VW's Jetta in doubt for NZ

The VW Jetta sedan is based on a shortened version of the Passat platform. Photo / Supplied

Volkswagen is working on a business case for the new Jetta sedan in New Zealand, doing the numbers to see if the mid-size four-door and all that it offers stacks up in a passenger car market dominated by small-medium hatchbacks but still making room for large cars.

"We don't even know if Jetta will be available to us yet," said Dean Sheed, VW New Zealand general manager. "But whether or not we do it depends on its role in the market."

The best-selling car in New Zealand so far this year is the Toyota Corolla, followed by the Suzuki Swift, both hatchbacks. The Holden Commodore is keeping the flag flying for large cars from third place.

Mid-size sedans like the Jetta aren't big sellers here, unlike in the United States where Jetta sales so far this year are up 27 per cent. The car has been the best-selling German four-door over recent years in the US, with annual sales of around 110,000 units.

In New Zealand, however, the current model Jetta hasn't been a big seller for VW since it was introduced in March 2006. It sold 93 in 2006, 68 in 2007, 45 in 2008 and 56 in 2009.

None have been registered this year, one of the many things Sheed says he has to balance alongside a market turning to smaller cars and diesel representing 16 per cent of passenger-vehicle sales.

"Couple that with our BlueMotion fuel technology in both petrol and diesel engines, double-shift gearboxes and VW build quality and Jetta looks impressive," he says.

"But the new Passat is due next year and we have to be careful not to muddy the waters. We'll go through the numbers to see if Jetta stacks up."

Sheed would not be drawn on hybrid versions of the sedan for New Zealand, although VW head office in Germany has confirmed that petrol-electric Jettas will go on sale in the US in 2012.

Nor would he comment on the likelihood of a Jetta coupe, a production version of the New Compact Coupe concept shown at this year's Detroit show.

The coupe, penned by VW design chief Klaus Bischoff, remains a two-door concept for now. The sedan shares its styling cues.

The new Jetta shakes off its Golf origins. It is wand is longer and roomier than the outgoing car, thanks partly to a 70mm-longer wheelbase. Its all-new panels are exclusive to Jetta.

It is roughly the same length and size as Suzuki's new Kizashi, or slightly smaller than mid-size rivals like the Mazda6 and Honda Accord.

The interior design is a family affair, along the lines of the current Golf Mk VI layout, with a two-tone black and beige treatment and typically simple instruments and controls. The longer wheelbase adds a claimed 67mm of rear legroom.

VW says the new car mixes the practicality of being able to seat five adults with a large, 510-litre loadspace and a range of standard safety features including six airbags and a stability programme.

Powering the new Jetta is a range of boosted petrol and diesel engines. New to the model is the 1.2-litre petrol TSI, a turbocharged BlueMotion unit delivering 79kW, a claimed fuel economy of 5.3 litres/100km, or 53mpg, and a CO2 emissions rating of 123g/km. There is also a 1.4-litre twincharge (turbo and supercharged) petrol unit delivering around 112kW.

Diesel options consist of a 80kW 1.6-litre unit and a 105kW two-litre engine. The 1.6-litre TDI variant is capable of returning 4.1 litres/100km, or 68mpg. Its emissions rating is 109g/ km of carbon dioxide.

Transmissions include both six-speed manual and six- and seven-speed Direct Select Gearbox (DSG), depending on the engine.

The original Jetta was launched in Germany in 1979. Since then VW has sold more than 9.6 million units.

Meanwhile, VW is preparing for the launch of its new Touareg SUV in a few months. The carmaker claims the lifestyle vehicle is 200kg lighter and up to 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than the current example.

The Touareg has borrowed its design cues from the Golf Mk VI and Polo hatchbacks. The front end especially is the face of the new VW family album.

The carmaker says the new design gives the second-generation model greater presence, without sacrificing the functional requirements of short front and rear overhangs for off-roading.

At 4758mm, the 2010 Touareg is 40mm longer than the current model. So is the 2900mm wheelbase. Width of 1928mm is the same but its height has been dropped by 20mm to 1724mm.