2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

Here we go with a spoiler alert: this is the best hybrid I’ve ever driven and I’m defining ‘best’ as driving most like a regular car.  Good for VW that on their first go around at a hybrid that’s not an SUV, nearly 15 years behind Toyota, they produce a fuel-saver that’s this sharp.  All from a company that is trying feverishly to re-introduce Americans to diesel engines.  And at an EPA-estimated 42mpg city/48mpg highway, the Jetta Hybrid offers gaudy fuel economy numbers that no TDI can match. 

           But the hybrid module itself, incorporating the electric motor, adds only 27 horsepower or 20kW to the mix…relatively small numbers when compared, say, to the Ford C-MAX Hybrid.  But it’s the constant 114-pound feet of torque it produces that helps give this Jetta its quick off the line sensation.  And I describe it as such because its 0-to-60mph time of 8.6-seconds gives the impression of something much slower than it really feels from behind the wheel.  The DSG can be thanked, in part, for not only the Jetta Hybrid’s glitzy MPG numbers but its quick and sporty feel.  And the small turbo, running without any of the normal hybrid tricks, adds that feel good punch we’ve come to expect from a VW.  Total system output is 170 horsepower and 184 pound feet of torque. 

            The Jetta Hybrid also mixes it up when it comes to its gauges and monitors.  Don’t confuse that 10 with RPMs.  This dial ranges from battery charging when braking and coasting to a dial that swings from 0 to 10 and beyond, indicating how efficiently the hybrid system is operating.  There’s also an E mode that allows you to command all-electric operation up to 44mph when conditions are favorable.  And I must say, other than some typical hybrid regenerative brake-grabbiness, the Jetta plays as much like its gas counterpart as any such duo you’ll drive.  After having just left the brittle and stodgy Nissan Sentra, the Jetta’s ride quality felt downright sumptuous, the cabin whisper quiet and the coolness factor multiplied by 10.  Steering and overall driving enjoyment have remained German solid. 

            These LED daytime running lights grab attention while more subtle Hybrid specific styling cues such as the blue-highlighted VW emblem, badging unique 17” wheels and front grille give it some regular Jetta separation.  Inside, the Jetta is very spacious with comfortable leather seating, but all-in-all lacks freshness, especially for a car just a few years into its latest redesign.  One look at this IT screen exemplifies what I mean.  Starting at under $26,000 and available in 4 trim levels, with this SEL Premium residing at the top, MSRP is about $32,000 fully loaded.  Beware that it requires premium gas, but still in all should save the average driver $500 a year over a Jetta TDI.