Herndon, VA –  Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that the 2014 Jetta has earned a 5-star Safety Rating from the government’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). NCAP is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and has provided consumers with vehicle safety information since 1978. The Jetta joins the Passat and the Beetle coupe as 2014 Volkswagen models that have an overall 5-Star Rating.

NCAP provides front, side, and rollover crash test ratings, all aimed at helping consumers in making their vehicle purchasing decisions. The rating results are relayed to consumers using an easily recognizable star rating system from one to five, with five being the best a vehicle can achieve.

“Volkswagen is delighted that the Jetta, our biggest-selling model, has earned the highest 5-star overall crash test rating from the government—providing further validation that Volkswagen produces some of the safest vehicles in the industry,” said Marc Trahan, Executive Vice President Group Quality, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “Our vehicles have numerous safety technologies that work to help prevent collisions, and help protect occupants when an accident is unavoidable,” added Trahan.

The Jetta recently received a number of changes for the 2014 model year, including the adoption of a new, 1.8-liter TSI® turbocharged and direct-injection EA888 engine for the volume models in the range, as well as an independent rear suspension in place of the previous torsion beam arrangement. Equipped with the available new engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, the Jetta 1.8T achieves an EPA estimated fuel economy figure of 36 mpg on the highway, an improvement of five mpg compared with the previous 2.5-liter engine. The new engine so impressed the editors at WardsAuto World magazine that it was named to the 2014 “Ward’s 10 Best Engines” list.

In other Jetta news, Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced the Jetta TDI® Value Edition, which takes Jetta S content and adds the 2.0-liter TDI® Clean Diesel engine, electric power steering, 16-inch steel wheels, heatable cloth seats, cruise control, a Media Device Interface (MDI), SiriusXM® Satellite Radio, and two additional speakers. This new model makes the high-mileage Jetta TDI Clean Diesel—with an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 42 mpg on the highway when fitted with a six-speed manual or a DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission—even more affordable. The base price of the Jetta TDI Value Edition is $21,295 when equipped with the manual transmission, compared with $23,625 for the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel model. The six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission adds $1100 to the base price.

• Black roof, black mirror caps, sport seats and interior carbon trim add to Sport’s unique look
• Available with new EA888 Gen 3 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine
• Will arrive in showrooms in early 2014
• Starts at $28,495 with a six-speed automatic transmission

VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR 2014 PASSAT SPORT

Herndon, VA –Volkswagen of America, Inc., announced today that it will offer a production version of the Passat Performance Concept shown at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS): the Passat Sport. Joining the Passat line-up between the mid-level SE and the range-topping SEL Premium trims, the 2014 Volkswagen Passat Sport takes a number of design cues from the concept car to offer an athletic-leaning take on the award-winning sedan.

Specifically, the Passat Sport features 19-inch Luxor wheels, a rear spoiler, foglights, a unique interior with sport comfort seats, carbon trim accents, aluminum sport pedals, paddle shifters (automatic transmission only), stainless steel door sills, and Sport-specific floor mats. Three exterior colors are available for the Sport: Urano Gray (an exclusive color for this model), Candy White, and Tungsten Silver. Candy White and Tungsten Silver are accompanied by a black roof and black mirror caps, as seen on the concept car.

These features are in addition to those already offered on the mid-level SE trim, which includes Volkswagen Car-Net™, the Premium VIII touchscreen sound system with HD Radio™, automatic headlights, rearview camera, heatable front seats and leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with audio and phone controls.

The Passat Sport is available with Volkswagen’s new 1.8-liter EA888 Gen 3 turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder engine, which offers 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The 1.8-liter can be matched to a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2014 Passat Sport is priced starting at $27,295 with the manual transmission (including $820 destination and handling), and will go on sale in early 2014.