Did Volkswagen Sell Out By Down Marketing The Jetta To The Competition?

Not at all. it's about time VW came back to earth. the Jetta competes with Corolla, Sentra, Civic, etc.

VW did the right thing. Jetta can now really complete within its segment competitors instead of defining its own segment and getting sidelined.

As someone who has owned the last 3 versions of Jetta, I can say my next car won't be one. They have de-contented it too far for me. However, I will likely still be staying with VW, either moving to a CC (especially if they offer a diesel, which my daughter heard at our dealership yesterday that it might come in 2011) or stepping up to an Audi.

I really don't want to leave my VW dealer though. (I'm probably in the minority feeling that way :) ) I don't want to change brands, even within the same overall group.

If you can't beat 'em, then you might as well join 'em.

Personally, I don't think it was the car that was the problem, but experience at the dealership that is/was the issue. Every time I've gone with a friend to look at VW's, they never had the car the person wanted or anything comparable.

If you want to sell cars, have cars with different option packages.

VW does have that premium european-ness ambiance about their cars. However as truly "economy" cars they can't draw in the consumers. I have felt that their cars have always been a niche and one that caters to buyers thats in the premium market but not quite in the entry-level segment.

I find them quality products. Reliability and electrical issues is another story. But their interiors are quite rigid but a bit bland. Then again they've always been that way. Why change it if it's making them a lot of money.

VW sales in this country have been lagging greatly.VW's have been priced higher then the competition. Up until this point I would agree that making the interior materials cheaper was a smart move.There are now 2 exceptions. The Ford Focus and the Chevy Cruze. From what I'm reading both have quality interiors to match the previous generation VW.So if VW is only cross shopping the Corolla and Civic they are making a mistake. US companies are now on the move to make "All" their interiors a few notches nicer. At $16 to 18 grand the Jetta should do OK. When you get over 22 grand cheap plastic may not work. People may have to go to the GLI,which I hope goes back to the quality plastic. This especially since VW is likely to charge 25 grand for it. At that price you have way more competition.