THE Volkswagen Jetta arrived at the same time as the snow and it was reassuringly on the money - with a firm ride and plenty of grip.

Featuring subtle styling changes to the front and rear, there has been an improvement in aerodynamics of 10% on the new Jetta. At the front, there’s a revised radiator grille with three horizontal fins, and a modified bumper.

Inside, there’s a new design of steering wheel, a variety of new trims around the centre console and new fabric designs for the seats and door trims. New ambient lighting in the Jetta GT gives it a nice upmarket feel.

However, if you’re looking for a bit of pizzazz, you might be disappointed, as the Jetta comes across as being a little on the conservative side. But it drives well – especially on the motorway – engine noise is well suppressed and it’s very competitively priced indeed.

Two turbocharged petrol and two diesel engines are on offer - the petrol units produce 120 or 158bhp and diesel options offer 103bhp or 138bhp.

Three trim levels are available - S, SE and GT. Standard equipment includes DAB digital radio, ESC electronic stability control, electric windows and air conditioning.

SE trim adds 16-inch ‘Atlanta’ alloy wheels, lumbar support, Bluetooth, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, MDI multi-device interface and cruise control.

I drove the top-of-the-range GT trim, which comes with 15mm lower sports suspension, 17-inch ‘Lancaster’ alloy wheels, front fog lights, front sports seats, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, heat-insulating tinted rear glass, a colour multifunction trip computer and a driver alert system.

There’s plenty of rear cabin space for adults, as well as a 60/40 split/fold rear seat and 510 litres of luggage volume (this is 130-litres up on the Golf hatch).

The Jetta scores well on safety but a rearview camera comes only on pricier models. That said, I think it’s worth it, but I’ll hold my hands up and say that I’m a bit lazy when it comes to parking (cameras and sensors have made me this way).

Verdict? It’s comfortable, dependable, easy to drive with a decent set of standard kit. And the big boot and large number of miles to the gallon is always going to be a winner with families.

Factfile
Car:
Volkswagen Jetta GT 2.0-litre
On the road: £23,290
Top speed: 137mph
0-62mph: 8.9 seconds
Fuel: 67.3mpg (combined)
C02 emissions: 109g/km