How this humble silver 2022 VW Jetta S (with a manual!) took me back in time

A limited when in the past, a memory popped up on my Fb newstream from 16 years back: a photo of the day I marketed my beloved 2000 VW Jetta VR6. It is a working day and party I have extended regretted. I wasn’t just stating goodbye to an outdated pal, I felt like I was betraying that pal. It was like sending my dog to the pound. How could I possibly walk away from a pal that went all over the place with me by means of my most formative yrs? It was my companion by means of the last two yrs of high university, all 4 years of higher education and quite a few cross-state journeys together the way. That involves being with me in three of the locations most involved with my youth: Indianapolis in which I went to substantial university, Malibu wherever I went to school, and two summers traveling to Toronto, in which I grew up. When you are living a fairly migratory existence, it’s likely not shocking that a automobile gets like a close friend.

Any way, I’m in the process of transferring again to Southern California from Oregon. Specially, an place not that considerably from the place I went to college slash first tore by means of the Santa Monica Mountains in a particular Jetta VR6 painted Silver Arrow. The nostalgia feels ended up previously fairly sturdy as I boarded the airplane for a brief journey down to Malibu to push the revised 2022 VW Arteon. To get me there, the Volkswagen individuals still left a automobile for me at LAX. I actually did not look closely at what it was likely to be.

It was a silver Jetta. I stood there for a beat to value how fitting it was. “Driving to Malibu in silver Jetta” is almost certainly 2nd to only “sitting on sofa seeing Star Trek” in terms of quintessential “me” things to do. I approximately known as up my school roommate and asked if he needed me to decide on him up and do lunch at Howdy’s.

Of course, this silver 2022 Volkswagen Jetta is quite diverse from mine. For one matter, it’s basically more cost-effective, by about $3,000. And no, not modified for inflation. Partly that is due to the fact mine was a loaded GLS (not rather top of the line), while this was a foundation-as-base-can-be Jetta S trim level. Nonetheless, the primary rationale is that Volkswagen transitioned the Jetta from a quality entry in the compact phase to a benefit-oriented one two generations ago. This Jetta goes for $21,360, like place. In 1999 pounds, that would only be $12,308. A foundation-as-foundation-could-be 2000 Jetta GL went for around $17,000 again then.

That car’s motor was abysmal, nonetheless. I distinctly keep in mind Automobile and Driver at the time pining that Volkswagen’s 2.-liter inline-four would be improved suited to marine obligation … as a boat anchor. Really intelligent that good deal. Normally, I needed the 2.8-liter VR6. The 1.8-liter turbo-four hadn’t been launched but, but there’s no way I’d want that. Why have 150 horsepower when I could have 174 horsepower? I’m recalling all those figures from memory, by the way. No clue what the torque figure was. Probably result in I didn’t know what torque was at all in 1999, but turns out that VR6 had a large amount of it and it was enough to plant a deep-seeded enjoy for the stuff in my automotive flavor profile. Substantial strung and revvy would not be my point, as my Jetta’s Acura TLX successor would verify.

I never assume I’d find out an update for the 2022 Jetta’s base motor. It provides the torque: 184 pound-feet of the things courtesy of a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four. That’s basically 3 torques much more than my aged VR6 (I had to seem it up), and its 158 horsepower outstrips the old 1.8T upgrade. Of training course, matching or surpassing 20-12 months-outdated autos is rarely some thing to be very pleased of, but recall, this is the foundation engine not an optional update. It is a easy mill with a deep nicely of lower-close grunt that sure seemed reminiscent of the motor vehicle I remembered. Similar throttle and brake pedal responses, as well. Of program, it receives 29 mpg metropolis, 43 mpg freeway and 34 mpg mixed. My Jetta VR6 bought 19 mpg blended, or about what you can be expecting from a 2022 Lincoln Navigator. But it was 1999 and gas was like $1.20 in Indiana so who cares?

Oh, and here’s the other pleasant shock of the working day: this Jetta experienced a handbook. A 6-speed with standard-Volkswagen very long throws and a properly modulated clutch that can take gain of all that torque to make it particularly effortless to generate. A to start with-time manual driver would be very well-served with this a single. Unfortunately, I had the four-velocity computerized back again in the day (that definitely did not assistance the fuel economy) because the vendor created it crystal clear it wouldn’t be finding a manual any time soon. The VR6 was a big plenty of ask. I also didn’t know how to generate adhere but, but hey, I would’ve figured out. And my mothers and fathers wouldn’t have had to fret about an individual else driving my vehicle. Cause that entirely didn’t happen in university.

Talking of which, there’s positive as hell a a great deal larger again seat in today’s Jetta. It has 37.4 inches of rear legroom, which is in essence what you’d get in a 2000 Honda Accord. Mine experienced 33.5 inches, which intended that precisely no one particular could in shape behind my pushed-back again driver seat. Not even my 5-foot-zip long run wife. Never fret, I was good ample to scoot up my seat as desired. The trunk has essentially only developed by a dice, but that is as a great deal a testament to ye olde Jetta possessing a very huge boot. Arrived in helpful all through all those higher education moves and cross-state trips.

All that more measurement is a person way today’s Jetta delivers excess worth compared to its predecessors bought in the 2000s, but a much reduce value is an additional, and you can definitely see that in the resources. There is a whole lot of tough, scratchy plastic within that is worse than what you acquired in the shockingly upscale A4 Jetta (my technology) and the even nicer A5. My loaded GLS wasn’t that much off in conditions of high quality and ambiance than entry-stage luxury sedans of the time – today’s Jetta, even in comparably ritzier guise, is not. No a person is which includes today’s Jetta in a comparison test with an Audi A4 or BMW 323i (or Saab 9-3! or Infiniti G20t!) as Auto and Driver did again in the day. That’s Okay, as all over again, it has a lessen rate, features way more room and is hence a improved alternative for more people. If you want a astonishingly upscale cabin with cramped lodging nowadays, there’s the Mazda 3.

A person of individuals will surely handle far better than this Jetta, as like 20 decades ago, VW’s compact sedan is a lot more about all-around driving dynamics, with an emphasis positioned as a great deal on comfort and ease and refinement. At the very least today’s Jetta buyer can change to the GLI for some added zing (it would be a mid-cycle addition to the A4 era). That stated, the 2022 Jetta happily zinged alone as a result of the long, high-speed sweepers of Kanan Dume Road, demonstrating alone to be composed and responsive to inputs. It might have developed a whole lot, but it’s nonetheless scaled-down than a midsize sedan, and feels like it guiding the wheel.

Positive, I’m remaining instead nostalgic, but I imagine this 2022 VW Jetta S with the manual transmission would make a marvelous first auto. It’s uncomplicated to travel and not a bore to travel, it is fuel productive and effectively-outfitted, and its crash scores are exceptional. You do have to pay out $995 extra for vital basic safety tech characteristics including forward collision warning and automated emergency braking, but to a mother or father paying that monthly bill, which is value it.

A whole lot has undoubtedly altered in 20 many years, but this was even now a silver Jetta. I would not say it was like reuniting with an outdated friend, but possibly his son? It’s not the very same, but there is a little glimmer listed here and there to transportation you back in time. This satisfied very little Jetta with the punchy motor and handbook transmission helped me do just that.

And thankfully, it did not occur with my ’99 wardrobe.