Used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A) Consumer Reviews
Used Jetta for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Jetta Review
sskk, Akron, OH, 04/27/2011
Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
76 of 81 people found this review helpful
I read many of the reviews on here, and I thought that some were spot on , yet others were just people that were angry or biased, yet they did not seem to understand the car well. I am not saying that every problem experienced by others were completely false. This car does have some common issues, but all cars do. I figured that I would give my own thoughts in an objective manner. I bought a used neglected 2006 jetta 2.5, and the car turned out to be a great buy. The car had 68,000 thousands miles on it, and it had a few dents big and large scratches; so I was able to get it at a huge discount that was way below blue book value, because no one else wanted her. I found out the car was losing oil, and it had a nasty rear main seal leak. I honestly thought that all hope was last, because I was not going to spend thousands of dollars to get it fixed. As a last hope, I tried STP oil stop leak, and it actually worked. The car has 100,000 miles on it now, and it still runs great. I cannot believe how well this car runs after the abuse from previous owners. I recommend that you find a good mechanic that knows Volkswagens, and I would avoid the dealer at all costs. You just have to shop around. I also recommend to not skimp on scheduled maintenance. German cars break down too. I know a lot of people that will buy VW, because they think German cars are more reliable, then they neglect the car and have problems. Make sure that you understand this car, and the type of oil that it uses before you buy it. If you are the kind of person that plans on neglecting this car, then do not buy it. If you take care of this car, then it will take care of you by offering great fuel economy. It is not special and it still needs maintenance like all others cars. My other vehicle was a range rover, and I bought this car as my gas efficient beater. I was worried that the jetta would be too small on the inside, but it is quite roomy. The car drives very quite and smooth at high speeds. You can comfortably drive long distances in this car and not even feel uncomfortable. After all, it was built for the autobahn. The main advantage of this car, is that it balances performance with fuel quality. I am not saying that it is a sport sedan, but it is not dull and lifeless like the ford focus or some of the other competitors. The leather seats and the interior are also very nice for the price of the car. The car also handled well in the snow, and I am the kind of person that is afraid to drive in the winter without all wheel drive. The main negative with this car is the poor quality paint. The paint scratches very easily, and even when it is washed gently. I am honestly afraid to wash the car because of this issue. This complaint is seen in other reviews as well. Other euro cars that I owned did not scratch as easily. The secondary issue with this car is with the lights burning out earlier than expected. Sometimes, I think this is related to road conditions, but other times I think this has to do with the design of the bulb holder. It seems that it holds the one bulb in tight, but it allows the other one to jiggle a little bit. My tertiary compliant is with the looks of the car. I am not saying that it looks bad, it is just somewhat plain and boring. The jetta drives nice and has decent performance, so it should have some nice looks to boot. It seems that the competition is aware of this, yet VW seems completely aloof. Come on VW, make make the jetta look at little meaner and cooler. After all, sex sells right?
Wonderful, wonderful car Best I've ever owned.
nick_89, Springfield, OR, 01/18/2013
Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
I am staggered by the negative reviews, because that in no way been my experience. With 90,000 miles and counting, I have only had to replace two light bulbs and a brake master cylinder that's everything since I bought the car in 2005.5. The highway MPGs are consistently above 35-36 without any effort. The car is incredibly comfortable and handles very well for a FWD car. I frequently take it up to the mountain for snow activities without traction tires or chains, and it takes is like a champ trucks look stunned when I pass them effortlessly. Incredibly safe, reliable, and cheap to own and run I'll certainly buy another one (I have my eye on a TDI SportWagen).
2006 Volkswagen Jetta for sale near you
Showing 3 of 38 listings
- TDI Diesel SedanMSRP: $2,457222 mi away
- TDI Diesel SedanMSRP: $6,299228 mi away
- 2.5MSRP: $4,995411 mi away
See all 38 listings
Preventative maintnance from dealership does NOT prevent big problems
anatomix, Violet, LA, 07/29/2011
Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
21 of 25 people found this review helpful
The 2006 Jetta is certainly fun and comfortable to drive, but is just a big plastic peice of junk. Let's first start with the plastic bottom plate (covering the entire undercarrige of the engine). The only function I can see for this part is to deter you from changing you own oil (containing about 16 star screws).. This car has had all oil changes and inspections by dealer ON TIME.. At 63,000 miles, check engine light came on and a visit to the dealership came back with a $2000+ engine coolant system repair. $1030 for the fans and an additional $1000 for all wires, connectors, and sensors, $340 for CV boot (reportedly cracked and leaking) on front axil.
Typical German Engineering- Good and Bad
cmrva, Webster, FL, 10/15/2014
updated 10/30/2017
Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
28 of 34 people found this review helpful
This is my daughter's car, and to be clear, we bought it used in 2012 (70k miles) for $6k, so I didn't and don't expect miracles. Drove great, like most good German vehicles, but in my opinion, just like my wife's Mercedes, there always seems to be funny noises in the engine randomly that turn out to be pricey repairs. By 90k miles: Replaced transmission ($3K) Water pump and tension pulleys $1500 Fuel pump Headliner came unglued, droops down in back seat Typical hazy headlights, we live in the country and the night time lighting is poor on this car. Spent $200 to get headlights re-glazed, that worked for almost a year, switched to high performance halogens, still poor visibility at night CV boots/ joint- $1k heat blanket (Inside engine on the hood) $300 Brakes 2X $800 each time. Sadly someone hit my daughter broad side, on the good side, she had no injuries, so the car did it's job protecting her!
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Little Red Racer
ccrider, 10/17/2006
Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I traded in a Dodge Dakota for my Jetta and haven't had a single regret. I was a little worried about not being able to sit up high anymore, but that fear went away quickly. It felt like I was driving a race car - it is so much fun! The ride is smooth and the car responds to everything with ease. The controls are all within reach and when you drive at night, there's an awesome contrast between the red and blue intererior dash lights. It's fun to see the looks you get while driving around in this car. The XM radio is a nice plus as well.