Volkswagen Jetta (2005 - 2010) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

I sought after the 2006 jetta for fuel economy, knowing it has a tremendous amount of other poor quality issues. If you are looking for a MK5 VW be it gas or diesel be prepared for a laundry list of repairs to maintain factory functions and beauty. The MK5 platform is susceptible to horiffic rust in the front fenders, rocker panels, rear wheel arches, trunk and hood. The head liner and door fabric glue fails on all of them regardless of mileage. There are door lock issues caused by a module in the individual door window motors. Dash screens can become inop, and there are a myriad amount of squeaks to chase down. The heater control and related resistor for HVAC motor speed will fail. If you get a model with factory HID headlights, the two sensors that set the leveling of the lights will fail. If you get and automatic trans (known as DSG) repair of it can cost as much as the entire car purchase. Even though the body looks the same on early production MK5 Jetta, the later production has some key feature that are totally different, it is mainly early models do not have steering wheel control, nor the fuel calculator function in the dash board. The up side to the Mk5 Jetta TDI is that when the engine is properly maintained it can run well past 300,000 miles. Some people have documented 400 and 500 thousand miles. When properly maintained the MK5 Jetta is a joy to drive, handling and brakng are impressive, acceleration will vary depending on the engine in the car but even the TDI, which is the lowest horsepower of the available engines, has no issues keeping up with traffic. If you buy a VW MK5 platform car, make sure you have a VW technician WITH VCDS software. Additionally the knowledge of the special components that fail to be able to keep it in tip top shape. I am trying to make this review as objective as I can with no success, I own 2 Jettas, and one GTI, all three are 2006 models with one of the Jetta being and early model. I sincerely hope this review assist you in making an informed purchaseNov 29, 2023

My 2009 TDI SE has treated me very well for over five years and 70K, and I am still happy with it. The build quality on this generation is really, really good (unlike the dumbed down start to the next gen after): the interior is premium and the exterior is quietly upscale and distinctive in a good way. Having heard from some about VW's prior reliability problems when I bought it, I wondered whether I'd be in for some unexpected bumps in upkeep. But this car has been 100% reliable, with no time in the shop except for the regular maintenance, a new set of tires, and (just recently at 70K) a new pair of rear brake pads. And I still get about 43 highway and low 30s city MPG-- above EPA. Mar 20, 2015

I have owned two Jettas, a 2007 and 2009. Both are excellent vehicles. Good pep to the engine, but not too much so that young drivers can get in trouble. Great brakes with quick stops. The seats are firm, but very comfortable for a long drive. I routinely take this car on 3-4 hour drives with no fatigue or aching back. Gas mileage is good, with about 27 MPG in mixed driving and 32 MPG on the highway. Trunk is good sized, for the vehicles. A great car!Oct 03, 2013

handles well, is well made, absolutely no problems so far. Considered a Prius, but this is much more fun to drive. We have driven this Jetta from FL. to NM twice, and found it to be very comfortable. Really good sound system. Fabulous DSG transmission. I have recently taken this car on a two lane road with a lot of fast sweepers. This car handles amazing well. Brakes are excellent too. (I used have a Boxster S, and was a Porsche Club track driving instructor for over ten years). Local dealer suggested I replace timing belt @ 82K. Manual says 120K. Another customer with the identical car said VW would "stand behind" a timing belt failure that occurred before the recommended mileage. Service manager seemed to confirm this. I have mostly cleared up my scratched headlights with a Mother's powerball kit. It took about 2 hours. You could probably get it done professionally with less effort.Aug 16, 2012

In the quest to save money on fuel, my wife desperately wanted a Toyota Prius. Upon a closer look we found that the Prius was simply an economy car (read: interior is chincy and made out of sub par materials (inexpensive plastic with faux textures)) based on an inexpensive platform with only one thing in mind. Keeping the weight down to improve fuel economy. Strong consideration to handling, braking, acceleration were all thrown out the window in favor of the scale. Myself being a car enthusiast, I was almost insulted that such items in a modern day car could be ignored. I strongly feel that the aforementioned qualities are imperative for a safe vehicle. I believe that the safest vehicle is the vehicle that can avoid an accident whether it by by accelerating onto the freeway, braking in time to avoid hitting something/someone and able to successfully maneuver to avoid a collision at speed. Deciding to ditch out on any hybrid models as any "normal" cars fitted with hybrid tech simply didn't have the fuel savings without sacrificing the quality of the car. So we moved on to diesel. The Volkswagen Jetta TDI was on the short list of diesel vehicles available in the states. I went in open minded with no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised. The Jetta was a sharp looking car on the outside. Upon getting in the car, I was blown away. My current and past cars have been BMW M's and Porsche (911TT and Cayenne TT) and have gotten used to the very high quality of materials and design. The Jetta was right up there with the other top German automakers. While our other cars were the power horses of the family, this car you could jump in and feel familiar with the cockpit, while getting excellent fuel economy (the shortfall of our other cars). The braking is excellent for a car in this class, with great modulation and feedback. The handling is very responsive and well controlled. You can feel confident with any emergency avoidance maneuvers (unlike many other cars). On the highway, the car is very solid. One of my wife's biggest complaints about the Prius was that on the highway the car felt as if it was getting blown all over the road by oncoming traffic and wind gusts (that was 2nd to the Prius's uncomfortable seats). The one thing that I geek out on is the transmission. Our Jetta TDI is equipped with the 6 speed DSG transmission. Completely seamless, instantaneous gear changes. All of the high end sports cars are moving over to DSG transmissions due to their speed, minimal acceleration losses between gear changes and smoothness. I had a very bad experience with my last BMW M5 which only had a single clutch (SMG III) tranny, and this car with the dual clutch setup was a night and day difference. I have never experienced any issues starting out from a stop or being in the right gear like I did with the M5. (The new M5 and M3 have DSG transmissions in them as an option) To sum it up, I am very impressed with this car. Decent power, excellent reliability, quiet, handles and brakes well and being a fuel miser tops off the package. All without being blown off the road and distracted by images of your car charging on the dash.Jul 31, 2012

Acceleration is terrible at lower spends but once in second or 3rd gear it really takes off. Great for passing cars because of all the torque and the seats are really comfortable on long trips. Not a ton of leg room in the back seats but I usually only have one passenger so that hasn't been a problem for me. It is a great summer car but in the winters it would take forever for the car to warm up. Thank goodness for the heated seats. Mar 05, 2012

I traded in my VW Jetta GLI to get this car for my wife when we had our first child. A very solid and dependable car for the money. It came loaded with tons of options that many other cars in its class simply don't offer. The touch screen radio with iPod dock is really nice to have for daily drives as well road trips. Surprisingly large trunk space. The full size spare tire is also a nice addtion.Nov 08, 2011

I love the car, Performance wise its by no stretch a sports car but with a few mods it can be alot of fun, brakes on the car are great and it handles like a car that cost three times as much. Build quality rivals that of more expensive cars and blows honda, toyota, nissan, dodge, ford, and chevy out of the water. I like the way the car looks it has nice lines and a great front end. Cost wise if you do your own oil changes its ok, can be a little expensive at times. Overall this is a fun car to drive and though its not a sports car it has no problem keeping up with most V6s and a few others.Oct 19, 2010

The Jetta is a good all around car. The 5 cylinder version(170 hp, 177 lbs-ft torque) while not being the fastest car in the world still is peppy, has more than enough power to get out of its own way, and drinks gas like a 4 cylinder. The handling in terms of steering, cornering, braking, etc. is as any German car should be. Absolutely no complaints here. It is incredibly solid also and definitely out classes all of the rivals in this category in terms of overall build quality. I looked at many cars in this price range and the VW by far was most impressive for this and many other reasons. Overall, the Jetta is very good as a daily driver/commuter. It's fun to drive (especially with the manual transmission), excellent on gas, and so far very reliable. At this point I've owned it for over 2 and a half years and put 38,000 miles on it with no problems. Sep 24, 2010

- My 2007 Volkswagen Jetta may be a base model, but it is definitely not a penalty box. It really is a great car and I'm glad I purchased it. I'll admit that Volkswagen wasn't even on my list. I was looking for American cars but on my way to a Chevy dealership I happened to see a Volkswagen dealership and decided to stop in. The dealer put me in a black Jetta with a 5-speed manual and only 31,000 on the odometer. I drove it for 5 minutes and immediately fell in love with the car. Performance is totally respectable for that 2.5L 5-cylinder motor under the hood. The car only makes 150 hp but it definitely feels much more powerful. I can do wild and crazy burnouts with both wheels spinning on command. Its engine noise is very different but sounds great. Gas mileage is also totally respectable. I'm averaging around 20 mpg in the city (my driving style is spirited so that's pretty good) and I get about 33 mpg on the highway at a steady 85 mph. The ride is a little stiff but it's supple enough to not be punishing. That stiff ride makes the car handle beautifully. The steering is practically telepathic and is weighted nicely. The 5-speed manual transmission feels great. The shifter feels great in the hand and feels good as you row through the gears. The clutch is a little bit tall for my liking but the pedal take-up is light and linear. The brakes perform and feel better than the brakes in my grandfather's BMW 328xi sedan. The styling of the exterior is handsome but a bit plain. Since my car is the base model it comes with 15-inch steel wheels with hubcaps which are boring but don't look too bad. I love the turn signal repeaters on the side view mirrors but I could do without the factory rear spoiler. The interior is very attractive with high quality materials. The blue and red backlit controls and gauges look great and the 10 speaker AM/FM stereo with a CD player and auxiliary input jack is loud with crystal-clear sound. The front seats have plenty of adjustment and the steering wheel both tilts and telescopes allowing anyone to get comfortable but some of the adjustments are awkward to reach. The car has plenty of headroom and legroom front and rear although hip room is a little tight since it's such a narrow car. This car must have been designed with performance in mind because the seats are incredibly comfortable and have tons of lateral support making them awesome for drives down my favorite twisty roads. The trunk is massive and the car won't tire you out over long distances making it a great road trip car. With regard to the interior my biggest complaint is the lack of rear cup holders. In order to get rear cup holders you must order the car with the rear center armrest. This is a major oversight in my opinion. I've never even heard of another car with upholders being optional. Cup holders are also really important for me because I'm always driving friends around and my rear passengers need them. So far the cost of ownership has been cheap, although I've only had the car for 2 months and 4,000 miles. The only thing I've had to put money into was gas. It’s just a rewarding car to drive and I would recommend it to anyone.Jul 25, 2010

I thought I would never buy a four cylinder again until I came across my '08 2.0 turbo charged Wolfsburg Jetta. I love the acceleration response and handling. Sport mode really seems to haul. The only issue I've had so far is the mechatronic unit which controls the transmission and breaking. After about 20K miles my car would stutter at stops and starts. It was annoying. VW was awesome about it though. They gave me a long term rental (paid for by them) and then they extended the warranty on this part from 36,000 miles to 100,000 miles. Since it's been fixed it runs like a dream. It's very responsive and handles great. I had a little trouble with the stock Conti tires in the winter but I bought some bridgestone blizzaks with 16" wheels and now I fly around everyone even when it's snowing here in Michigan. The interior and exterior are sweet too. And the sound system is better then any aftermarket system I've put in in the past (including my jeep with infinities and subs). It is one fine ride. Feb 23, 2010

Performance: Good for a drivers car. It is faster than most cars out there, that is for sure. You can also trust its brakes and handling more than others. Appearance: It is a gorgeous car in my eyes. The shape is designed well, and the interior is wonderfully laid out. Cost of Ownership: Parts are premium compared to cheaper American cars, but I am willing to bet my driving habits would have killed another dealer's gearbox. Fun Factor: Absolutely wonderful. Tiptronic is a godsend for a daily driver car that has a driver looking to have fun. Build Quality: It's German.Jan 25, 2010

I like the precise handling and braking. The suspension is a good balance of comfort and sportiness. The manual transmission and clutch operate with precision. I got the cheapest model available and it still has all the power features, terrific 8-speaker stereo, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, stability control, traction control, electronic differential lock and heated seats. Plus, it has front seat and side curtain air-bags. I don't understand some reviewers complaining about expensive service, the maintenance is pre-paid for the first 36,000 miles! Yes, it takes more than 6-quarts of expensive synthetic oil; but for anyone wanting to take care of their car, that's a good thing. The standard 2.5L engine has 170-hp, way more than anything in its size/price category. Because of the standard safety features and anti-theft device, insurance is cheaper than my Honda!Dec 16, 2009

After looking over the rest of the bunch in this class, the TDI offers the best value, and highest performance for the buck. VW touts 47mpg HWY, and 30 City. I've had it just about 30 days now, and with 1,200 miles clocked, the avg. mpg continues to improve daily from the current 33.4 (a/p the read-out). with 236Lbs Feet of Torque, she's peppy enough to keep up with traffic, and make the moves needed on the road. Highly reccomended!Jun 26, 2009

This car is absolutely amazing. It is a great and fun car to drive as an everyday driver, or even for the racing scene it is a great car. Handles nicely and can be customized in many different ways. The cost is descent too, its only around 18k. Good price for a brand new car. The interior of the car is just as amazing as the exterior of the car. Its sleek clean just good quality German engineering. Only downside is that i don't have enough money to fully deck it out the way i want it yet.Aug 26, 2008