VW Jetta SportWagen on the Way
When Volkswagen unveiled the polarizing design of the new Jetta in early 2005, we in the media expected a wagon version to arrive a short time later. Fast forward more than two years, and the wagon is finally here. Don’t be confused by the European name “Golf Variant,” that’s just the silly way they name the Jetta wagon over there.
After a quick look at the new wagon, we can’t really say it was worth the wait. Sure, the front and profile seem to be in proportion, but VW just lost us with the bland back end. It looks like every other car on the road, not something unique. Many may not like the design of the sedan, but at least it stands out.
We do like the utilitarian functionality of the wagon, though, with its fold-flat floor expanding the cargo area to 55 cubic feet. The Jetta SportWagen will arrive in the U.S. around September as a 2008 model, with the same base engine as the Jetta sedan — an inline-five-cylinder — and the peppy 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder we’ve driven extensively in other VWs and Audis. A diesel version will probably go on sale alongside the Jetta TDI sedan in 2008. Photo gallery below.
