Ravishing Cars |

The stylish cabin is dominated by the jetplane like dashboard that not only makes the Jetta’s dash look boring but also makes every other car in its class look plain outdated. But the seats are pretty low compared to most other cars. These low set seats means that front visibility is sometimes limited, more so for short drivers. Inspite of the fact that the driver’s seat is height adjustable, there is no getting away from the fact that you sit low and closer to the ground. The driver’s seat has a range of adjustments this along with adjustable steering should make it easy for most people to find a comfy driving position. All controls work with a light, slick action, but the tiny AC switches are a bit fiddly to operate. The uniquely shaped handbrake is placed too close to the driver and fouls occasionally with the driver’s leg.

The Jetta is available with two engine options 1.9 litre diesel and the 1.6 litre petrol. Both engines have two variants Trendline and Comfortline. The base Trendline is fairly loaded with six airbags, ABS, traction control, keyless entry apart from the standard power windows, power steering, defogger etc. The Comfortline gets an additional transmission, leather seats, ESP, 8 airbags, cruise control, 6 CD MP3 changer, electric lumbar adjust, rear centre armrest. Parking sensors and climate control would have been nice. Front centre armrest opens for storage, but not much space. Rear passengers get dedicated AC vents. Bottle opener is part of standard equipment. Jetta’s steering is well weighted and offers plenty of feedback. Passat like tail lights make it look like bigger brother. Road noise is intrusive, especially at the rear. Road manners are excellent and most bumps are kept out. The engine is the weakest link through. The well engineered Jetta feels more solid than the Civic and rides well over most surfaces.

The Honda Civic is available in three variants E,V and hybrid. Prices start from Rs 11.54 lakh for the base variant and go up to Rs 22.23 lakh for the hybrid variant. The E variant gets the standard power steering, power windows, central locking, defogger and CD player. The V adds on leather upholstery, alloys, mirror indicators, fog lamps, 6 CD changer and remote control in rear armrest. Although most features are there, parking sensors and greater number of airbags would have been welcome additions. Shift action is good, but gear lever design could be better. Lots of storage space for odds and ends. Cabin gets a number of lamps, both at the front and in the rear. The Civic has plenty of substance to match its style. It is one of the most sought after cars across segments. Engine is silky smooth and is reliable too. Low ground clearance means Civic tends to scrape speed breakers.