Volkswagen spokesperson Mark Gillies stated, “Safety will remain our top priority.” The competitors of the 2015 Jetta include the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Subaru Impreza. The Jetta previously had a lower safety rating in the tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety compared to its competitors from other brands. Therefore, it is expected that some safety features of the 2015 Jetta will be redesigned to enhance its safety test results.
Although the 2014 Jetta received the highest five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it only achieved a “satisfactory” rating in the IIHS’s moderate overlap front test. This test simulates the condition of a vehicle hitting obstacles such as power poles or trees at the front side. For example, the 2014 Honda Civic received an “excellent” rating in the IIHS’s moderate overlap front test.
The official description of the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta states that the vehicle features “a completely redesigned exterior, improved fuel economy, and numerous new safety technology features.” Last year, Volkswagen announced that the Jetta, along with the 2015 Volkswagen Golf, Beetle, and Passat, would be available with diesel engines.
Last summer, Volkswagen stated in a release that the Volkswagen EA288 diesel engine “will ultimately replace all 2.0-liter TDI clean diesel engines in Audi and Volkswagen models.” The new diesel engine in the 2015 Jetta is newly designed specifically for the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze's diesel engine.
A major facelift for the Jetta is expected to begin in 2017.
