The VW Jetta has been one of the underrated sedans in India, offering a premium package. The Virtus has been launched, and some fans consider it the Jetta reborn. Let’s take a moment to remember the Jetta while welcoming Virtus to the competition:
Premium Package
The VW Jetta was launched initially launched in 2008 in India in the lower D-segment, competing with other sedans such as Laura & Octavia. It offered a premium package with an initial price range from ₹12.97 to 16.677 lakhs in those times.
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It was equipped with Vienna leather seats supported with an electric lumbar adjust. A 6-CD changer could play MP3s through the ten-speaker layout. For safety, it had ABS & ESP along with 8 airbags. Jetta also had other features, such as dual-zone climate control.
Engine & Power
It had both petrol and diesel options to choose from, with a 1.4-liter TSI intercooled petrol engine churning out 120hp & 200Nm of torque. While the 2.0 TDI diesel engine made 138hp & 320Nm torque. Both engines consisted of a four-cylinder layout and were mated to a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.
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The fuel efficiency was about 14.7kmpl for the petrol engine and 17-19kmpl for the diesel. The previously stated features and a considerably powerful engine at that time made Jetta a good choice in the segment.
Discontinued in 2018
While the first Jetta was launched in 1979 globally, it made it to India in 2008. After running for about 10 years, VW decided to discontinue the sedan and the little Beetle. It was observed that it could compete well with the other candidates such as Elantra, Corolla & Octavia.
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All competitors received updates and facelifts with time, while the Jetta was updated in 2013 with a facelift in 2015. This made it further hard for it to compete in that price range. It was built on the old PQ35 platform, and now the 2022 Jetta is out globally but will not be making its way here.
Reborn as Virtus?
We all witnessed that SUVs have been taking up all the market and attention for a while, but now VW is all set to get the sedan segment booming again. With 2 candidates launched in the market, the Skoda Slavia and the parent brand’s Virtus. We can finally say that Honda City might have some real competition in the segment.
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Many fans will go for the Virtus if offered to pick between the two. Virtus can be seen as the Jetta reborn as it offers a promising premium package with elegant looks, especially with the GT line. What do you think about the Virtus?
