Chase
Hello, as the question states I am looking to get a Volkswagen Jetta 2.5L 5 cylinder (2009-2010) or a Honda Civic (2010-2011). I test drove a Jetta and absolutely loved it, it is a very solid feeling car. I saw that the Jetta is also much safer than the civic of those years. I know Honda has a huge reputation for reliability (My mom has a Pilot) and I know Volkswagen's reliability is a rollercoaster. I am just wanting opinions on which car would be best for me. I currently am in college and working, with a commute of about 40 miles a day. I currently do all of my maintenance on my car at home like oil changes, tire rotations, coolant flushes, timing belt, etc. (My stepdad is very good with cars and we have a lift at home). Would the Volkswagen be as reliable as the Honda if I kept up on maintenance? How hard are they to work on? How expensive are the parts? Is the upkeep a lot more tedious than the Honda's? What are the main service intervals and what needs done at those intervals for the Volkswagen? Thanks for all the answers, I really appreciate it!
Answer
What is it?
Latest Jetta gets all the updates that have been rolled out across the VW stable recently, but it's still essentially the same car underneath. The engine choice is good as is the ride and interior quality, but puh-lease, there has to be a more interesting choice.
Driving
The Jetta feels well engineered and always on your side. You always get lots of warning of what's happening, and it's almost always benign. It's not all that light on its feet though.
Any of the 1.4 TSI engines over-delivers - it comes as a 122, 140 and 170 output, but also has generous torque at usefully low revs, so forget about the small capacity. The 1.6 base engine is a bit raucous, and underwhelming. The 2.0 high-power diesel is the noisy TDI design - wait for the smoother common-rail version that's being rolled out across the VW Group.
On the inside
Great seats, a supple ride and fine refinement mark out the Jetta as a car that cossets you like something from the next class up. It's a good place to be.
Saying that, the Golf family, of which this is a member, isn't the leader it once was in perceived quality, and there are some uninspiring slabs of hard plastic around the cabin. But the firm furniture and vault-like doors reassure you that it's made of good stuff.
While the Jetta doesn't have the versatility of a hatch, it does have a colossal boot. And the rear seat backs do flop forwards to extend the bay a bit.
Owning
Treat it gently and you can get the Jetta's service intervals up to 20,000 miles. The TSi and TDI engines are pretty careful with fuel, and insurance isn't bad - the 200bhp version is group 15 while a Golf GTI is 17. Because, presumably, no-one wants to steal a Jetta or drive it fast.
RICE £20,885
BHP 140
LB FT 236
MPG 58
CO2 126
0-62 MPH 9.50
TOP SPEED 130
THE HONDA!
What is it?
The latest Honda Civic will be familiar to fans of the old one, as Honda takes a leaf out of Volkswagenâs design handbook and goes for evolution rather than revolution. Because of this, the five-door only Civic remains an unusual looker, with the pyramidal outline spiced up this time round by a set of flowing wave-like creases along the sides. Thereâs no missing the beak-like black grille surround either. Oh, and it finally gets a rear wiper too.
Big news for 2013 is the launch of the long-awaited 1.6 diesel. Hondaâs been missing such an engine for too long, and its arrival is expected to lead a big sales lift.
Driving
Honda has listened to all the criticism of the old Civic and fed this into the latest one. It is thus a lot more refined and smoother-riding, with expensive details like fluid-filled suspension bushes all helping iron out the bangs and crashes felt before. The tyre roar of the old one has been quelled too.
Pity Honda has dialled back some of the driving enthusiasm of the old Civic, the root cause of which is new fuel-saving electric power steering. Itâs a pretty groggy system, proving gluey and short of feel. This means a lot of the sharp, connected cornering you got with the old Civic has melted away. Itâs an unquestionably better car to drive, but if you like to break free for a bit of fun, you might not like the upgrade. 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines are available, but most will prefer the diesels. The familiar 2.2-litre motor remains impressive but better still is the new 1.6-litre âEarth Dreamsâ unit. An eye-opening blend of power, economy and emissions is backed up with impressive refinement and well-rounded manners. Its new six-speed gearbox is great, too.
On the inside
Interior quality has taken a much-needed step up. There are now more soft-touch plastics and premium-finish surfaces. The trouble for Honda is that the Civicâs rivals have improved too: assembly standards are immaculate but it lacks the last edge of tactility that helps win over showroom-browsers. Honda hopes the futuristic styling will do this instead â as before, itâs all bold shapes and colourful displays in the new Civic, but with a welcome improvement in ergonomics and intuitiveness.
Owning
Honda has dramatically improved the fuel efficiency of the new Civic, particularly the 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel. Despite its ample capacity, idle-stop and aero gains (keen spotters will note the stick-on âearsâ on the rear panels) mean this averages 67.3mpg and emits just 110g/km CO2. The new 1.6-litre diesel is even better, emitting 94g and averaging 78.5mpg.
What is it?
Latest Jetta gets all the updates that have been rolled out across the VW stable recently, but it's still essentially the same car underneath. The engine choice is good as is the ride and interior quality, but puh-lease, there has to be a more interesting choice.
Driving
The Jetta feels well engineered and always on your side. You always get lots of warning of what's happening, and it's almost always benign. It's not all that light on its feet though.
Any of the 1.4 TSI engines over-delivers - it comes as a 122, 140 and 170 output, but also has generous torque at usefully low revs, so forget about the small capacity. The 1.6 base engine is a bit raucous, and underwhelming. The 2.0 high-power diesel is the noisy TDI design - wait for the smoother common-rail version that's being rolled out across the VW Group.
On the inside
Great seats, a supple ride and fine refinement mark out the Jetta as a car that cossets you like something from the next class up. It's a good place to be.
Saying that, the Golf family, of which this is a member, isn't the leader it once was in perceived quality, and there are some uninspiring slabs of hard plastic around the cabin. But the firm furniture and vault-like doors reassure you that it's made of good stuff.
While the Jetta doesn't have the versatility of a hatch, it does have a colossal boot. And the rear seat backs do flop forwards to extend the bay a bit.
Owning
Treat it gently and you can get the Jetta's service intervals up to 20,000 miles. The TSi and TDI engines are pretty careful with fuel, and insurance isn't bad - the 200bhp version is group 15 while a Golf GTI is 17. Because, presumably, no-one wants to steal a Jetta or drive it fast.
RICE £20,885
BHP 140
LB FT 236
MPG 58
CO2 126
0-62 MPH 9.50
TOP SPEED 130
THE HONDA!
What is it?
The latest Honda Civic will be familiar to fans of the old one, as Honda takes a leaf out of Volkswagenâs design handbook and goes for evolution rather than revolution. Because of this, the five-door only Civic remains an unusual looker, with the pyramidal outline spiced up this time round by a set of flowing wave-like creases along the sides. Thereâs no missing the beak-like black grille surround either. Oh, and it finally gets a rear wiper too.
Big news for 2013 is the launch of the long-awaited 1.6 diesel. Hondaâs been missing such an engine for too long, and its arrival is expected to lead a big sales lift.
Driving
Honda has listened to all the criticism of the old Civic and fed this into the latest one. It is thus a lot more refined and smoother-riding, with expensive details like fluid-filled suspension bushes all helping iron out the bangs and crashes felt before. The tyre roar of the old one has been quelled too.
Pity Honda has dialled back some of the driving enthusiasm of the old Civic, the root cause of which is new fuel-saving electric power steering. Itâs a pretty groggy system, proving gluey and short of feel. This means a lot of the sharp, connected cornering you got with the old Civic has melted away. Itâs an unquestionably better car to drive, but if you like to break free for a bit of fun, you might not like the upgrade. 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines are available, but most will prefer the diesels. The familiar 2.2-litre motor remains impressive but better still is the new 1.6-litre âEarth Dreamsâ unit. An eye-opening blend of power, economy and emissions is backed up with impressive refinement and well-rounded manners. Its new six-speed gearbox is great, too.
On the inside
Interior quality has taken a much-needed step up. There are now more soft-touch plastics and premium-finish surfaces. The trouble for Honda is that the Civicâs rivals have improved too: assembly standards are immaculate but it lacks the last edge of tactility that helps win over showroom-browsers. Honda hopes the futuristic styling will do this instead â as before, itâs all bold shapes and colourful displays in the new Civic, but with a welcome improvement in ergonomics and intuitiveness.
Owning
Honda has dramatically improved the fuel efficiency of the new Civic, particularly the 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel. Despite its ample capacity, idle-stop and aero gains (keen spotters will note the stick-on âearsâ on the rear panels) mean this averages 67.3mpg and emits just 110g/km CO2. The new 1.6-litre diesel is even better, emitting 94g and averaging 78.5mpg.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment