Volkswagen's New US-Spec Jetta Is Here, But There Won't Be A Diesel

This the new Volkswagen Jetta compact saloon, one of the company’s best-selling models worldwide… but Britain won’t get it.

At 43mm longer and 35mm wider it’s still small enough to slot into the range below the Passat, but it’s now styled to make a serious impact and finally offers enough interior space, helped by a legroom-boosting wheelbase increase of over 30mm.

There’s also now an eight-speed automatic gearbox option as well as the six-speed manual, but nowhere can we find details of whether it’s a new twin-clutch unit or an interesting decision to return to a torque converter.

From launch in the US it will only have a single 147bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, with 184lb ft of torque and a reported 40 US mpg or more at a cruise. We know the engine well, and we like it. It’s smooth and effective, if lacking in charisma.

There will be a 210bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo GLI version in a few months, but after Volkswagen’s emissions-related troubles there won’t be a diesel. The old car sold really well as a derve, capable of sending home 45 US mpg from the highway. Time will tell whether sales nosedive without a diesel option.

The new car’s character is largely defined by its tech upgrades: high-end models now get digital instrument clusters, BeatsAudio stereos, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus a host of active safety trinkets.

There’s also the option of heated and cooled front seats and – gasp! – a central storage bin large enough to fit a standard-sized iPad. Perfect for mid-level salespeople. They’ll also enjoy the wrap-around ambient lighting; another optional extra with a thrilling 10 colours to choose from.

The UK won’t be getting the small saloon because we never really got it. It’s our understanding that the old car was essentially still based on the MkV Golf platform, anyway, and its dull-as-dishwater mix of style, engines and tech was always overshadowed by the genuinely stylish, well-equipped and vastly more refined Passat.

US prices will start $18,545, which is cheaper than the entry point for the old car.