First Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta - Driving.ca

DURHAM, N.C. - After having left the outgoing Jetta hanging on the vine for seven long years, the next-generation model arrives wearing Volkswagen's latest design language. The new look is dominated by a large grille flanked by C-shaped LED daytime running lights -- it is an expressive face that shifts the Jetta from dull to fetching. From there and back, the fastback-like roofline and swaged character lines - the Tornado line, in VW-speak - add an upscale visage to the seventh-generation sedan.

Perhaps the biggest change is the fact the new Jetta rides on the company's MQB platform, which it shares with the likes of the Atlas. Consequently, it is now wider, longer and lower than the outgoing model and there's a welcome 35-millimetre stretch in the wheelbase, now measuring 2,686 millimetres.

The reworked interior mirrors the exterior's newfound swagger -- it marks a big step forward in terms of quality and available amenities. There are now some very nice, soft-touch materials and an equal measure of technology packed into the cabin. The amount varies according to trim -- Comfortline, Highline and Execline, with the sporty R-Line package ($1,700) being offered on the Highline.

On the Execline model tested, Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit instrument cluster gives a reconfigurable display and the ability to put the navigation system's map front and centre. Other techy items include an infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and VW's MirrorLink connectivity. On the base car, it works with a 6.5-inch touchscreen; the Execline gets a larger eight-inch display with GPS navigation......