Three New Volkswagens: Eos, Jetta and Sharan
Volkswagen has revealed new Eos, Jetta and Sharan models this month.
The Eos
The new Eos will make its official debut in Los Angeles in the middle of November. As with the Jetta (below), a prominent grille and strong horizontal lines at the front convince the eye that the car is lower and wider. At the front the headlights, bumper and bonnet are new, whilst at the back new tail lights complete the look. Internally there are new trim finishes.
The five piece folding roof can now be opened and closed from the key fob, and boot capacity has been increased to either 205 litres (roof down) or 380 litres (roof up).
Engines available include 1.4 litre and 2.0 TSI petrol units, and a diesel 2.0 litre BlueMotion which offers up to 58.8 mpg on a combined cycle.
The Jetta
The latest Jetta was first shown earlier this year in New York; at the end of October it was seen for the first time in Europe.
The Jetta's new styling is similar to that of the latest Eos, Polo, Passat and Sharan. Practically every panel (inside and outside) has been revisited; the car looks lower and wider than it is thanks to a grille reminiscent of the new Phaeton which has strong horizontal fins. It is longer - by 9 cm, of which 7 cm has gone into a longer wheelbase that means an extra 6.7 cm of legroom in the back.
The cabin has much in common with the new Golf; the steering wheel, centre console, entertainment, and heating/cooling controls have all been reworked. Seating for five adults combined with 510 litres of rear storage remains unchanged.
Unlike their US counterparts, European Jettas will all carry four-link suspension similar to the Golf's; the springs and dampers are also new.
The choice of engines includes 1.4 litre TSI petrol, and 1.6 litre BlueMotion and 2.0 litre TDI diesel.
The Sharan
Four trim levels (S, SE, SEL & Executive) are available; seven seats are standard across the range except for the Executive trim which has instead six leather seats with armrests. Individual seats in the second and third rows can be lowered to the floor instead of being removed. Both the first and second row seats can be adjusted over angles of up to 20 degrees, and a lever fitted to the middle row allows the third row to be tilted forwards with one hand. Up to 2,430 litres of storage space is available with all seats folded.
The airbag system is comprehensive: curtain airbags for all three seat rows, side airbags for the first two rows, separate driver and passenger airbags and an extra one for the driver's knees.
Other comfort features include twin rear sliding doors (available electrically operated if need be) and the second generation 'Park Assist' which will handle end on and parallel parking; all steering is controlled by the computer leaving the driver responsible for only the accelerator and brake.
Drive-wise, features include hydraulically-assisted anti-lock brakes, VW's 'ESP' electronic suspension and, for the first time, three chassis damper settings – Comfort, Normal and Sport. Both petrol and and diesel engines are available and BlueMotion is included across the range.
When will they be available?
The new Sharan is available to order now and deliveries will start later this month. The new Jetta and Eos are available to order now, for delivery early in 2011.