2002 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T GLS review from North America

The dealership I bought the car and used to service the car knew me by my first name. This tells you something.

Ignition coils replaced twice.

I got this car brand new and the driver side heated side mirror was broken from the beginning.

Check Engine Light (CEL) would light up sporadically. Had this checked out a few times, but there was never really an explanation for it. It would go away by itself.

Front passenger side window fell down into the window one day. This is another common problem with other MK4 generation owners. A clip on the window regulators need to be replaced. Although this is covered under warranty, it is quite a nuisance if it's in the evening and your dealership is already closed for the day. Luckily, I don't park my car outdoors!

Driver side inside door handle material was peeling for no apparent reason. Had this replaced free of charge at the dealer.

Owning this car was a love and hate relationship. I really like this car. German styling, beautiful interior, adequate power, lots of features (I did get it fully-loaded however).

One of the major negative aspects I had with the car was the soft suspension. Even though I had the "sports package" with the 17" Long Beach rims, the ride height was quite high, not to mention very floaty. The leather seats also provided next to none lateral support and were kind of hard, making long road trips feel somewhat like you're sitting on a picnic bench.