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The Volkswagen Jetta (A5 or Mk5, codename 1K) is a
compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, ...
, the fifth generation of the
Volkswagen Jetta The Volkswagen Jetta () is a compact car/ small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche above the firm's Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations, variously as the A ...
and the successor to the
Volkswagen Bora The Volkswagen Bora is a small family car, the fourth generation of the Volkswagen Jetta, and the successor to the Volkswagen Vento. Production of the car began in July 1999. Carrying on the wind nomenclature from previous generations, the car wa ...
which was manufactured by
Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post-W ...
between 2005 and 2010, and up to 2012 in China. It is a three-box sedan derivative of the Golf Mk5. It was marketed as the Volkswagen Bora in Mexico and Colombia, Volkswagen Vento in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, and Volkswagen Sagitar in China.


Overview

The fifth generation debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 5 January 2005. After the New Beetle, it was the second Volkswagen product to make its world debut at a U.S. auto show. The Mark 5 sedan went on sale in the USA prior to any other country, reflecting the importance of the car in that market for Volkswagen. VW spent US$800 million to upgrade its Puebla facilities for this model's production. This included a US$290 million new engine production line for the 5-cylinder power plant, a US$50 million investment in the press shop, as well as a US$200 million purchase of 460 robots, which increased automation by 80%. Although produced in the largest volumes in Mexico, final assembly of the car also takes place in China and South Africa for those respective markets. Like initial production of the second generation in China, the Asian and African plants build the car from a
complete knock down A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
(CKD) kit shipped from the factory in Puebla. Local assembly in Kaluga, Russia, started in early 2008. Assembly also began in India in 2008 at the Škoda factory in
Aurangabad Aurangabad ( is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a hilly upland terrain in the Deccan Traps, Aurangabad is the ...
As with the previously mentioned assembly plants, CKD kits from Volkswagen de México will be used. The A5 Jetta is longer, wider, and has a longer wheelbase than the previous iteration. Interior room has increased from 2.46 cubic metres (87 cu ft) to 2.58 cubic metres (91 cu ft). In particular, rear legroom was increased by over the fourth generation. Luggage compartment volume is up to 453 litres (16 cu ft). One major change is the introduction of the first multi-link independent rear suspension in a Jetta. The design of the rear suspension resembles to the one found in the
Ford Focus The Ford Focus is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by Ford Motor Company since 1998. It was created under Alexander Trotman's Ford 2000 plan, which aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide. The ...
. Volkswagen reportedly hired engineers from Ford who designed the suspension on the Focus. Styling reflects a new direction for the Volkswagen brand, with a new chrome front grille, first seen on the Golf Mk5 R32, which was trickled down to other models. Some critics appreciated the new styling, whilst others dismissed it as just as bland as the 4th generation. For model year 2009, certain markets saw a new base model
internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal c ...
and
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
. The previous 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission were replaced with a smaller, more powerful, and more fuel efficient, 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and six-speed DSG transmission (the same as used in the new Golf Mk5). As a result of the change, fuel consumption has been improved (by 17% for the manual, from down to ), and 23% for the automatic, from down to . Power increased 7% from to , while torque is up 20%. In addition, acceleration times 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) have improved, from 9.2 s to 8.5 s for the manual (an 8% improvement), and from 9.9 s to 8.5 s for the automatic (a 14% improvement).


Features

The body of the fifth generation used high strength steel and
laser welding Laser beam welding (LBW) is a welding technique used to join pieces of metal or thermoplastics through the use of a laser. The beam provides a concentrated heat source, allowing for narrow, deep welds and high welding rates. The process is frequen ...
with 35% of its body parts, resulting in double-digit increases in both dynamic and torsional rigidity. An impact-absorbing front bumper which yields slightly in the event of a collision with a pedestrian, reducing the chance of injury. A new door design allows just the outer panel to be removed and replaced if damaged, rather than the entire door. Safety features included side curtain airbags, seat-mounted rear side airbags, Electronic Stability Programme with Anti-Slip Regulation and
Brake assist Brake assist (BA or BAS) or emergency brake assist (EBA) is a term for an automobile braking technology that increases braking pressure in an emergency. The first application was developed jointly by Daimler-Benz and TRW/LucasVarity. Research c ...
, as well as active head restraints. A
Direct-Shift Gearbox A direct-shift gearbox (DSG, german: Direktschaltgetriebe) is an electronically-controlled, dual-clutch, multiple-shaft, automatic gearbox, in either a transaxle or traditional transmission layout (depending on engine/drive configuration), ...
(DSG) transmission, available dual-zone automatic climate control, and electro-mechanical power steering were also available. The fifth generation car features a redesigned electrical system. Control modules are used for various systems, digitally transmitted over
Controller Area Network A Controller Area Network (CAN bus) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other's applications without a host computer. It is a message-based protocol, designed originally for mu ...
(CAN) buses at 500 
kilobit The kilobit is a multiple of the unit bit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix '' kilo-'' (symbol k) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 103 (1 thousand), and therefore, :1 kilobit = = 10 ...
s per second — reducing the number of wires needed, and the opportunity for faults. Cars equipped with halogen headlamps have a 'VW' logo integrated into the bulb shield. In most markets, the rear lights use
light-emitting diode A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (co ...
s (LEDs). In North America, standard filament bulbs with a different design are used to comply with
FMVSS 108 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 (FMVSS 108) regulates all automotive lighting, signalling and reflective devices in the United States. Like all other Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS 108 is administered by the United States ...
. Volkswagen has developed a very specific motor oil quality standard; oil meeting this standard must be used to ensure full warranty coverage.


Engines

The
internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal c ...
s available are dependent on the destination market. In Europe, a range of the new generation
Fuel Stratified Injection Gasoline direct injection (GDI), also known as petrol direct injection (PDI), is a mixture formation system for internal combustion engines that run on gasoline (petrol), where fuel is injected into the combustion chamber. This is distinct fro ...
(FSI) engines are available. Additionally in that market, the car can be had with an engine known as the '
Twincharger A twincharger refers to a compound forced induction system used on some internal combustion engines. It is a combination of an exhaust-driven turbocharger and a mechanically driven supercharger, each mitigating the weaknesses of the other. Twinch ...
'. This 1.4 litre
petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as ' ...
combines turbo- and
supercharging In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induc ...
, to make a small but powerful engine with low fuel consumption. The Jetta available in the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
and the Middle East is powered by a 2.5-litre 5-cylinder 20-valve engine in most trims. This engine shares its
cylinder head In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head (often abbreviated to simply "head") sits above the cylinders and forms the roof of the combustion chamber. In sidevalve engines, the head is a simple sheet of metal; whereas in more modern ...
design with the
V10 engine A V10 engine is a ten-cylinder piston engine where two banks of five cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V10 engines are much less common than V8 and V12 engines. Several V10 diesel engines have been prod ...
found in the
Lamborghini Gallardo The Lamborghini Gallardo (; ) is a sports car built by the Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini from 2003 to 2013. It is Lamborghini's second car released under parent company Audi, and best-selling model with 14,022 built throughout its ...
and
Audi R8 The Audi R8 is a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car, which uses Audi's trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. It was introduced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG in 2006. The car is exclusively designed, developed, and manufac ...
. When the Mark 5 Jetta was introduced, the
Turbocharged Direct Injection TDI (Turbocharged Direct Injection) is Volkswagen Group's term for its current common rail direct injection turbodiesel engine range that have an intercooler in addition to the turbo compressor. TDI engines are used in motor vehicles sold by th ...
(TDI)
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...
was not offered in five U.S. States due to the tight emission standards promulgated by the
California Air Resources Board The California Air Resources Board (CARB or ARB) is the "clean air agency" of the government of California. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Moto ...
. In addition to California, four other states adopted the more stringent California standards. Where it was available, it fell into the least-restrictive emission category. That category was removed in 2007, prompting the diesel Jetta to be unavailable for more than a year until the introduction of a new common rail diesel engine, which appeared in August 2008. The introduction was delayed for approximately six months due to technical issues with the new emissions control system. The TDI Clean Diesel engine is rated , and uses advanced features such as a
diesel particulate filter A diesel particulate filter (DPF) is a device designed to remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.Tom Nash (May 2003) "Diesels: The Smoke is clearing", ''Motor '' Vol.199 No. 5, p. 54, Hearst Business Publ ...
and NOx-storage catalyst (vs. AdBlue) to reduce NOx in order to qualify as a Tier II Bin 5 vehicle (equivalent to California's LEV II rating), and thereby allowing it to be sold in all 50 U.S. states. AdBlue (urea injection fluid) is not required, further reducing maintenance requirements. In 2015 it was found that this engine's emissions had been falsified. In the U.S., in August 2010, it was reported that the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rel ...
(NHTSA) was investigating 37,889 2009 Jetta TDI's regarding a stalling problem. There were complaints to the agency about the Jettas going into "limp-home" mode and then stalling almost immediately while being driven. ''Motor Trend'' reported that there were also complaints about premature failures of its high-pressure fuel pump.


Safety

In
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization funded by auto insurance companies, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic collisio ...
crash testing the Jetta received an overall "Good" rating in both front offset and side impact tests. In the side impact test the Jetta received "Good" marks in all nine measured categories. In 2005, the Institute noted that the side impact protection performance was the best they had ever rated. In 2006, the car received a "Top Safety Pick" award from the Institute. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the fifth generation Jetta for both driver and passenger protection in a frontal impact, while the car received stars in a side impact crash test. To tout the safety of the car, a series of television commercials with the tag line "Safe happens" showed the car being involved in a collision whilst afterward the occupants are shown to have emerged unscathed. The VW Jetta received the maximum 5 stars in the China NCAP crash tests.


Testing and review

The fifth generation received generally positive reviews with some reviewers complaining the car lost some of its character with the redesign. Most reviewers found the ride to be firm and well controlled but not always as forgiving as the previous generation. Handling was a strong point, with quick and precise steering and minimal body roll due to the MacPherson Strut suspension up front. Fit and finish received excellent marks, with reviewers noting the car felt very upscale. The front seats were firm but well liked, and the rear seat was roomy, in contrast to the cramped quarters in the fourth generation. Controls and displays were decent, but fell apart and started shorting out with age. Reviewers were particularly impressed with the "Sportline" models (known as the GLI in North America). Equipped with sport seats, a firmer suspension lowered by , and low profile tyres, critics praised the excellent handling that was an improvement over the already good performance on the standard model. Additionally, the 2.0 Turbo FSI engine also won commendation for its high power figures, smooth operation, and low fuel consumption. Along with its hatchback brethren, the fifth generation ranks among the top cars on the market in independent reviews of resale value. Although improved over the fourth generation, the Mark 5 still took over 42 hours to assemble at the factory in Mexico. Part of this disparity is blamed on the switch to the more complex independent rear suspension. Volkswagen has publicly stated its discontent over the excessive assembly time, and pledged to streamline manufacturing in the next generation of A platform cars. In the interim, Volkswagen de México is making a concerted effort to further increase productivity at the plant by consulting outside experts from
Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
and other Japanese companies. By implementing many lean manufacturing principles and techniques, a goal has been set to increase productivity levels at the factory by 30% or more in the coming years.


Engine specifications


Golf Variant/Jetta SportWagen

Volkswagen debuted a station wagon variant of the Golf at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, with a cargo volume of and (rear seats up/down) and an optional panoramic
sunroof A sunroof is a movable panel that opens to uncover a window in an automobile roof, allowing light and fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs can be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styl ...
. VW marketed the station wagon as the Jetta SportWagen in the United States, Bora Sportwagen in Mexico, Golf Break and later Golf SW in France, Jetta Variant in Brazil, Vento Variant in Argentina, Jetta Wagon in Canada (2009 only), Golf Wagon in Canada (2010 onwards), Golf Estate in the United Kingdom and Golf Variant in the German domestic and most other markets. In 2010, the Sportwagen received a minor interior and exterior facelift, and remained based on the fifth-generation
Golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
, with front end styling mirroring the sixth-generation Golf.


2010 Jetta TDI Cup "Street" edition

This version commemorated the 2008+ Jetta TDI Cup Race series, the last year of the Mk V, and was based on the TDI Clean Diesel sedan. The same and of torque diesel motor was supplied, and the package included GLI brakes, suspension, and sway bars. Additional upgrades from the base TDI were "TDI Cup Edition" body side stickers, 18 inch wheels with Pirelli P-Zero or Yokohama ADVAN 225/40R18 sport tires, aluminum pedals, leather-wrapped steering wheel, chrome door linings, aerodynamic body kit (front, side & rear), an Interlagos cloth interior with heated sport seats, short shifter, faux carbon fiber inlays (as opposed to metallic), and a black interior (headliner/doorcards/dash). It could be purchased with either a 6-speed Manual or DSG transmission (DSG includes paddle shifters), and a "Thunderbunny" body kit was optional (and available from VW only on the Cup edition). The vehicle was unveiled in the 2008 SEMA Show. The production version went on sale in January 2010 with a base MSRP of US$24,990 (not including destination fee or options). Per VW North America, worldwide only 1,501 Jetta TDI Cup Editions were produced. 588 were manufactured with a manual transmission and 913 were built with DSG transmissions.


References

{{Authority control Compact cars Euro NCAP small family cars Front-wheel-drive vehicles Sedans Cars introduced in 2005 2010s cars Jetta 5