VW Jetta Information
The Jetta is best known as Volkswagen’s compact sedan, though the first two generations of Jetta were also available in a coupe version. First introduced in 1979, the Jetta has been a key product in Volkswagen’s vehicle line-up and remains a best seller today. Five generations of Jetta have been released in North America thus far and a sixth generation Jetta is set to launch in 2011.
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First Generation – Mk I Jetta
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Volkswagen sold the first generation of Jetta in North America from model year 1980 to 1984. Boasting a shape penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign fame, the Jetta drew as much praise for its design as it did its engineering. This first-generation Jetta shared its suspension components with its Golf sibling: independent MacPherson struts up front and a twist-beam set up in the rear.
The 1980 Jetta was equipped with a 76-horsepower, 1.6-liter gas engine. In 1081 this motor was replaced with a 1.7-liter, 75-horsepower unit. Diesel-powered Jettas were also available: the 1.6-liter, 52-horsepower diesel was introduced in 1982. A more powerful 68-horsepower, 1.6-liter diesel Jetta was introduced in 1983.
Second Generation – Mk II Jetta
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The second-generation Jetta was released in North America as a 1985 model year vehicle. This new Jetta grew in size both inside and out, and it was fitted with larger, more powerful engines. A variety of 1.8-liter four-cylinder engines were available, and depending on the model year, offered up between 85 and 123 horsepower. A revision to the Jetta in 1990 included an engine size increase to 2.0 liters, with power increasing to 134 horsepower. A 1.6-liter, 59-horsepower diesel was available throughout the Mk II Jetta’s lifespan. A second 62-horsepower ECODiesel was added in 1991.
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Third Generation – Mk III Jetta
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1993 saw the North American launch of the third-generation, or Mk III, Jetta. The basic three-box sedan shape was smoothed out, resulting in a more aerodynamic car. Volkswagen discontinued the Jetta coupe at this model change, leaving only the sedan. Volkswagen offered three powerplants for the North American Mk III Jetta: a 116-horsepower, 2.0-liter four cylinder gas engine; a 1.9-liter, 90-horsepower turbo diesel; and the top-spec Jettas got a 174-horsepower, 2.8-liter narrow-angle V6 (dubbed the VR6.)
Fourth Generation – Mk IV Jetta
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Volkswagen brought its fourth-generation (Mk IV) Jetta to North America in 1999. A 2.0-liter, 115-horsepower four-cylinder engine powered the base-model Jettas. Next up the powertrain ladder was a 150-horsepower, 1.8-liter turbocharged four cylinder. Sitting atop the Volkswagen Jetta engine hierarchy was the 174-horsepower 2.8-liter VR6. The 1.9-liter TDI engine remained an option until 2004, when it was replaced by newer-generation unit injector 1.9 TDI powerplant.
Volkswagen expanded its Jetta line-up in 2001 when it introduced the Jetta station wagon at the 2001 Los Angeles Auto Show. This foruth-generation Jetta was replaced in North America by the fifth-generation car in 2005, but it remains in production in other world markets today.
Fifth Generation – Mk V Jetta
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The current generation of Volkswagen Jetta–the Mk V–was introduced in 2005. This vehicle represents the latest in Volkswagen’s engineering, design and packaging technologies, and has cemented the Jetta’s importance to Volkswagen in North America. More powerful than ever, the base Jetta is offered with a 2.5-liter, 170-horsepower 5-cylinder engine. A clean diesel 2.0-liter TDI engine, rated at 140 horsepower, was introduced in 2008. A more powerful, turbocharged version of the Jetta exists, but it is dubbed the “GLI” and is considered by Volkswagen to be a vehicle separate from the Jetta. The wagon variant of the Jetta was briefly discontinued between 2006 and 2008, but was reintroduced to the North American market as the Jetta Sportwagen in 2009.
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