Best-seller it may be, but that’s not enough to keep the Volkswagen Jetta at the top. For the 2014 model, Volkswagen’s engineers have brought some serious changes to the sedan favorite.
As with its larger Passat sibling, the Jetta’s 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine in the SE and SEL trims is being phased out and replaced by a new EA888 Gen 3 1.8 turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers the same 170 horsepower. The 2014 Jetta represents a definitive step in the right direction toward a more efficient vehicle.
This new engine has more torque at 184 lb.-ft. (increase of 7) while also making big gains in fuel economy. This engine does 5 miles per gallon better on the highway than the 2.5-liter model. Coupled to the six-speed automatic transmission, EPA estimates for the new 1.8T are 25 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
The 2014 Jetta features electric steering assist, replacing the hydraulic power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering on models with the 1.8T engine. All 2014 Jetta models also now have a multilink rear suspension, which is a replacement for the torsion-beam configuration.
Monday, December 23, 2013, 4:00 AM
