| Matched against the best-selling subcompact | | | | limitations. Front-seat leg room are prohibitive, |
| models offered by Ford, | | | | even when the seats are positioned to the most |
| Honda and Toyota, the Jetta is Volkswagen's | | | | extreme setting. And, of |
| best-selling line.Combined with the nearly identical | | | | course, with the front seats adjusted accordingly, |
| Golf, more than 40 models of the | | | | rear-seat passengers |
| vehicle are offered, including several 20th | | | | have even less room than the limited space |
| anniversary special editions.I drove the 1.8-liter, | | | | when the front seats are in a |
| 180-horsepower, turbo-charged 4-cylinder GTI | | | | neutral position.Likewise, the front and rear-seat |
| anniversary edition for my weekly test. It | | | | head room is adequate, but certainly |
| included nearly every standard | | | | not a selling point. Equally restrictive are the front |
| feature and option imaginable and was true to | | | | seats. While the cloth |
| form to its intended | | | | material is quality, the seats are snug and rigid |
| audience.Drivers seeking a zippy little machine get | | | | and feel more like |
| exactly that. From its bright | | | | cockpits than comfort zones.Another problem is |
| "Tomato Red" exterior and black-and-gray | | | | the Jetta's lowered sport suspension. Since the |
| interior, the Jetta is more | | | | vehicle also has an extended lower front grill, |
| sports car than subcompact and it couldn't be | | | | advancing over speed |
| more conspicuous | | | | bumps or driveway bumps - even a very low |
| scooting around town or on the open road.The | | | | speeds - can be |
| vehicle featured 18-inch alloy wheels and with its | | | | problematic.Unlike other manufacturers with |
| lowered sport | | | | expensively priced options, my Jetta |
| suspension, the car has a unique feel. While not | | | | was offered for a base price of 23,800. The only |
| particular quick, it's | | | | additional charges were |
| nonetheless fund to to drive.The steering and | | | | the Electronic Stabilization Program (swerve |
| handling is tight and responsive. The six-speed | | | | reduction) for $280 and |
| manual transmission is smooth and provides a | | | | destination charges of $575. That pushed the |
| driver who likes driving | | | | price to a non-economical |
| plenty of action. In short, the vehicle feels like it | | | | $24,655.2004 Volkswagen Jetta GTISafety |
| accelerates faster than it | | | | features -- Driver and front passenger front and |
| does.A power glass sunroof with a tilt slide, | | | | side |
| air-conditioning (with pollen, dust | | | | airbags and front and read head restraint |
| and odor filter), AM/FM cassette and in-dash CD | | | | airbags.Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 21 mpg (city), |
| player, cruise control | | | | 29 mpg (highway).Warranty -- Bumper to |
| and power/heatable outside mirrors are among | | | | bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; |
| the more than a dozen | | | | Powertrain, 5 years/60,000 miles; Corrosion, 12 |
| standard features.The brushed-metal console and | | | | years/unlimited miles; |
| instrumentation panel are attractive and | | | | Roadside assistance, 4 years/50,000 miles; Free |
| well-positioned if nondescript. More manufacturers | | | | scheduled |
| are seemingly using | | | | maintenance, 1 year/12,000 miles.Base price -- |
| and a combined blue-red instrumentation lights | | | | $23,800.00.James Raia is a syndicated journalist in |
| and the color | | | | Sacramento, California, who |
| coordination work well in the Jetta. Cargo space | | | | writes about sports, fitness, travel and lifestyle |
| is adequate as its | | | | topics as well as the car |
| quietness rating is average.The Jetta does have | | | | review colum, The Weekly Driver. |