The sixth-generation Jetta has styling inspired by the NCC Coupe Concept that was previewed at the Detroit Motor Show in January, with a crisper exterior styling and Audi-style rear design. The front features the Volkswagen family look and mimics the Scirocco sports coupe.

The new Jetta is the first time the car does not share any body parts with the Golf, although both cars share numerous parts under the body, with the Jetta using a modified version of the Golf's floorpan. The new Jetta is 90mm longer than the outgoing car, and its dimensions measure 4640mm long, 1450mm tall, and 1780mm wide. Wheelbase is now 2650mm, 70mm longer than the existing Jetta, and Volkswagen says that legroom has been increased by 67mm to 967mm.

The new Jetta will be available with six engine options, all of them turbocharged. Four petrol units will be available, with a 1.2-litre TSI producing 105bhp, a 1.4-litre TSI with 122bhp, another 1.4-litre TSI with 160bhp and a 2.0-litre TSI which has 200bhp. The Jetta also gets two diesel common rail engines, a 1.6-litre TDI producing 105bhp and a 2.0-litre TDI with 140bhp. Except for the 1.2 TSI, all models come with Volkswagen's dual-clutch DSG transmission as an option.

The 1.2-litre TSI and the 2.0-litre TDI comes with Volkswagen's BlueMotion technology, which includes a Start-Stop system and battery regeneration. Future engine options for the Jetta include a 2.0-litre turbocharged TSI petrol which will be launched in 2011.