Compact Family Sedan Comparison: 2011 VW Jetta Vs. 2011 Chevy Cruze

The 2011 Chevy Cruze and 2011 VW Jetta are all new for this year and both are experiencing booming sales but for very, very different reasons. First off, the 2011 VW Jetta starts below $16,000 which is a very appealing price to first time car buyers. Unfortunately the Jetta's interior quality is now just a shadow of its former self which makes one wonder why you would buy a VW without one of their core strengths?

The 2011 Chevy Cruze that was tested was a total revelation especially since we were all too well acquainted with its predecessor the Cobalt at the Alamo rental counter. The Cruze boasted a better interior, more cohesive exterior styling, was more agile thanks to an optional alloy wheel and tire package that is recommended for adding disc brakes (instead of drums) to the rear.

But who will win in this battle of outright value or clever engineering? Here's a hint, the Cruze has the nicest leather seats in the entire compact sedan class. And we love the smell of new, high quality leather in the morning when we get in the car. It smells like victory, to steal a line from Francis Ford Coppola's epic "Apocalypse Now." On with the contest.

Exterior Styling

When we first saw the 2011 Jetta SEL when it was delivered (conveniently the week right before we tested the 2011 Cruze) we were awestruck by how very "big" it looked. You know, like it had somehow been designed for Texans who, as a general rule, don't like much of anything that's itsy-bitsy. It makes you wonder if they ever sold a Smart Car in Texas. Sorry, back on topic.

We tested a 2010 VW Jetta TDI Cup Edition last year and personally preferred the less corpulent appearance of the 2010 model, even though there were plenty of people who complained about how that variant looked when it was launched. It seems kind of silly when you realize that the Jetta gets all of this stylistic controversy yet the overarching theme of the vehicle has historically been "VW Golf with a trunk attached."

Admittedly, the 2011 Jetta grew in size in 2011 for North Americans because we are bigger than people in other countries and we need to carry epic loads of junk as evidenced by the immense 15.5 cubic foot trunk. If you don't like the way the 2011 VW Jetta looks then why don't you try eating less and try to be a slightly less voracious consumer? Perhaps our next Jetta could be a bit less "plump" if everyone didn't overdo it during visits to Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Costco and The Hometown Buffet.

We have been fans of the exterior styling of the 2011 Chevy Cruze since I first saw it on the auto show circuit as I think it mixes grown up styling cues with a certain amount of European influenced panache. Oddly enough, we think the Cruze looks more like a German car than the Jetta. And as a general rule we like German car styling. (Winner: 2011 Chevy Cruze)

Interior Design and Build Quality

One of the first things we did when we got into our test Jetta was begin the process of pairing our cell phone to the vehicle's Bluetooth hands free system. Part of that process involves pressing a button in the headliner near the map lights but when the time came to press it, the entire plastic moulding that surrounded it snapped and disappeared. Upon pressing the delicate button it wound up somewhere between the metal roof and the headliner of the Jetta's interior. As such, our confidence in the interior quality of this new Jetta was severely shaken.

While most of the routine touch points in the Jetta are of good quality, there are places where VW cut corners and that can be hard to take when "touchy-feely" interiors have been a mainstay of this German company for years. For instance, the door panel "cushioning" was about as plush and thick as a brillo-pad and the map pockets in the doors had plastic edges so sharp that they will make you never want to store anything in them for fear of getting hurt.

Other than the lack of soft-touch plastic, the VW's interior has an ergonomically correct dash whose air conditioning controls should be studied by other automakers for their straight-forwardness, the in-dash navigation/Bluetooth/audio system is simplicity itself and to top it off the Jetta has a back seat big enough for you to cross your legs. This can even be true if there is a 6-footer seated right ahead ahead of you. The back seat in the Cruze is big enough but cozier than the Jetta by a fair amount.

If you are looking for a four person commuter, this is where the Jetta makes a case for itself thanks to its supremely roomy interior. But if you care about the movement of the knobs and controls, the quality of the plastics and supple leather seats as well as the use of Audi-like dual color contrasting, it actually turns out that it's the Chevy has the interior you want to call your own. (Winner: 2011 Chevy Cruze)

Value for Money

Although our Chevy Cruze 2LT tester was not a top of the line model (known as the LTZ), it was a tremendous value at $21,890 (with destination) for a car with leather seats, Bluetooth, USB/iPod integration, stylish 17-inch alloy wheels, 6-speed automatic, heated front seats, an excellent sounding 6-speaker AM/FM/CD/XM audio system, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, floormats, a power driver's seat and remote start so you can warm up the interior of the car on a cold morning.

On-star does offer turn by turn navigation through a screen mounted between the tachometer and speedometer in the Cruze but there is also an optional in-dash large screen navigation unit, sunroof and even a premium Pioneer audio system that can push the price even higher.

Our test Jetta was the top of the line SEL model and came standard with "V-Tex" leatherette seats which did a decent imitation of cowhide until you compared it to the class leading stuff Chevy offers in the Cruze. But then the VW fights back with a standard in-dash navigation system in addition to everything the Cruze 2LT offers.

All 2011 VW Jettas also come with 3 years/36,000 miles of free maintenance but then GM counters that with a 5 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Free service and standard navigation does give the VW the edge in the value stakes. (Advantage: 2011 VW Jetta)

Fuel Economy

The Cruze did have a smaller 1.4 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder so it was able to eke out an average of 32.4 miles per gallon over a week of testing. The 2011 Jetta SEL we drove came with VW's powerful and characterful 2.5 liter 5-cylinder which made more power but returned a still respectable 27.2 miles per gallon. Both vehicles were equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. (Advantage: 2011 Chevy Cruze)

Safety

Both the 2011 VW Jetta and the 2011 Chevy Cruze are "Top Safety Picks" with the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) even though the Jetta has grown so large it now competes in a larger midsize sedan grouping. The 2011 Cruze does beat out the Jetta (slightly) with its 10 airbags and standard On-Star (which will alert medical personnel in an accident where the airbags deploy). (Advantage: 2011 Chevy Cruze)

Driving Experience

Although you would think that having a 1.4 liter turbocharged 138 horsepower/148 lb. feet of torque 4-cylinder under the Chevy Cruze's hood would afford the car with all the forward motivation of Charlie Sheen towards rehab, the handsome sedan with the bow-tie badge always proved to be peppy enough. Interestingly, average 0-60 times for the Cruze are around 8.9 seconds with the automatic while VW quotes an 8.2 second 0-60 time for the Jetta auto even with its much larger 2.5 liter 170 horsepower/177 lb. feet of torque 5-cylinder motor.

The Chevy's steering calibration was quick and the suspension calibration was always ready for some aggressive cornering play, sort of tugging at you like an eager puppy. The Cruze could definitely handle more power but even without it we loved to drive the thing. The VW, on the other hand, never inspired us to drive it thanks to a soggy feeling suspension and steering that just wouldn't talk. (Advantage: 2011 Chevy Cruze)

Conclusion

We never would have thought a year ago that the replacement for the Chevy Cobalt would wipe the floor so handily with the new 2011 VW Jetta but even though we love Vee-Dubs, this new model leaves us ice cold. But we love the 2011 Chevy Cruze and can't wait for the just announced diesel model!