1997 Volkswagen Jetta GLX review from North America
"Beautiful German Sports Sedan"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Seat wear.
Dulling paint.
Valve clicking.
DOOR MOLDING falls off as it does on almost every MK-III Jetta I've seen.
General comments?
The car is scary fast for a 90's Sports Sedan.
Suspension is firm, but still comfortible.
The handling is tight and fairly predictable with practice.
Gearing is perfect putting you right above sixty at the end of second gear and right under one hundred at the end of third gear.
Properly adjusted clutch and shift linkage makes the car very smooth and fun to shift.
Interior is very well styled with leather accents. The steering wheel is leather wrapped as well as the gear selector and boot.
Exterior is very sporty with a high truck and rear spoiler. The rear fogged tail lights and the front fog lights. Seven spoked and five bolt, open-style wheel lugs gives the car a tuner look.
The controls are all in reachable and fool proof locations. Except maybe the sun roof controlls which are a little distracting.
Best place to drive this car is in windy mountain roads, where you'll really feel the torque of this almost straight six.
Recommended reviews
| Engine is strong, VW of America Service the worst, and interior electrical not so hot to be polite |
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| Not with a ten foot pole, unless you plan to impale it! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | VR6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 94000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 100000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 4th July, 2007 |