The Jetta: Leading Volkswagen to New Heights

To auto experts who thought Volkswagen was hitting a period of inexorable decline, the figures coming out of 2012 showed that they couldn't have been more wrong. Based strongly on the sales of the Jetta (along with the redesigned Passat and Beetle models), the venerable VW Company managed to decimate their sales figures for every year since 1973. It's not often you see a car company make such a significant re-entry into the field of automobile powerhouses, but VW seems to have found the trick. What's more, this isn't the first time they've done it. To put it into real numbers, VW saw a sales growth of over 34% in the summer months of 2012, when compared with the same time period of 2011. This phenomenal jump can largely be put on the backs of their affordable, high volume Jetta, which has proven to be a hit with American consumers. Though not the cheapest car on the market by a long shot, they have proven to be popular with those buyers who want something that fits their budget without picking something at the bottom of the field. Of course, VW isn't the only manufacturer experiencing sales growth in 2012. With fuel prices seemingly stabilizing and vehicles getting older, consumers are looking to buy. VW just happens to be ready to make the sale. Of course, even if rising fuel prices kept owners in their old cars for a long time, stabilization doesn't mean prices at the tank are exactly cheap. They are still far above what Americans are used to paying for gas, even when inflation is taken into account. Most industry experts believe there's no turning back the clock on that, either. This means that car buyers have to look for vehicles that will give them the best fuel economy possible. The Jetta largely comes through on this point, which could be another reason is has experienced a surge in sales. The standard engine gives drivers 23 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. If buyers choose to go with the diesel engine, they can get 30 mpg in the city and 42 on the highway, numbers that any budget-minded consumer have to appreciate. Naturally, however, car buyers don't focus exclusively on economical considerations when purchasing a new vehicle. If they did, every car would be a cheap, gas friendly block of metal. Of course, buyers want features and fun as well. The Jetta offers a sunroof, eight speaker sound system, touch screen navigation, and a steering wheel equipped with control for everything from the radio to the air conditioning. Buyers can choose to get a stripped down model or one with all of the features. Whichever they choose, it seems clear that Volkswagen's sedan is going to be in the race for some time to come.