2013 Volkswagen Jetta GLI William Walker

摘要

Our long-term Volkswagen Jetta GLI came to us all the way back in October 2012. In the 14 months we had it, we racked up an impressive 27,519 miles! During that time, we've tested it with four different sets of tires and two sets of wheels. We've tried everything from the OE rolling stock with all-season rubber to super high-performance Michelin Pilot Supersports on OZ wheels. I went camping in it twice, and used it to explore vast chunks of Southern California, from the beaches to Joshua Tree and the southern Sierras. The GLI rarely sat stationary for long. The reason behind this restlessness, in my opinion, is that the GLI is overall a pretty nice car. Early in its term, executive editor Ron Kiino called the GLI a "bargain Audi A4," and that sentiment always stuck with me. For considerably less money than an A4, you get a slick-looking, sporty German sedan with all the trimmings. Ours came fully loaded with the Autobahn and navigation packages, nice-looking 18-inch Bathurst wheels, bi-xenon headlights, heated sport seats covered in smooth and easy-to-clean leatherette, backup camera, sunroof, and Volkswagen's DSG dual-clutch gearbox.