more about this model
Fun. It's what's been missing from the recently redesigned Volkswagen Jetta. VW gave the car new lines, a bigger cabin and more power across the board, but somewhere along the way, the Jetta got a bit too serious. So far there have been just two models, the entry-level 2.5 and the frugal TDI.
For 2006, Volkswagen has added two more: the luxurious 2.0T and the sporty GLI. The two models cost essentially the same, and use the same turbocharged engine, but they're as different as wine and whiskey.
With its standard heated seats and optional wood trim, the 2.0T is for the someday-CEO, the Trump wannabe that just made it out of the mailroom.
In the Jetta's sensible-yet-sporty world, the GLI, with its blacked-out honeycomb grille, sport seats and a sport-tuned suspension, is for the up-and-coming rock star. It's the fun one.
Juiced-Up Jetta
Both models are front-wheel drive and use the same 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that's also used in the Passat as well as Audi's A3 and A4. The engine produces 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque from 1,800 to 4,700 rpm, which is more than enough grunt to make the chubby 3,300-pound 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI a relatively quick ride.
Buyers can choose between two transmissions, a six-speed manual or a six-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG). We prefer the DSG, which permits fully automatic or true manual operation. In "Drive" it's a quality automatic. In manual mode, it switches gears in a heartbeat and perfectly matches revs on every downshift. Plus, there's no clutch pedal to mess with, just a couple of well-placed steering wheel paddles.
Fuel economy is good, too, 24 city/32 highway with the manual and 25 city/31 highway with the DSG, but the 2.0-liter drinks premium.
Additional features include standard stability control, traction control and 17-inch alloy wheels. A standard sport suspension is the GLI's only real mechanical difference over the 2.0T, and the cars we drove wore optional 18-inch five-spokes with summer performance tires, also exclusive to the GLI. The resulting ride is stiff and sporty but by no means uncomfortable, much like the ride in our Audi A4 long-term car.
Looking the Part
In typical German fashion, big honking wings, spoilers and faux carbon fiber are all conspicuously absent. Instead, VW's wild child Jetta has subtle touches to denote its high-performance pedigree.
Outside, the GLI gets the black honeycomb grille accented with a red pinstripe, black lower body trim, blue tinted windows, dual stainless exhaust tips, bright red brake calipers, auto-leveling high-intensity xenon headlights, and GLI badges front and rear that replace the Jetta name completely. Two new colors are exclusive to the GLI, Salsa Red and Deep Black Metallic.
Things are just as sporty yet subtle in the cabin. All the wood and metallic trim from the standard model have been replaced with genuine aluminum. The front seats are eight-way adjustable sport buckets that are exclusive to the GLI. They offer exceptional support and comfort, even on long drives. The pedals are covered in aluminum trim with rubber grip strips for quick footwork, and the tilting and telescoping F1-style flat-bottom steering wheel is thickly padded.
Safety concerns are addressed with standard dual front, front-side, front-side curtain and rear-side curtain airbags. Rear-passenger thorax airbags, which come out of the door, are optional.
Behind the Wheel
This is not a horsepower-addled rally car like the Subaru WRX or Mitsubishi Evolution. It's fast, just not crazy-fast. VW claims the car will sprint to 60 mph in 7 seconds when equipped with the DSG transmission. That's the same time recorded by the last A3 we tested, which used the same drivetrain, and it's nearly two and a half seconds quicker than the last Jetta 2.5 we took to the track.
Instead of stoplight-to-stoplight racing, the GLI is built for high-speed cruising and occasional canyon carving. The DSG-equipped GLI we drove positively shone on the open road. The turbo four offers plenty of bottom-end torque to get things rolling, but it really shines from 4,000-6,000 rpm, where the motor sings and the turbo whines. Tip the accelerator in the engine's sweet spot and the car leaps forward.
At triple-digit speeds on an empty stretch of New Mexico highway, the GLI's interior remained quiet and its engine purred along like a happy kitten. High-speed stability was excellent.
When the road does turn, the electromechanical steering is tight and sporty, offering excellent feedback and feel. And the suspension, which has thicker antiroll bars, gives the car a hunkered-down planted feeling in the corners. Push too hard and radical understeer rears its ugly head, but the car is easy to drive quickly and much more fun than we thought it would be.
Conclusion
At $23,790, the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI's base price is only a grand less than the starting price of the Audi A3, which shares the Jetta's platform. Order the option Package 1 for $1,460, which adds a sunroof and satellite radio, and the GLI's value remains high.
But cough up $3,200 for the option Package 2, which includes the sunroof, the satellite radio, dual-zone climate control and heated leather seats, and $1,800 for the DVD navigation system, and suddenly the affordable GLI costs about the same as an equally equipped Acura TSX.
Additional options on the GLI include the DSG transmission ($875), the 18-inch wheels ($750) and the rear thorax airbags ($350). Order it all and a loaded-to-the-gills GLI comes in over $31 thou.
As much as we like to think of ourselves as rock stars, and as much as we like driving the GLI, that sounds like a lot for the Jetta.
Used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2006 Volkswagen Jettas for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 1,179 used and CPO 2006 Jettas listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 2,000 and mileage as low as 98,085. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 121 on a used or CPO 2006 Jetta available from one of 2,632 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta ?
Save up to $121 on one of 27 used 2006 Volkswagen Jettas for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $2900 as of Apr 22, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 7 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta trim styles:
The used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is priced around $7995 with average odometer reading of 89833 miles.
The used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta Value Edition is priced around $3650 with average odometer reading of 122982 miles.
The used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta Value Edition is priced around $4495 with average odometer reading of 109614 miles.
The used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 is priced around $4117 with average odometer reading of 116383 miles.
The used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 PZEV is priced around $3495 with average odometer reading of 152869 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta?
Available Volkswagen Jetta 2006 Submodel Types: 2.0T GLI, Sedan, Wagon, GLI SEL PZEV, Diesel, 2.0T GLI SEL, GLI SEL, 2.0T GLI SE PZEV, GLI SE, GLI SE PZEV, Hybrid
Available Volkswagen Jetta 2006 Trims: 1.4T S, 1.4T SE, SE PZEV, S, 1.8T SE Sport, 1.4T Wolfsburg Edition, S w/Technology, 2.0T GLI, SE, SEL PZEV, 1.8T Sport PZEV, GLS, SE PZEV w/Connectivity, Wolfsburg Edition, 1.8T SEL, SE PZEV w/Connectivity, Navigation, Sport, 1.4T S w/Technology, TDI SE w/Connectivity, Wolfsburg Edition PZEV, 2.5, GL, 1.8T SEL PZEV, GLS 1.8T, SEL, TDI S, S PZEV, 1.4T SE w/Connectivity, GLI SEL PZEV, TDI SEL, GLX VR6, TDI, TDi, Base PZEV, GLS TDI, 1.8T SEL Premium, Base, Limited Edition PZEV, SE w/Connectivity, Navigation, SportWagen TDI, 1.8T Sport, SE w/Connectivity, TDI Value Edition, Value Edition, 2.0T GLI SEL, GL 1.8T, GL PZEV, GLI, GLI SEL, GLS (1999.5), SEL Premium PZEV, SportWagen S, SportWagen SE, SportWagen SE PZEV, Value Edition , 2.0T, 2.0T GLI SE PZEV, 2.5 PZEV, GLI 1.8T, GLI SE, GLI SE PZEV, GLI VR6, GLS VR6, GLS Wolfsburg Edition 1.8T, Hybrid SEL Premium, Limited Edition, SportWagen SEL
Exterior Colors: Platinum Gray Metallic, Pure White, Reflex Silver Metallic, Black Uni, Silk Blue Metallic, Tornado Red, Cardinal Red Metallic, White Silver Metallic, Moonrock Silver Metallic, Candy White, Tempest Blue Metallic, Toffee Brown Metallic, Platinum Gray Metallic/Black Roof, Pure White/Black Roof, Tornado Red/Black Roof, Deep Black Pearl, Blue Graphite Metallic, Salsa Red, Dark Bronze Metallic, White Gold Metallic, Black, Campanella White, Deep Black Metallic, Galactic Blue, Bright Green Pearl, Platinum Gray, Shadow Blue, Silver Arrow, Wheat Beige, Galactic Blue Metallic, Silver Arrow Metallic, Alaska Green Metallic, Baltic Green Pearl, Blue Graphite, Blue Lagoon Metallic, Cool White, Indigo Blue, Mojave Beige, Reflex Silver, Spice Red
Interior Colors: Titan Black leatherette, Titan Black cloth, Cornsilk Beige leatherette, Palladium Gray/Black cloth, Titan Black/Palladium Gray cloth, Titan Black w/Black Headliner leatherette, Titan Black w/Gray Contrast Stitching leatherette, Black/Ceramique leatherette, GLI Titan Black leatherette, Gray, Anthracite leatherette, Ceramique (Gray) cloth, Titan Black/Carbon leatherette, Titan Black velour, Art Gray leatherette, Black, Latte Macchiato cloth, Beige, Anthracite velour, Pure Beige leatherette, Beige/Black leatherette, Art Gray cloth, Art Gray leather, Gray leather, Gray leatherette, Latte Macchiato velour, Pure Beige leather, Titan Black/Art Grey leatherette
Popular Features: Tire Pressure Warning, Post-collision safety system, Aux Audio Inputs, Bluetooth, Back-up camera, USB Inputs, Keyless Entry/Start, Blind Spot Monitoring, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Navigation, Auto Climate Control, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Parking sensors, Alarm, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Power Driver Seat, Stability Control, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-collision safety system, Leather Seats, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Trip Computer, Upgraded Headlights, Heated seats, Sunroof/Moonroof
Engine/Mechanics: 5, 6, 4 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, MANUAL, AUTOMATED_MANUAL
Fuel Types: premium unleaded (recommended), regular unleaded, diesel, premium unleaded (required)
Drivetrains: front wheel drive
Used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta Overview
The used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta is offered in the following submodels: Diesel, Sedan. Available styles include 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A), TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M), and TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM). Pre-owned Jetta models are available with a 0-liter gas engine or a 0-liter diesel engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2006 Jetta comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed automated manual.
