Jetta 6

The Jetta has always been a hit in the US, where all six generations have borne the name. This latest one is made in Mexico, but gains Golf-type multiple-link rear suspension, higher-tech engines and fractionally higher perceived quality for Europe.

Not a Volkswagen Golf with a boot any more. Oh no. Get rid of that thought. Well, under its unique skin it broadly is, except that this time the wheelbase grows by 70mm to the great benefit of visual proportions and rear seat space. It's still smaller than a Passat, and apart from a Ford Focus saloon there really aren't many rivals for this size of notchback any more. There's always the Peugeot 408 (a booted 308), but only if you live in China.

All engines have direct injection and a turbocharger. I had the 2.0 TDI with 108kw on tap and a tall-geared five-speed gearbox and BlueMotion economy stuff (109g/km CO2, thank you taxman). We don't get the 1.2 TSI, which is a shame because it's a gutsy little unit. That eco stuff includes stop-start and an alternator which normally charges only when the Jetta is slowing down.

VW says the Jetta is pitched upmarket of the Golf, but you'd never guess. Its dashboard is as dull a design as a dashboard can reasonably be, and the door trims are formed of hard plastic right up to the windowline like a Polo's. A Golf gets padding here, and in a car with any sort of quality pretensions it's essential. The Jetta was conceived as an affordable, high-sales car for the US and these origins are all too clear. At least we are spared the US-spec hard dashboard moulding; ours is padded.

And Depending on what you're comparing it with. Pricing will be similar to that of same-engined Golfs, so you're trading perceived quality for rear space and a boot. A new Ford Focus saloon will feel more sophisticated, – similar size and underpinnings but a long-tailed hatchback – feels more special. Really.

Only that we can't quite grasp what this car is for. It looks quite smart, and will no doubt go down well in Spain and Turkey and other markets which favour saloons. But to us, it's a bit of a social misfit, an American-German car that's clearly cheap to produce. For Volkswagen to try to sell it as a convincing part of the European range will be interesting to say the least.