2003 Volkswagen Jetta GLX Wagon review from North America

No problems at all.

The 1.8 Turbo engine has had the 'coil problem' addressed. Engine is very strong, and the intelligent Tiptronic transmission shifts more smoothly than any I've ever driven. (I've owned more than forty cars).

The Michelin Energy tires are an excellent compromise between traction, wear, and performance. I've had several Mercedes with this same tire. I was a little surprised (pleasantly) to see that they were standard equipment on the Wagon.

The Wagon is one of the few remaining cars still being built in Germany. Fit and finish is excellent. No knocks, rattles or loose parts.

Handling is more sporty than the E-class Wagon it replaced making it more fun to drive, and more economical too. Last weekend we averaged 29.4 mpg on a trip from Delaware to New York.

The Monsoon radio is a bargain. We love it.

The seat heaters are better than the Mercedes and Toyota (Avalon). The temp is adjustable from barely on to HOT. Not only is the seat pan warmed, but the backrest is heated as well.

I'm 6' 8" tall, 215 lbs and find I'm pretty comfortable -- more comfortable than in my wife's Mercedes 190E, but not quite as comfortable as the E320S wagon I traded in.

At around $22,000 this is a very good value for a well-built, fine running compact wagon.

We expect to have good service, but we've needed nothing so far. Routine expenses like an oil change list for about half the cost of Mercedes service. Parts are similarly less expensive. We expect our annual operating expenses to be about 20% less with the Jetta.

VW has done a great job on the interior. The radio uses easily adjusted knobs rather than digital up/down switches. The moonroof is quieter that the M-B (and has more features). The seats are much like the BMW, firm and supportive.

I've read that the engine is from Audi and the Tiptronic transmission is a Porsche design. All I can tell you is that the really work well together. I love being able to shift when I want to, then pop it back into Drive so I can have a sip of coffee.

A thousand miles is nothing compared to the normal lifetime of a car. But the first thousand miles are often the most telling. This thousand miles has said, "Hey -- let's go have some fun!"