Filed under: New York Auto Show, Wagons/Estates, Volkswagen
New York Preview: Jetta Sportwagen set for NYC debut
As expected, Volkswagen will introduce its Jetta Sportwagen in New York this week and we say it's about time, guys. Two years is too long. VW says to look for this sporty 2008 5-door in dealers this August with a 170-hp, 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine at first. The Germans will then offer the 2.0T 4-cylinder pumping out 200 hp. In January, VW promises a 2.0-liter diesel variation, as well.
The SportWagen's 32 cu. ft. of cargo space is fairly spacious compared to the competition. It can carry 5.4 cubic feet more of stuff than the Volvo V50 and 15.7 more than the Mazda 3 wagon. Lay the VW's back seats down and the space more than doubles to 66.9 cubic feet, which is getting on up into Passat Wagon territory. Continuing with the whole little is big theme, an optional 12.7 square foot panoramic roof is available.
Pricing has yet to be made official, but VW Vortex is guessing about $1,000 over Jetta sedans, so somewhere in the upper teens, lower 20s.
Click through to the jump for the official press release, and be sure to check out the gallery for more photos.
[Source: VW Vortex]
Gallery: VW Jetta Sportwagen
Volkswagen of America Press Release-
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Jetta SportWagen, a sporty and dynamic wagon version of Volkswagen's top-selling model, made its U.S. debut today at the New York Auto Show. The Jetta SportWagen mixes practicality with European style and balances both elegance and sportiness. Its exceptional ride and handling and segment-leading safety features, along with its design are perfect for those with an active lifestyle.
Delivering performance and value, the Jetta SportWagen will be offered with three engine variations. The Jetta SportWagen will launch with an upgraded 2.5-liter, five cylinder engine that now produces 170 horsepower. The 2.5L Jetta SportWagen arrives in dealers this August, and will be followed with the 2.0T, four cylinder engine that produces 200 hp. In early 2008 the Jetta SportWagen will be available with a 2.0L clean diesel engine.
Aside from offering the sporty feel and fun to drive performance of a Jetta, the SportWagen opens up a new world of possibilities in the way of usable cargo room- 32.8 cubic feet to be exact, or an even more impressive 66.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. For those whose active lifestyle requires even more room, there is an optional fold-flat front passenger seat that provides additional cargo space. Fold-flat front passenger seat is available with "V-Tex" leatherette seating.
Like the Jetta, the SportWagen continues the Volkswagen tradition of offering a long list of standard equipment. Some of the many standard features include: air conditioning, anti-theft vehicle alarm, cruise control, CD player, traction control, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, eight-way adjustable front seats with height, angle and lumbar support adjustments, and a height-and-telescoping steering wheel. Available as an option on the Jetta SportWagen is a panoramic sunroof. The panoramic sunroof offers its passengers an impressive 12.7 square feet of either daylight or starlight, providing them an open air connection with the outdoors.
The Jetta SportWagen also enjoys a long list of standard safety features such as, driver and front passenger front airbags, driver and front passenger side thorax airbags, Side Curtain Protection®, and rear-impact optimized head restraints on driver and front passenger seat.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ruggels 9:43AM (4/04/2007)
i'm glad to hear they're dropping the 2.0t in the wagon (pretty much an obvious move) - though I'm still not feeling the styling.
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jgp 9:47AM (4/04/2007)
It's amazing how much the bodystyle changes my opinion of the styling.
I love the look of the Rabbit/GTI/R32, but the Jetta, in both sedan and wagon form, looks horribly ugly. Shame, as I really liked the previous Jetta.
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James 9:57AM (4/04/2007)
I kinda want one, actually. I'm sure I'll see quite a few of them tooling around Massachusetts in the near future.
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BCM 10:01AM (4/04/2007)
The Mazda3 5-door is no more a station wagon than the Golf, excuse me, Rabbit 5-door is. Even the Audi A3 is more wagon-like, and it's not a station wagon, either.
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Atomicbri 10:06AM (4/04/2007)
Not really liking this version. I like the previous Jetta Wagon, it was boxy, but looked good boxy. I think it is the rear lamp cluster that's getting me. It looks dumpy. That rounded look and the cluster has none of the circle inside the shape like other VWs have. Why I wonder?
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Mike 10:37AM (4/04/2007)
SCREW THIS THING BRING US THE VW PASSAT R36 AVANT!!!!!!!!!
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/15/more-leakage-volkswagen-passat-r36/
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B-NOIT 10:49AM (4/04/2007)
Umm yeah, that taillight design is very... Chinese-looking. Enough with the any-car designs, VW.
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bobcobb 10:55AM (4/04/2007)
I love when companies put out more wagons, but that is so bland. The rear is awful
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Brent 11:15AM (4/04/2007)
That has all the appeal of a Daewoo Nubira wagon. Very, very nice.
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Todd 11:25AM (4/04/2007)
Maybe give us a GLI version, and eliminate the monster truck wheel gap.
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Mike 11:43AM (4/04/2007)
"we say it's about time, guys"
Amen.
Do I like the tailights? No.
Am I willing to overlook that for a combination of practicality, economy, diesel power, and DSG?
Absolutely.
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jim 12:27PM (4/04/2007)
Lot of Subaru Outback cues in the Jetta. VW should ask for a mulligan
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mojojojo 1:22PM (4/04/2007)
The current Jetta sedan's styling isn't very appealing to me but this is really bad. This has terribly bland styling, the Passat wagon was executed much better than this.
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O.D. 1:50PM (4/04/2007)
I was really hoping for more of a "stretched-Rabbit" type of design.
VW has built some nice looking wagons over the years, but this one breaks the trend. YUCK!!!
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waLLy 2:09PM (4/04/2007)
It's official. VW is now getting their design inspiration from 5-year-old Kias.
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Mulad 7:16PM (4/04/2007)
Huh. I'm of the opinion that the regular Jetta's rear end looks pretty sporty with its round-ish taillights. Without that little extra flash to it, this thing seems like a pretty boring lump from the rear, and I'd hardly want to market the thing as a "SportWagen"...
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MikeyG 3:27PM (4/06/2007)
I was waiting for this, and now I am somewhat disappointed. Sportwagon - The Volvo V50 is a sporwagon. The Audi A4 wagon is a sport'y' wagon. This looks like a the old toyota camry wagon. I agree, what is up with the rearend?
However, that being said, I am willing to overlook the design shortcomings to get the 2.0 diesel in a wagon body. That will be the /only/ reason I order one of these.
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anthony 7:24AM (4/13/2007)
I love the new Jetta sedan...have had mine fr 5 months now...and will get a wagon as soon as they are available.
The interior is in a class of its own...and the whole feel and look is very sporty.
536000 new Jetta owners in 2006.
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