Owner Review: A car that's certainly hard to replace - My 2014 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4 TSI

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Basic information about my car:

2014 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4 TSI

Reasons why I bought this car(purpose):

I was in the market for a sedan. Not just any ordinary sedan though. It has to tick all the check boxes. It has to be a C segment car. I prefer mid size saloons. B segment cars are relatively small and even if it fulfills my size expectation, it often  lacks the performance I expect. On the other hand, D segment cars are too big and I would appreciate some practicality especially in city driving where you need to park your car in tight spaces or maneuver your vehicle in tight spots.

In addition to that, I couldn't settle for anything less than a forced induction engine. Having driven turbo charged cars, there is no turning back and going the NA route.

Design wise, the car has to look good. I'm not after a futuristic or revolutionary design. It is OK to be simple but it has to be nice.

Car selection process

● I had a budget of: RM120,000

● Models that I have considered include: Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda Civic, Mazda3

User Experience

I have already done: 48,500 km

Under the hood

The 2011 -2015 MK6 Jetta is powered by a 1.4 TSI twin charged engine. Do not let the small engine fool you into believing this car doesn't have the potential to satisfy your need for speed. This little workhorse won the coveted International Engine of the Year Award for 9 consecutive years. A common setback for turbo cars during that time was turbo lag. The boost pressure developed by smaller engines is insufficient to produce high torque at lower revs which results in a perceived "lag" when you floor the pedal.

You'll have to wait for the turbine to spool and build enough pressure to get that boost which catapults you forward.  The 1.4 TSI features both, a super charger and turbo charger where the former is being driven mechanically by the engine and has the ability to develop boost even at lower engine speed.

This combination of different forced induction technologies eliminates the turbo lag which frequently ruin the experience of petrolheads. This little mill develops 160 PS at 5,800 rpm and 240 Nm from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm enough to complete the century sprint in a respectable 8.3 seconds yet remaining frugal in petrol consumption. Fast forward today, we have twin turbos achieving the same with less complexity. However, the twin charged engine is a rare breed, complex -it is，but it is also unique and you do not see these types of engines featured in many cars. If you love speed and power and love being different from the rest, just like me, this engine deserves a place in your garage.

Transmission

OK, I'm going to be honest with this. There are a lot of negative opinions with regards to the 7 speed DQ200 DSG tranny and in almost all cases there is some truth to that. Have I experienced mechatronic failure in my 7 years of ownership? No. Will I experience it? Most likely. Most Jetta owners will experience mechatronic failure at some point during their ownership. However, this should NOT be a deterrent to not own this car. All cars have "known problems".

I will tell you hands down that the 1.4 TSI twin charged engine mated to a DSG transmission gives you an exhilarating driving experience where torque converter automatics and CVTs do not come close. DSG is the closest you can get to that manual feel with the benefit of convenience. Gears change rapidly and you reach your target speed very fast. Volkswagen says their cars are better experienced than explained. I do not represent Volkswagen and while I do agree that the DQ200 is a pain point for the Jetta, the moment I sit behind the wheel, my worries simply vanish into thin air.

Comfort

The Jetta has a sophisticated multi-link suspension which delivers superior comfort and great handling. We are seeing more premium cars these days switching from multi-link to double wishbones or the simpler torsion beam as part of cost cutting measures and to reduce the complexity of the mechanical parts. I'm in no way saying that one is superior than the other, in fact we have cars with torsion beams being very capable in its own right. However, personally I feel the multilink setup in the Jetta has an edge as it allows independent movement of the wheels on either side which generally translate to better levels of comfort and handling.

In 2014, Jetta was one of the few C segment cars in this price range which had this setup while others opted for torsion beam. Speaking of NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness), there is hardly any of these elements felt in the cabin. The car glides smoothly on high speed with the wheels firmly planted to the ground, no vibration and very minimal wind noise. A colleague of mine once described travelling in the car resonates to that feel you get while travelling in a “kapal” (large vessel or plane).

Looks

As the saying goes – Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Typically, we see newer cars showing sophistication in design in the latest iterations of the models. The 10th generation Civic was leaps and bounds in the design department compared to its predecessor.  I somehow felt that Honda took a step back in the latest 11th generation Civic. The design seems more conventional but nevertheless extremely pleasing in my opinion. The 2014 Jetta is exactly that. Some people call it boring or ordinary but I find the design to be evergreen. Similarly, the 11th generation Civic, though being the latest, didn't look revolutionary but it still survives the test of time. I am a fan of  C segment sedans that have a well-proportioned sedan shape with a pronounced looking boot.

What do I mean by that ? Take for instance the 2014 Mazda3 sedan. The car has a beautifully long hood but it's roofline slopes and stretches far to the rear and I feel I do not really see that pronounced boot shape. Sometimes I feel less is more. The contemporary design of the 2014 Jetta will still look relevant in the years to come.

Interior

The interior of the Jetta, well, is a mirror of its exterior. To put it simply – simple. The dashboard looks simple but practical. The seats are good providing great lumbar support, perfect for long journeys. Closing the door gives you a solid "thud" and once you're in you simply feel safe and protected. These traits are generally synonymous with continental cars and the Jetta is no exception.

Points to take note

As mentioned earlier, all Jetta owners condition their mind to prepare for mechatronic breakdown. The problem can manifest anytime and anywhere when you least expect it to happen but it is what it is. I would suggest being prepared for this from a financial standpoint as this will set you back around RM6500 to get this replaced in an authorized VW Service Centre. Of course, you could try getting this fixed at a lower cost at independent third-party workshops too.

The coolant pump is another mechanical part for you to watch out for as this can fail anytime. Thankfully there are tell-tale signs to watch out for such as water spots on the ground indicating a leak. You can also identify this problem by listening to the mechanical sound it produces indicating the coolant pump is about to fail anytime and it's advised to get it replaced the soonest. Cost to replace it is around RM1300.

The speed sensors are also common components which fail but thankfully they are inexpensive to replace. They usually fail if you often drive through potholes or a pool of water during heavy rain. All these can be easily avoided.

I cannot think of any other significant disadvantages the car has. It will be useful to point out that Jetta 1.4 TSI MK6 was introduced in Malaysia in 2011 as a fully imported CBU unit. The car was locally assembled in Malaysia in 2014 bringing with it some improvements to the engine reliability. I highly recommend getting the 2014 or 2015 Jetta because these newer twin charged engines which go by the codename CTHD are more reliable and it resolved the piston crack issue which occurred in the older CAVD engines. In 2016, VW introduced the facelifted Jetta which only had a single turbo. It's still an impressive car with additional bells and whistles thrown in. However, if you're in the market specifically for a twin charged engine, do note the variances and which one to go for.

Pros and Cons

Pros of my car

1. Great driving experience.
2. Solid car built.
3. Comfortable ride.
4. Plenty of independent specialist workshops available.
5. Good fuel economy.
6. Affordable road tax.

Cons 

1. Reliability of the 7-speed DSG with dry clutch.
2. Mixed opinions on the car's rather minimalistic & plain looks.
3. Low resale value.

Total Score: 4

Performance: 4

Quality & Features: 4

Space: 5

Ride comfort: 5

Fuel Economy: 4

Price & cost: 4

Summary:

So, what's my take on the Jetta? For those of you who are looking for a German sports sedan that delivers impressive performance and gear changes which are crisp, seamless and each one taking less than four-hundredths of a second to complete, nothing beats the performance of a TSI + DSG combo. The Jetta has an evergreen design, it defines how a sedan car should look without all the complexities. It is solidly built, in and out.  There are plenty of workshops which specialize only in VW (and Audi). There is absolutely no problem at all getting expert advice and maintaining your car, here in Malaysia. Spare parts are readily available too. This car deserves a place in your garage. I am part of the Jetta Malaysia Owners Group and I often hear them saying if you sell your Jetta, good luck finding a replacement car in the same category and price point that delivers the same experience. I couldn't agree more.

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