2006-2007 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T / GLI

Pros :
- Good turbo engine.
- Very good handling.
- High quality upscale interior.
- Decent fuel economy.
- Nice choice of transmissions.

Cons :
- Pricey when optioned out.
- Power increase offset by weight.
- Uninspired overall styling.
- Dull dashboard design.
- Hard ride with optional 18-inch rims.

Interior :

---

---

Press Coverage :
The VW Jetta GLI is Volkswagen’s answer to drivers who seek the sporty attitude, style and driving dynamics of an Autobahn-bred performance sedan with the everyday practicality of a large four-door compact, all at a solid Volkswagen value that offers a lot of car for the money. It's sibling, the VW Jetta 2.0T presents a well-appointed sedan for drivers seeking sport-performance.
The new Jetta is the product of a complete redesign and is thus bigger than previous Jetta models in nearly every dimension, including occupant space, legroom and trunk volume. While the GLI is clearly a Jetta sibling, its exterior and interior design features clearly distinguish it as a very performance-minded alternative in the line-up. New styling incorporates several sporty updates that give the GLI a more aggressive overall presence than any Jetta before it.
The heart of the 2.0T and GLI is Volkswagen’s new and highly regarded 2.0 T turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 200 horsepower at 5,500 to 6,000 revolutions per minute and 207 lb-ft. of torque from 1,800 to 4,700 rpm. With a standard six-speed manual transmission, the new GLI accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 7 seconds.
The transverse, front-mount engine incorporates dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and maintenance-free hydraulic lifters for smooth, worry-free operation. A fully electronic engine management system includes drive-by-wire throttle control and FSI direct injection for optimal fuel combustion, which increases power, improves efficiency, and reduces emissions.
The Jetta 2.0T and GLI are available with Volkswagen’s new six-speed DSG™ automatic transmission with Tiptronic® as an option. The direct shift gearbox permits fully automatic or manual gear changes using a twin-clutch, wet-plate design that eliminates the power interruption associated with traditionally clutched gear changes.
Sport-oriented drivers will surely find pleasure behind the wheel, as will those who measure performance satisfaction by miles per gallon. An Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy rating of 32 Highway/25 City and an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph confirm that power and economy can come in one package.
Standard equipment on the Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T includes a power sunroof, heatable front seats, heatable windshield washer nozzles, and 16-inch alloy wheels and all-season tires. Options include Climatronic dual-zone climate control, leather seating surfaces, power driver seat with position memory, and genuine "Tamo" Ash wood interior trim. Additional options include Xenon headlights and 17-inch summer performance tires and alloy wheels (available only with automatic transmission). More options specific to the DSG automatic model are a power front passenger seat, a premium sound system, rain-sensor automatic wiper-speed control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, telephone prep, automatic headlights, electronic rear parking assist, HomeLink, "puddle" lights, a tire pressure monitoring system and a manual rear sunshade.
Several model-exclusive cues differentiate the new GLI from its Jetta 2.0T sibling. A standard sport suspension, blue-tinted windows, a black honeycomb mesh grille with red surround strip, a rear passenger-side GLI badge, and optional 18-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires provide a unique exterior appearance. Model-exclusive interior treatments include alloy pedals and trim, sport seat fabric, and a three-spoke, leather-wrapped multi-function sport steering wheel with audio and telephone controls, plus shift paddles for the optional DSG automatic transmission. Two GLI options packages are available. The first adds a power sunroof, and satellite radio for a choice of XM or SIRIUS service. The second options package includes Climatronic dual-zone automatic climate control, top-level front sport seats with leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, and heated windshield washer nozzles. The list of technologically advanced standard equipment on the GLI is extensive and includes auto-leveling, high intensity gas-discharge Xenon headlights with washer system; a next-generation Electronic Stabilization Program; four-wheel independent suspension; electro-mechanical steering; and a multi-function trip computer with compass and instant calculations for elapsed time and distance and fuel usage. Standard features also include fully reclining, eight-way manually adjustable sport seats with height and lumbar support adjustments, plus adjustable and lockable head restraints.
As with every new Volkswagen automobile, a comprehensive package of safety features comes standard, including front and side supplemental airbag restraints for the driver and front passenger, Side Curtain Protectionä for front and back passenger head protection, a three-point safety belt for each seating position, crash-active front headrests, a rear LATCH system to aid child seat positioning and restraint, and crash-optimized body panels.
The new Jetta line-up is built to segment-leading quality standards at the Volkswagen production facility in Puebla, Mexico. With a stronger body than its predecessors, the Jetta is the first car model to “ace” the International Institute for Highway Safety side impact crash tests. The 2006 Jetta earns an IIHS “Best Pick” in its class.
Volkswagen USA

The ride feels stiffer than in a Jetta, but it never gets uncomfortable. And the car handles amazingly well for a front-driver; it will understeer when pushed hard into a corner just like the Jetta, but the limit feels higher. In other words, the GLI allows for higher cornering speeds before the chassis begins to misbehave. Lifting suddenly or braking hard mid-corner only makes the nose tuck in tighter to the driving line, while carrying too much speed into a turn only requires a slight lift off the throttle to pull the car back in line. Only when pushed to the limits of stupidity will the rear end punish you by stepping out in an ugly manner.
As in the Jetta, the GLI’s steering is of the electric Servotronic type, which delivers a good deal of feedback without ever getting “nervous” over rougher surfaces, and provides a nice, weighty feel in the hands made all the more pleasurable by its thick, contoured shape. And that flat spot at the bottom? All the better to keep track of how far the wheel is cocked; equally useful when attacking switchbacks or cones.
Steering wheel-mounted paddles make interfacing with the DSG a breeze, with up- and downshifts snapping away almost imperceptibly in either manual or automatic mode. And the DSG’s near-perfect gear ratios allow for a 0-to-60-mph run without requiring a grab for third (second gear is good to 62 mph, or 100 km/h).
AutoWeek

All GLIs come with interior upgrades over the standard Jetta. Our test car had optional leather covering the eight-way sport seats, cloth is standard. They don't require much fiddling to get comfortable which is good since all the controls except lumbar are manually controlled. The firm side bolstering holds you in tight, but wide bodies might find them too restrictive.
The steering wheel is another GLI-only piece. It's a thicker, sport version of the standard three-spoke wheel. It's covered in leather, has auxiliary stereo controls and big indents for your thumbs. Look hard and you'll notice its flat-bottom design, a racecar-inspired touch that's cool but barely noticeable.
There's extra metallic trim inside as well. From the strip that runs along the doors and dash to the pedals, shifter and GLI badge on the steering wheel, it all looks good. We also liked the GLI's gauges with their radial numbers, sunken faces and individual silver-ringed covers.
Details we like include the GLI's one-touch lane change turn signal, big storage pockets in the doors and full auto up-and-down windows. We could do without the shallow cupholders, puny center console and weak stereo.
Edmunds.com

---

---

History:
2002-2005 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T / GLI
2,979 cc / 225 hp / 221 lb-ft / 3285-3362 lbs / 0-60 mph 6.2 sec.