Best Medium Car under $50,000

The 103 TDI retains a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, but fuel efficiency has benefited from a move to latest-generation Bosch common-rail direct-injection.

There’s plentiful low and mid-range torque, 320 Nm at 1750-2500 rpm, to ensure excellent driveability. Combined with the standard slick-shifting DSG gearbox (the manual has been dropped), performance rates very highly.

Well weighted, consistent and accurate steering, good grip levels and responsive handling ensure driver appeal and an engaging drive. Suspension tune has a European tautness but Jetta proved composed and mostly comfortable over a mix of typical Australian conditions. Judges particularly praised its excellent body control.

The inside story is one of comfortable supportive seats including height and lumbar adjustment for front occupants and well laid-out controls, although space trails a number of its competitors. The boot, on the other hand, is cavernous and there’s the practicality of an asymmetric split-fold rear seat. 

Jetta scores highly for safety, with all models featuring six airbags and electronic stability control as standard. Unlike its sibling Golf, however, there’s no driver’s knee airbag.

Jetta ranks well for its fit and finish, but warranty coverage is only marginally better than the industry norm and significantly behind that offered by class leader Hyundai.

But overall, it still has what it takes to show its rivals a clean pair of heels.