CD Article: 2008 VW City Golf and City Jetta

[MJMontreal]

But we only get a limited set of options/engines/body styles/colours. IMHO a lot of it is 'cos the Americans don't want hatcbacks and the Europeans don't want sedans and all the interesting variants are based on the hatch body not the sedan (Jetta) body.

Americans have tons of variety.  Rabbit three-door, Rabbit five-door, Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen (on the way), Eos.  2.5, 2.0T, and TDI (on the way).  Plenty of color options.  So if you're mad about the lack of variety in Canada, blame VW of Canada, not the United States.

We have all those models too!  Besides VW of Canada might as well not exist since... Our model selections are dictated by the American Market (or the 'North' American market). Although, I learned that VW of Canada was released from VW USA's control and will now answer to VW AG which may lend to a better variety. It is no coincidence that Canada and the USA have nearly identical build standards - like reflectors in taillights, side markers, etc. Meanwhile, the international standard requires side repeaters, a rear fog light (in the EU), amber turn signals and not red in tail lights. Foreign car makers don't want to have to mess with making the bumpers bigger or adding stupid little lights on the side's of the bumpers - it isn't profitable - so they only import cars they hope will sell in high numbers.

Transport Canada should allow cars imported here to be either Euro or American spec...

[Seafoam]

Why all the hype about this car? Didn't the original design come out in 1999 or 2000. It makes me chuckle when they say the corolla design has become long in the tooth when it has been around since 2003.
As someone has said the fuel economy is not in the same league as the others either.

[Mitlov]

We have all those models too!  Besides VW of Canada might as well not exist since... Our model selections are dictated by the American Market (or the 'North' American market). Although, I learned that VW of Canada was released from VW USA's control and will now answer to VW AG which may lend to a better variety. It is no coincidence that Canada and the USA have nearly identical build standards - like reflectors in taillights, side markers, etc. Meanwhile, the international standard requires side repeaters, a rear fog light (in the EU), amber turn signals and not red in tail lights. Foreign car makers don't want to have to mess with making the bumpers bigger or adding stupid little lights on the side's of the bumpers - it isn't profitable - so they only import cars they hope will sell in high numbers.

Transport Canada should allow cars imported here to be either Euro or American spec...

So what models do you want that we don't have here, if VW of Canada has so little choice?

And why does it matter whether the turn signals and lights are US-spec or European-spec?  Does it really matter to you?

[Michael]

[/quote]

So what models do you want that we don't have here, if VW of Canada has so little choice?

And why does it matter whether the turn signals and lights are US-spec or European-spec?  Does it really matter to you?
[/quote]

Hmmm, let's see Europeans (and pretty much everyone else in the world) have the new Fox, the Polo, the Sharan... all with a healthy variety of motors to choose from.

Economically speaking, the US build specifications require foreign car makers to tweak their production lines which is not cost effective - that is why the North American market doesn't see half of the models that other places do.

[Demosthenes X]

There's more to it than that.  Americans, by and large, do not like compact cars the same way Europeans and even Canadians do.  That's why Mercedes launched the Smart in Canada but the States initially.  VW probably decided cars like the Polo would not sell well enough in the US to justify importing and supporting them.

[driver12]

After reading through this post looking for pictures of the new city golf, I decided to reply to a lot of the posts.
First, yes, the car does rev at around 3500 on the highway at 120 in 5th gear (MT). But, you still get very good gas mileage regardless. It does make a bit of noise though, but at least you're not getting ridiculous amounts of road noise like some of the other cars comparable in size, especially the Asian cars.
Second, its not exactly the same car as previous. They updated the rear suspension, the front and rear end of it, and you're still getting VW quality at a low price. Can't complain.
Third, prices are going to be higher in Canada than in the states. Even with the canadian dollar stronger than the american. Reason being - standards. Canada has different standards than the USA that need to be met for a car to be brought here. Canada has 30 million, USA has 300 million. 10x more people. So they can theoretically bring in 10x more cars. Therefore they can mass produce the cars for the states, while they can't for canada. No one seems to understand this....
Fourth, the 2.0L engine might be an old one, but I have 178,000km on it right now, and its still going strong (with no signs of giving up). And it destroys the competitors in terms of driveability because there is plenty of power in the low and mid end (unlike other comparably sized cars that you have to rev the out of to get any power out of).

Cheers
Mark

[tpl]

So what models do you want that we don't have here, if VW of Canada has so little choice?

And why does it matter whether the turn signals and lights are US-spec or European-spec?  Does it really matter to you?
[/quote]

Hmmm, let's see Europeans (and pretty much everyone else in the world) have the new Fox, the Polo, the Sharan... all with a healthy variety of motors to choose from.

Economically speaking, the US build specifications require foreign car makers to tweak their production lines which is not cost effective - that is why the North American market doesn't see half of the models that other places do.
[/quote]

If I buy a European car, I want to buy a European car.  Complete with amber indicators, side markers, rear fog lights etcetera.   If I want to buy an American car then I will forgo those things.

I want to have a choice of some of the hatchback models , even Japanese ones, sold elsewhere.  Civic hatch.  BMW hatch.
I want a good choice of small  EU/Japanese engines, large  American engines and diesel engines.

[guest]

I have a 2007 City Golf.

Yes fuel economy is not as good as I expected. I am averaging 9.64 litres per 100km for the last 18 fill ups(4 months) with 4 of those tanks being out on the open road loaded down with bicycles up top. The rest is in city driving with temperatures down as low as -38C.
I also want to find out what else I can install to help with gas mileage.
Low beam lighting is not as good as I would like. Yes I want to have installed driving and fog lights, and deer whistles.
Now why did I choose a City Golf?
Some of the smaller imports are not legally allowed to have rooftops (Kia).
A lot of the small cars you are looking at the dash and cannot even see any part of the hood from the drivers seat.(Yaris)
Many of the small imports have rear seats that fold down but have just a small hole for things to pass through unless you upgrade to a more expensive model(Honda).
Other small imports have maximum torque come on at over 4000rpm, and have to be revved in order to move inside city limits. (Versa etc.)
Other cars in the rear passenger seats have the smaller windows that leave your  children a bit claustrpobic (Versa).
Then you have to look at service. Saturn and Hyundia in particular, do not have got a good reputation in this part of the country.
Some of the cars seating positions will not adjust easily to both a 5 foot person and a 6 foot person.
Some cars you have to do a half squat(Camero) to get in, or stand on your tippy toes to get in if you are 5 foot tall (Matrix, Caliber).
A lot of the cars have air conditioning and cruise control added into a big expensive option package that brings the cost of a car well over $20,000 in a hurry.


Amber turning lights are always the best, not red. Yes I did consider this when I bought the City Golf.
Yes it would be nice to have rear fog lights for those times of the year when fog or white out conditions present themselves.
Yes at 120km you are at 3500rpm but I do not find road noise to be of any consequence. At 3500 rpm. you are certainly in the power torque and it will pull steadily up and over 5000rpm without complaint in 5th gear. The 5 speed standard always has get up and go no matter what legal speeds I am travelling, and then some!
Traction in the winter is fine even if I just have the all season Goodyear LS tires on 15in alloy rims(91) with a full size spare. In the summer the 65 series tires can be thrown into a corner and do just fine.
In the end I bought the City Golf because I had driven a 1986 Jetta GL for over 500,000km. The City Golf is solid and you drive it, it does not drive you. It does not shake rattle and roll, and make you feel  like it is ready to fall apart.

So the technology is a little old at least the bugs are iron out.



 

[siwash]

Bugs are ironed out? Geez, that only took VW 15 years...

It is still a decent looking car. But they really do need to improve the fuel ecn.

Did they ever fix those electrical problems? I had a 93 Golf and boy was it full of electrical issues....

[jonnybe good]

So what models do you want that we don't have here, if VW of Canada has so little choice?

And why does it matter whether the turn signals and lights are US-spec or European-spec?  Does it really matter to you?

Hmmm, let's see Europeans (and pretty much everyone else in the world) have the new Fox, the Polo, the Sharan... all with a healthy variety of motors to choose from.

Economically speaking, the US build specifications require foreign car makers to tweak their production lines which is not cost effective - that is why the North American market doesn't see half of the models that other places do.
[/quote]

If I buy a European car, I want to buy a European car.  Complete with amber indicators, side markers, rear fog lights etcetera.   If I want to buy an American car then I will forgo those things.

I want to have a choice of some of the hatchback models , even Japanese ones, sold elsewhere.  Civic hatch.  BMW hatch.
I want a good choice of small  EU/Japanese engines, large  American engines and diesel engines.
[/quote]
************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************You want to drive European car, move to Europe. You have to understand, in Europe you can drive for two hrs and you are in a different country. Not so much space. In Canada you drive for two hrs and you still in the same province. We’ve got what we’ve got, get use to it and stop complaining. I’m so tired of people complaining all the time not even knowing or appreciating what we have. Yes, I’m from Europe, I know the “good old life”.

[tpl]

As I said. If I want to buy a European car I want to buy a European car.   Even if it is more than 2 hours to the next province... and its only just 2 hours to the next country from where I live, I fail to see why that makes a difference to anything.
 I come from Europe as well.

 Now  the big 3 make an American car that I want I may well buy one (CTS)

[thisgr8ride]

Just a quick personal opinion. I just bought my wife a 2008 city jetta and love it. We have a 2008 ford F150 crew cab XF4, A 1998 Dodge durango 5.2L 4x4 7 passenger, and now our new little jetta. I've read a lot on this site and read about fuel economy, sure a Yaris, or an echo are better at the pump. But you know what, I am not embarrassed at all when it comes to driving a CITY Jetta, compared to the others in that price range. All my family and friends think its a great car, I have only 2500 KMS on it and owned it month now, I have no kids and just wanted something in the garage that costs less per month than the price of fuel in the other 2 trucks i have. Believe it or not ,I am honestly getting 7.6L/100km. Sure the motor's not that great, not that fast, But i paid $22,000cdn FOR A 4DR ,6spd auto with tiptronic, on board computer, temp and fuel economy readings , heated seats, heated mirrors ,usb/aux/CDplayer,ESB w/ABS power everything air tilt cruise and the smart car last time i heard was $23,000,(please don't quote me on that) and has none of these perks as far as i know,and Not so embarrassing to drive, but like i said this is my opinion. I feel this is a great car,and couldn't find anything else that has as much luxury for the same price!I like the honda's and Corrolla's, but hey with all these options they are more $,if you can even get one with these options.