2003 Volkswagen Jetta consumer reviews

When this vehicle runs it is a real blast to drive, however it has been tainted with drivability and build quality issues from day 1. This car was purchased with 10 miles on the clock and right away it had to be returned to the dealership for what was thought by us to be a fluke issue with the rear brakes overheating and smoking. We were wrong. In the first year that we owned this car it was in the shop for over 60 days for a laundry list of issues ranging from trim falling off the car, poor idle and stalling, rear door locks breaking, antenna issues and on and on. All the problems that we had were admitted issues for these cars by the VW garage, but VW would not offer us any compensation for the recurring issues when the factory coverage expired. WV could never fix the stalling/poor idle issue and we had to eventually sell the car. Many people have experienced the same issues we have and it is evident by the volume of negative reviews these cars recieve on forums all over the web. Buyer Beware, you either get a jem or a lemon.

I've had the 2003 Jetta GLS 2.0 for about 8 months and I haven't had any problems thus far. That said two things are lacking. The 2.0L EFI engine is horribly under-powered. 115 horsepower is simply not enough. This car should have at least 150 horsepower. The other thing is gas mileage. I don't seem to be able to get anymore than 24 MPH in the city. Other than that it's an excellent car that I would recommend to anyone.

had car over a yr no problems its at 46k now only complaint is the gas milage overall great car and fun to drive

I LOVED my diesel Jetta, right up until the 50,000 mile warranty expired. It is very comfortable, handles great, is fun to drive, and gets amazing gas mileage (42/51). Then, it flooded during a heavy rain, with the passenger side floor completely submerged in water. Then, the second glow plug went out (the first went out while under warranty). Now, the brakes intermittently stick on, a problem that has become difficult to diagnose, and there is some kind of wiring short, with some of the dash lights not coming on (only sometimes!) and when I hit a bump, it thinks the door is ajar and dings and the open-door lights come on. I wish I had stuck with Toyota.

I have been driving my Jetta for a little over two years now and it has been a great car. For the money, it offers some of the best performance out there. Even with only 115hp, get up and go is wonderful. You wouldn't believe the fun you can have with this car while driving down long country roads, even going the speed limit! Replacing the radio, antenae, and several other things have been a pain, but driving it makes up for the trouble. It's perfect for a teenage driver. I know because I happen to be one. Overall, A+!!

I have had my Jetta for about a year 1/2 now and haven't put anything into it but tires & brakes. Very nice realiable car get 30-35 mpg

I bought this car second hand, and i am in love with it.....i have had it for 1 year now and it is working perfectly. I drive a 03 jetta 1.8 t and this car will give the speed you need. For the price that i paid, i feel that i made a good deal... I would recommend this car to anyone

As a driver of only Honda's all my life I have had this car for about a year now, and bought it with 27k miles on it, it's awesome! I have put 10k miles on the car and have NEVER had a single problem with it, I was worried but I KNOW that my Jetta will not fail me nor leave me stranded...it's 1.8t with a 5 spd manual so it definetely has enough to get up to drive the freeways and to pass someone without breaking out in a sweat....This is an incredible car that i am sure has turn me a Volkswagen driver for life.

I have owned a VW Jetta GLS 1.8T manual transmission for almost 4 years. It is a driver's car, I still very much enjoy driving it. It handles very nicely, it's very powerful for its size and it has all sorts of bells and whistles (heated seats, heated mirrors, moonroof, premium sound system) that make you feel like you're driving a much more expensive car! This car is really fun to drive and I highly recommend it.

Although I am very satisfied with the styling and performance of the Jetta but they do have very significant problems regarding reliability. My Jetta has 38,000 kilomiters on it and already the rims had to be refinished, the transmission had to be replaced, an engine coil had to be replaced, antena had to be replaced and there is a hole in the floor mat and carpet under the gas peddle which goes right through to the metal floor. Volkswagon has repaired everything except the carpet problem under warranty but they said this was normal wear and tear??. The reports which I have heard regarding volkswagons quality going down seem to be ringing true in my experiance with this car. I anticipate to sell the car very soon as it scares me to keep it once the waranty has expired. I purchased the car with only 3500 km on it from a Volkswagon dealership.