy wheels, power accessories, and a 6-CD changer. As with its less elaborately tagged sibling, touch-screen navigation and a power sunroof are optional, while the faux-leather upholstery is replaced with cloth seats and unique “Cup Edition” badging, and trim is added to both the exterior and interior.

The traditional and highly regarded 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder (I4) turbodiesel powers the 2010 Jetta TDI Cup Edition. Under the tutelage of its standard six-speed manual transmission, this torque-heavy powerplant manages 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque at a super-efficient 30/41 mpg. The well-thought-of DSG six-speed auto-manual (Tiptronic) transmission, meanwhile, featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, is an available perk.