Used 2016 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews
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A truck guy but love this car
Don F., 12/25/2017
2016 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T Sport PZEV 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I got this car for gas milage and did not want to pay the price for a new truck. I have always perfered trucks over cars. Owned several different cars and trucks. I can say I realy enjoy driving this car the most. I have owned it a year. Bought it with 12000 miles have 22000 miles on it now. I get 28 miles a gallon to and from work using back roads and about 35 mile to gallon on trips using highways. This is the best handleing vehical in snow I ever have had. I have had several 4×4 and all wheel drive vehicals. I bought this car to keep for about year until I had the credit and down to get a newer truck. Well changed my mind. I am keeping the car. Just love driving this car.
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Update to earlier review.....
Adam, 12/10/2015
updated 10/31/2016
2016 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T GLI SEL 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Since writing the initial review below, some things have changed. On 3 separate occasions, I have had the EPC light come on, and the engine loses power. This is particularly concerning when you're traveling at 70mph, go to pass someone, and the RPM's drop and you have to hope no one is on your rear end. I've had it towed back into the dealer once for this. The other 2 times (today being #3), I drove it back there. The previous 2 visits yielded the "Cannot duplicate problem at dealership" comment. And once it was blamed on a theory maybe it was bad gas or the fuel level was too low, and the car went into "safe" mode....whatever that means. Today, it had 80 miles to empty on it when it happened. VW Customer Care has been ZERO help, since the dealer cannot duplicate the issue. Which basically means, they hook up their computer, it throws no codes, they drive it down the street and back, and say they can't find anything. It's extremely unsettling when it happens, and I'm losing more and more confidence in the car and its reliability. I had 3 VW's in the early/mid 2000's, and had zero issues. Since returning to them, the 2014 GTI I had was a disaster, and now the 2016 GLI looks like it's following in its footsteps. Once I'm out of this lease, I'm done with them. Original review........ I came out of a 2014 GTI and into a 2016 GLI, so it's hard not to compare the two. For those who think the GLI is a GTI sedan.....it's not. The current GLI and GTI may have the same HP (210), but the GTI is has 258lbft of torque, where as the GLI still has 207lbft. Overall, it's a pretty decent ride, given it's older platform. They've done a good job making upgrades to the interior since this generation was introduced. There are still a few things that remain, like the hard plastic door panels, that remind you it's still a Jetta. The upgraded electronics work quite well, despite the USB being in a tight spot (under the HVAC, in front of the shifter). The Fender audio sounds great, but get too carried away with the bass, and again you're reminded this is still the old Jetta (rattles). The seats are comfortable, but if you're used to GTI seats, they don't hug you as much. And it has V-Tex, instead of leather, but I don't have a problem with that. The 2.0t is plenty peppy for my long commute to work. The GTI was more zippy, but the Jetta will get out of it's own way with no problem. I do notice more of a DSG lag in this car, than I did in the GTI, especially from a stop. It definitely rides better and is more quiet than the GTI, and so far the MPG is much better (and it uses regular unleaded now). The option content on this car is fantastic. Has all the bells and whistles. It would be nice to have dual power seats and power lumbar, however. To get this similar content in the GTI, you'd spend $6-$7k more, and with the way GTI's lease now ($500+ a month), that's a hard sell. My 2014 GTI was in the shop multiple times in the past year.....for big items.....water pump, A/C system replaced, sunroof system replaced, and a new intake manifold. That made a new one an even harder sell for me. The dealer got me out of my lease halfway through it, and into this car for the same payment, so I am happy with that decision. The new MQB platform should be coming on the Jetta within the next year or so, so you may want to wait for that. Some think the current Jetta is bland and boring, but I've always been a fan of VW's understated styling. They will look good for years, compared to some radically designed car, IMO. I still think it's worth a test drive. Just be sure to have your dealer confirm it IS NOT one of the GLI's that is on stop sale for bad cam shafts. They should be able to check that, by the VIN.
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Great Bang for your buck!
Danny Watson, 03/04/2016
2016 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4T S 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
The 2016 Jetta S model is my first new car purchase in a long time. But after owning this car for a week, and putting some miles on it, I wish I'd purchased much sooner. I opted for a "base" model with a 5-speed stick. Thought I might miss out on some common features that most cars have these days... NOT SO!! The Jetta comes with an impressive list of standard features that make it feel like a more expensive car. Good sound system with plenty of power, power windows, cruise control, trip computer, Bluetooth link to my phone and voice command dialing. And the steering wheel controls put most functions at my fingertips. A very spacious trunk with spit fold down rear seats for even more cargo room. And the 1.4 liter turbo gas engine is a jewel of a powerplant. Smooth and quick revving make for a fun driving experience, and 40 mpg on the hwy is hard to beat these days in a non-hybrid vehicle. I took advantage of the VW lease program. Minimal down payment, and $99 a month for two years. But I gotta say.. I'm enjoying this car so much that two years from now I will probably buy the car. I've never been a "VW" guy, but this new 2016 Jetta S model is a lot of fun, efficient, car for the money.
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Fun to drive and reasonably priced
Mike Beattie, 02/28/2016
updated 09/09/2019
2016 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T Sport PZEV 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
First and foremost, this car is fun to drive. There are a few minor shortcuts on the interior (hard plastic interior), but I don't view that as much of a detractor. The entertainment features feel modern and can be amazing if you're using CarPlay. I've always been a fan of the control layout in a VW, and this one is no different. The touch screen UI present in the 2016 models is more responsive than I expected and works well with Apple CarPlay. The biggest issues I've noticed is that the car is a little slow to accelerate under certain conditions and the built-in navigation system is pretty terrible (but again, amazing if you're using CarPlay — or, presumably, Android Auto). Every once in a while, I have trouble putting it into reverse (I need a light rev of the engine before it will engage), but I may just need some time to get use to it. Also note that you can't use CarPlay wirelessly: you need to plug your phone into the car's USB port (which is a touch more snug than I'd like). The wireless gap is less a VW problem and more an Apple problem; I understand the standard for wireless CarPlay was released only recently. In general, I'm very happy with my purchase. I feel like I got a lot of car with the features I car about for a price that was actually pretty reasonable.
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test drove fro my wife coming out of a sentra
fred savoy, 05/25/2016
2016 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T Sport PZEV 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
A car is a very personal thing. one man's great car is another's lousy car. I always test dive cars for my wife ,when I drove the 1.8 Jetta sport,I was very comfortable in the front seats. I was extremely impressed with the 1.8 liter turbo engine. Very responsive and quiet. suspension was just right for me. I thought this car was supposed to be a compact, but I had and Audi A4 , and this Jetta had way more room in back seat ,and trunk is huge. My golf clubs fit in the trunk completely horizontal which is unheard of in a compact car. Any way my wife says it is by far the nicest car she's ever had compared to NIssan altima sentra maxima,acura infiniti. the only thing lacking was front and rear sensors. she's had about 8000 trouble free miles. I was so impressed I switched out my Audi A4 for the Jetta Gli Sel. For about $12,000. less I felt I was getting a better car. The Gli s identical to the Jetta sport with the following : Gli has 2.0liter turbo (no big difference in mho.but it came with front and rear sensors,and cross traffic alert and blind spot spot monitoring which was important for me to have. It also has a sunroof (which I never use) If I could have gotten the Jetta sport with those safety features,I would have done it in heart beat.Bottom line we are both extremely happy with the cars to date,and I advise prospective buyers to test drive them.
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