Do you remember starting your car using a traditional car key – the one that you need to insert into the ignition, then turn at the same time you press the brake? Yeah, that key. The 2018 VW Jetta 1.4T SE comes standard with a push start-engine button instead, joining a growing trend of auto manufacturers keeping up with the Jones’s of technology.
This is a luxurious convenience for trims at the lower level of a line as is the SE.
It’s true. Some of us need to travel from A to B in a ride loaded with enough bells and whistles to impress ourselves and the Jones’s. Some of us just want to arrive safely to the next stop. Period. Those in-betweens will appreciate the Jetta, which comes in a number of trims: S, SE, R-Line, SEL, SEL Premium.
This trim level, equipped with 1.4 liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection, seemingly peaked all of its 150 horsepower when I hit the gas during this test drive. The giddy up is bold in this compact sedan with front wheel drive. And it’s stylish too.
The Silk Blue Metallic exterior with Cornsilk Beige leatherette interior features16-inch black alloy wheels with all-season tires, and halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights. This spacious five-seater is not bodacious in its features, and quite frankly offers a fair amount of what-you-see-is-what-you-get list of amenities.
In a world of touchscreens to explore anything and everything under the sun, it was refreshing to feel the tick of the knob while tuning the radio and to be able to just flip a switch to turn on the air condition or even the headlights. However, a 6.3 inch touchscreen infotainment center is also available at your fingertips if you are truly over the knobs.
This SE offers enough safety features for a confident drive, including a rear view camera system, including a blind spot monitor with rear traffic alert. Other amenities include a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, heated seating with manual lumbar support and foldable, power adjustable side mirrors with integrated turn signal, and a power tilting/sliding sunroof.
Storage capacity is also flexible with a trunk size competitive with that of a full-size sedan. The rear 60-40 split folding seat with armrest and storage features a pass-through to extend storage as needed for longer-shaped items.
Wait a minute! This Jetta is far more than basic.
And by the way, you still need to apply the brake with the push button. Some things do stay the same after all.
2018 VW Jetta 1.4T SE MSRP: $22,245; Combined City/Highway MPG: 33.
