Design If you’ve mistaken the 2005.5 Volkswagen Jetta for a late-model Toyota Corolla, you’re not alone. From the silhouette to the shape of the taillights, the two cars look strikingly similar, especially in the trunk area. But after a few minutes of walking around and sitting in the new Jetta, strikingly similar morphs into glaringly different.

If you’ve mistaken the 2005.5 Volkswagen Jetta for a late-model Toyota Corolla, you’re not alone. From the silhouette to the shape of the taillights, the two cars look strikingly similar, especially in the trunk area. But after a few minutes of walking around and sitting in the new Jetta, strikingly similar morphs into glaringly different.

Most obvious is that new front end, boxed in with two large headlight housings and featuring a 1959 Cadillac’s supply of chrome. Don’t have a full-length mirror on your bathroom door? Standing a few feet in front of the 2005.5 Jetta will work in a fix, no problem. Bring some tweezers and you can even work on that unibrow. Chrome strips are also used on the window frames, though in less blinding quantities. The body contours are soft and smooth, relaying a more upmarket feel as opposed to the boxy shape of the 2005 Jetta. The optional 16-inch alloys on our tester added a further sense of luxury, though one editor thought they looked cheap. Subtract the questionable rims and shiny grille, and you’re left with an attractive design.

Inside, the 2005.5 Jetta looks even better. The dash cap is a solid panel, rather than the hodge podge of bits and pieces found in various competitors. Not only does this make for a cleaner appearance, it could potentially limit squeaks and rattles over time. Most of the plastic panels, including those on the doors and center console, feel substantial and wear the same grain pattern. The headliner is a quality mesh material, with a matching texture on the pillars. Wood trim on our 2.5L model was placed around the shifter and in thin strips along the dash and doors – just enough to impart luxury, but not so much as to be gaudy. The two-tone interior, with durable tan leather seats, was especially pleasing, though the graphite dash insert looked out of place, adding a touch of sport to what was an otherwise luxurious interior. Chrome accents on the gauges, shifter knob, and door handles were a nice touch.

While the new Jetta’s overall appearance and materials drew praise, there were a number of points that failed to impress. Starting with the interior, that quality plastic was evidently used only in the most visible areas, with flimsy panels reserved for the lower seat frames. Inserts on the lower console fit poorly and featured rough, unfinished edges. The dash sat flush with the driver’s side door, yet didn’t line up well with the passenger door. Rear seat passengers may get caught on outer seat cushions that are not securely held down, exposing wires and the body structure underneath. And that poor sap relegated to the center position will probably discover that the dome light cover pops off quite easily.

Exterior build quality wasn’t much better. The front air dam inserts popped out easily, the hood was misaligned, the rear doors bowed out in the center and didn’t sit flush with the body, and the gap between the front and rear doors was larger on the passenger’s side than the driver’s. Fabric lining the driver’s wheel well, most likely used for sound deadening, was loose. On a positive note, the trunk lid exhibited consistent gaps and the new Jetta looked to have a quality paint job.