2019 VW Jetta Named To WardsAuto 10 Best UX List

Volkswagen's next-gen Jetta has been receiving accolades since it was introduced a couple of months ago. It is easy to see why. VW designed the new Jetta to be a bridge to the connected car of the future. And, after looking at it more than bit, we an say we agree.

After testing 25 cars for the Wards 10 Best UX list, the editors of WardsAuto named the redesigned VW Jetta to the 10 Best list. VW received the award at WardsAuto User Experience Conference. The honor calls out the fun, easy-to-use technology, and driver-assistance solutions.

For the third year in a row, the editors of WardsAuto recognized the best user experiences with its 10 Best UX competition. The competition honors new and significantly improved vehicles for their driver-assistance technologies, connectivity, digital displays, voice-activation systems, intuitive controls, and infotainment. The editors evaluated 25 cars available in the U.S. with all-new or re-engineered UX features such as display screen, interface, or apps. There was no price cap, but overall value was a consideration.

Jetta Uses Upscale Materials

Despite its modest price, WardsAutos editors noted that the new Jetta uses “upscale materials and leaves no indication that buyers on a budget need to settle for less.” And, they also noted that the “Digital Cockpit reconfigurable instrument cluster appears for the first time in a Jetta, delivering breathtaking graphics, mapping, and functionality … typically found, until now, in much more expensive Audi and Porsche luxury cars.”

The editors also called out Jetta’s informative and intuitive central display, simple Bluetooth® phone pairing and text-to-voice messaging, as well as available high-end features like ventilated front seats, BeatsAudio® premium sound, and a full suite of driver-assistance features.

As with other models for the U.S. market, the metric VW used to redesign the Jetta was the American consumer. Derrick Hatami, executive vice president of sales, marketing, and after-sales for VW of America, noted the Jetta “offers a host of available technology and driver-assistance features designed to make people’s lives easier.” He believes that the UX award shows that “we’re getting it right.”

VW Uses MIB II Infotainment On All Jettas

VW uses MIB II infotainment systems on all of its models. It not only creates the foundation for the next generation of VW’s Car-Net® connected vehicle service platform but it also one of the most comprehensive suites of connected vehicle services and features available. Capacitive touchscreens offer SD card and USB multimedia interfaces, while Bluetooth® technology is also available for compatible devices. And Jetta SEL and SEL Premium models provide drivers with a 10.25-inch full-digital instrument panel with the advanced VW Digital Cockpit System.

The automaker is committed to driving the development of more connected and intelligent vehicles, and Car-Net® connectivity is a significant element in achieving that goal. The features available through Car-Net divide into three areas: “App-Connect,” “Security and Service,” and “Guide and Inform.”

Jetta is the only vehicle in its class to offer the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. It is standard on all models. This system builds on the premise that a collision is rarely a single instantaneous action, but rather a series of events that follow the initial impact – the most significant of which can cause added crashes. Automatic Post-Collision Braking addresses this issue by applying the brakes when a primary collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus helping reduce residual kinetic energy and in turn, the chance of additional damage.

VW Offers A Wide Range Of Standard Safety Systems

Jetta also offers a standard rearview camera and some driver-assistance systems. The systems include Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist), Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping System (Lane Assist), and High-Beam Control (Light Assist).

Source: VW