So, Sirish has got the new C-Class as his new long-termer and that means, in terms of pecking order, I get the Volkswagen Jetta. I’ve been eyeing it ever since it got inducted in to the fleet and I’ve been hankering after it because I know the Volkswagen Jetta is a great car. I ran the pre-facelift car for a year when I was at Autocar India and I loved its build quality and stellar high-speed manners. I like this Jetta even more because VW hasn’t upgraded it to the Octavia’s MQB platform yet and that means it feels old-school solid. The Octavia feels light, the Jetta feels like a bank vault. I also love this new one’s LED lights – I think they only add to the Jetta’s handsome lines and I love the new squared-off steering wheel – it just feels very cool to hold. I just wish they had updated the touchscreen interface though – it’s starting to look a bit yesterday.
More than all that though, I’m glad I have it because it’s time for my annual road trip back home to Kerala for Christmas. It’s a 3000km round trip and I’m really looking forward to doing it in the Volkswagen Jetta.
A wide open NH4, Stereophonics on the audio system and a sixth-gear cruise – that’s where the Jetta is at its best, where it really comes into its own. Merry Christmas everyone. I’ll see you on the other side.
Ouseph Chacko(@ousephchacko)