Volkswagen Jetta (06-10) - Review

The Jetta is surprisingly accommodating and can seat five adults in reasonable comfort with decent head and legroom in the back. The seats offer good support and should be comfortable for long journeys, especially for the driver and front passenger while air conditioning and four electric windows are standard across the range. The only downside is that the earlier TDI (PD) engine are quite noisy, especially at higher revs, and there's noticeable vibration in the cabin.

Although the Golf may be more practical due to its hatchback tailgate, the Jetta has a very large boot with 527 litres of carrying capacity - not far short of the larger Passat and on par with the Vauxhall Insignia hatchback. The rear seats split and fold, for extra versatility, allowing you to carry large items. However, if you go for a model with a six-CD changer, you'll find it robs the space under the centre front armrest. The rest of the cabin ahs good stowage though with a large glovebox, wide door pockets and a twin cupholder which even includes a bottle opener.

From the driver's seat there is little to distinguish the Jetta from the 2004 Golf. You can adjust the steering wheel for height and reach while the driver's seat is multi-adjustable too, which makes for a comfortable driving position. As well as being attractive, the dashboard is functional with large, easy-to-use buttons and - where fitted - a simple sat nav system. All the controls are close to the driver for on-the-move adjustments and the screen is close enough so you don't have to squint. The system is a bit slow however, but cars from March 2008 come with a much faster and slicker system.