VAG at the gate: Volkswagen returned to Russia under a different brand name
Sales of restyled Jetta VS5 and VS7 crossovers have started in Russia, which are built on a platform known to Russians for more than a decade for affordable Volkswagen and Skoda models. The Izvestia correspondent investigated whether the new products will be able to replace the products of German and Czech brands.
Wolfsburg does not approve
For the Russian car market, the year 2024 became rich in Chinese cars of brand new brands, among which there are even those invented specifically for our country. Jetta stands apart - a name familiar to domestic motorists, which is once popular in the Russian Federation model. Now it is a separate brand, under which Volkswagen has been producing cars in China for five years at a joint venture with the FAW concern.
With the restyling, the VS5 looks sportier and the VS7 more elegant
The official debut of the Jetta in Russia, the office of the passenger division of FAW announced this summer. The model lineup includes a sedan VA3 and two crossovers - VS5 and VS7, which in promotional materials marketers call cars with German engineering, pedigree and quality.
In the German press, the debut of "Jetta" led to a scandal: how could it happen that Russians are again available cars with technologies of the German concern that left the market, European journalists asked. Representatives of Volkswagen even had to justify themselves, say, the concern has nothing to do with it and generally fights against unauthorized supplies, after which the hype subsided. And the company FAW, as if not paying attention to what happened, already in the fall presented in Russia at once two updated crossovers. Which, as it turned out, have a lot in common with the Volkswagen concern models.
Just do not write off exactly the same
Prerestyling crossovers Jetta VS5 and VS7 for about a year already meet in the capital cab and carsharing. The first looks like Skoda Karoq, the second - on the larger Kodiaq. With the update, both models have become more distinctive and modern: the design of bumpers and radiator grilles has changed, and the brand logos on the fifth door have replaced the lettered nameplates. If earlier "five" and "seven" were almost impossible to distinguish from each other, now the difference is more obvious. VS5 with its black accents in exterior is youthfully bold. VS7 with chrome details is more classic and solid.
The "Seven" is 206 mm longer than the "Five", and the distance between the axles is exactly 10 cm longer. The width of the crossovers is the same, the height difference is less than a centimeter
In the interior of both Jetta so many physical buttons, as you can not find, perhaps, in any modern "Chinese". And each owner of cars of the last generation of Volkswagen and Skoda will feel "as at home" here. The steering wheel with "dragonfly", pedals, old-fashioned selector of transmission, switch of mode of operation of optics, a curtain above cupholders, a block of climate control, electronic handbrake and even buttons of windows are identical to those that were installed on Golf of the seventh generation. The seats, designed for European builds, are also borrowed from it. This is one of the few Chinese cars, in which one does not have to complain about the short seat cushion.
Quality of interior trim with restyling has been tightened: materials used on the front panel and door cards became softer and more pleasant to the touch, the design of upholstery of seats from eco-leather has changed. However, to the level of Volkswagen of German assembly of the middle of tenth years is still far away, in fact it is saved on everything. The same panels on the inside of front posts in VW are upholstered with fabric, whereas in Jetta they are made of cheap plastic. And as if the steering wheel braiding is made of the same, and not of "high-class leather", as it is written in price lists.
Both models by default are equipped with a 10-inch screen of multimedia system, which though did not get "Jettam" from the German concern, but works fast. The head unit, unlike the "dashboard", has no Russification. Half of the icons in the menu, including karaoke mode, are inactive on the cars delivered in Russia.
It is noteworthy that support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto protocols is absent in the senior configuration, but in the middle level there is another application with which "apple" devices are friendly. With restyling the quality of a picture from cameras of a circular review has improved, though "phishay"-effect with the stretched image confuses at parking.
Surprise under the hood
Kinship of Jetta with Volkswagen concern is much deeper than unified elements of an interior, in fact crossovers are constructed on a modular platform MQB - the same bogie on which modern "Vagi" are based. Under the hood there is a familiar in Russia turbocharged 150-horsepower 1.4 TSI engine of EA211 series, on which a big VW logo is proudly located. The engine works not with "robot" DSG of series DQ200, which requires replacement of a clutch with a flywheel every Tuesday, and with the proven and reliable hydromechanical six-speed "automatic" of the Japanese firm Aisin.
Every second model from China with "turbo-poltorashki" and "robots" can envy the work of this bunch - on the move it is immediately felt that Chinese specialists got the settings of aggregates from German specialists. The gearbox works effectively in traffic jams, on a highway adequately chooses gears and sharply resets on a lower step at sharp pressing on gas even without transfer in a sports mode. Impressive dynamics should not be expected, acceleration to "hundred" in both models takes about 10 seconds, but traction is quite enough for highways with overtaking of quiet vehicles. A pleasant bonus of the local "automatic" - it has a real manual mode, which other "Chinese" are deprived of.
German DNA in a chassis makes itself known: "Jettas" pleasantly dive into turns and are got rid of unpleasant rolls, brakes work not worse, than on the same "Golf" or "Karoka", and disks as if "shoe" not in Chinese rubber Green-Max HP200, but in Pirelli. However, not only rumble at speed, but also the necessity to correct the direction of the floating car every second, having accelerated well on a toll road, speaks about the quality of tires. Low quality of finishing materials also makes itself felt at speed - crossovers could use additional noise insulation.
Two crossovers have only front drive, but behind, unlike Taos or Karoq, instead of a beam there is a multilever, which adds confidence at maneuvers. The work of dense and energy-consuming suspension is pleasant in a long road, though in city conditions at low speeds small pits and joints are felt more strongly than it would be desirable. The difference in behavior of VS5 and VS7 is connected only with the length of wheelbase, the larger parketnik rides smoother.
It is interesting, that "Jett" has no possibility to disable ESP system through multimedia, and physical buttons for it are not provided. Forcibly neutralize the electronic system is possible only by a cunning procedure: it is necessary to switch on the ignition and "emergency", after which five times to press the accelerator pedal. This is not a peculiarity of the Chinese assembly, in the same way the stabilization system is deactivated in Volkswagen cars on the MQB platform.
Both crossovers are equipped with a 1.4-liter turbo TSI engine from Volkswagen with an output of 150 hp (250 Nm). The gearbox is a six-speed Aisin automatic. Front-wheel drive only
And yet the work of some electronic systems raises questions. Adaptive cruise control on real Volkswagen simplifies movement in traffic jams and is able to stop the car completely. At Jetta smart cruise does not work at speeds below 15 km / h - at this mark the car begins to literally "scream" to the driver to take control. At that, the scale of adaptive cruise control is marked up to 210 km/h, although the car itself does not accelerate above 195 km/h.
To repair with "Alic"
The unobvious advantage of Jetta VS5 and VS7 is not so much the German carriage itself, as the highest repairability, knowledge of its peculiarities by servicemen (who have gained a hand on reassembly of motors 1.4 TSI), and also wide distribution of spare parts from Volkswagen and Skoda, which fit "Jetta" by default.
If desired, the owner of the Chinese-German crossover can even replace the interior elements with better quality ones produced in Europe, if he finds them on the secondary market. The existence of the FAW-Volkswagen plant also benefits the owners of cars of the brands of the concern that left Russia. There are already many examples of Tiguan and Golf owners who have successfully repaired and updated their cars with various parts from the Chinese plant, including electronic blocks and climate control touch panels, ordering them on "Aliexpress".
With such inputs, the Jetta would have had a chance to compete for the title of bestseller in the conservative Russian market, where many people still treat purebred "Chinese" with prejudice, preferring to buy used "Europeans" and "Japanese". However, the assembly of these models, which in theory reduces their cost, is not planned in Russia. And really official import of Jetta is not conducted in the country.
All because the Jetta models do not have the approval of vehicle type (OTTS), allowing to start mass sales in our country, and come into the country in small batches (on ZOETS). Without Volkswagen's consent, a full-fledged entry of the brand into the market is impossible.
How much is the Jetta VS5 and VS7
Fans of Volkswagen and Skoda of the mid-tens, wishing to purchase a similar car without mileage, but with Chinese features, will have to give a minimum of 3 million rubles for a restyled Jetta VS5 in the initial configuration. The top version will cost 3.35 million rubles. Jetta VS7 costs from 3.37 to 3.53 million rubles.
The updated Jetta VS5 is offered in four configurations: from 3 million to 3.35 million rubles. VS7 is available in two versions: for 3.37 million and 3.53 million rubles.
By default, the "five" is equipped with diode optics with automatic mode, 18-inch disks, front airbags, rear parktronics, 10-inch multimedia screen, air conditioning, four audio speakers and Autohold system. For a surcharge are available sunroof, 8-inch digital "dashboard", side airbags, front parktronics, more speakers, a system of circular vision. From the "warm" options there is only heated seats and mirrors.
If the VS5 has four configurations, the "seven" has two of them. Most of the options that are available in the older versions of the compact parketnik, VS7 has already in the "base", and instead of a sunroof is equipped with a panoramic roof. The cars are promised a warranty for two years or 100 thousand kilometers of mileage.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
