2003 Volkswagen Jetta GLS review from North America

Steering was misaligned. Dealer fixed without hesitation under 3 mo/3000 miles warranty.

Brake light bulb burned out. (Easy fix)

Germans make perhaps the best driving vehicles on the road today. I chose my Jetta after driving a honda civic, a Mazda 3, and this jetta all on the same day. The jetta, on feel alone, won hands down. The shifter is acceptable, the cabin Lexus-like quiet, the seats are firm and supportive. The ride is supple, but well controlled and never harsh. The car feels much more refined and well thought out than the Mazda or the Honda. This is a drivers car.

That said, the car does have some minor issues. Power with the automatic on the base 4 cyl is dangerously limited. Test drive before purchase. My car is a stick shift for this reason and has more than adequate power for my needs. The back seat is comfortable, but headroom is limited and footroom is near non-existant. Try before purchasing. Gas mileage, under gentle and well planned out driving conditions, can exceed 35 mpg. I have achieved 36 mpg routinely (I do mostly highway driving). I have been exceedingly satisfied with my car, but I have one last thing to note.

For do it yourselfers, this car provides no advice on replacing anything on this car: light bulbs, spark plugs, anything. They simply say to call the dealer. I purchased a Bentley Publishers Service Manual for the car for $60.00. It has over 2000 pages to it (its massive!) but it outlines all basic maintenance and repairs, leaving out all the guesswork. I highly recommend it.