Thanks to Harte Volkswagen for allowing me to take this 2021 Jetta R-Line for a spin!
I see it all the time. "I want something fun, manual $20-25k, need 4 doors." Even with manuals slowly dying out, you've got some good options. On paper, the Jetta R-Line fits squarely into that criteria, so let's take it for a ride.
Walking up to the car, it's got a fairly minimalist look to it. A little bit sporty, a little bit upscale, and from the front it's very clearly a VW, even if it didn't have the badge.
The Jetta is a compact car, so I expected to be cramped in the back, but there's actually quite a bit of room back there. The black and white synthetic leather is stiff, but decently comfortable. It feels very similar to my GTI. I note the button for heated seats, which is a very nice perk, not generally given to a back seat rider. I could hang out back for for a while with no complaints at all.
Jumping into the front seat, the steering wheel looks very similar to my GTI. There are quite a few buttons on either side of the D-shaped wheel, for voice control, infotainment control, and for scrolling through the menu nested between the speedometer and tachometer. I actually really like the style of the dark gauges with subtle red trim to them.
The infotainment looks a little bit different from my GTI, most notably the real buttons that I wish I had. Below the infotainment is a sophisticated looking temperature control panel with a few knobs and a lot of buttons, and below that are a few USB ports and the push-button start. Overall, it gives me that "just a little bit upscale" feeling that VW does well.
I note blindspot monitoring, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, backup cam, cross-traffic/beep at you when anyone or anything is nearby alert, heated seats (front and back!), and heated steering wheel(!).
Foot on the clutch, foot on the brake, push-button start. The clutch feels pretty good. A little lighter than my GTI, but heavier than a lot of the stuff I've been driving. I think it's a good weight for a daily.
Shifting into first. The shifter feels solid enough, the gearbox is a little looser than my GTI, but still has a decent feel to it. Again, tighter than a lot of the sedans and hatchbacks I've driven recently, and I appreciate that.
Getting out onto the street, I easily get up to speed, and I'm both surprised and excited by it. I expected the 1.4L engine to leave me wanting more, but the 184 lb-ft of torque available down low in the rev-range at 1800 rpm leaves me more than satisfied, and strapped in for a good ride. I do note some rev-hang, but otherwise I have no complaints about moving through the gears in this one.
Heading down some twisty back roads, the steering feels very light, which isn't my favorite, but it otherwise handles well. There's a bit of body roll, but the XDS differential that comes with the R-Line trim or above, helps to keep the car grounded in those hard turns.
It's a solid option for a commuter car that's a bit sporty. The tech is good, it has a bit of an upscale feel, it's pretty comfortable, it has a heated steering wheel(!), and gets great fuel economy (30 city/41 highway). I would have no problem dailying this car.
