Volkswagen 2003 Jetta Specifications

• The 2003 Volkswagen Jetta is a small family car from German manufacturer Volkswagen Group. It is one of the model years of the car's acclaimed fourth generation of production, which lasted from 1999 to 2005. Volkswagen manufactured the 2003 Jetta in the sedan and the wagon body styles.

Engines

• Volkswagen used three standard, inline four-cylinder engines for both the sedan and wagon version of the 2003 Jetta. They are the turbocharged eight-valve single overhead camshaft (SOHC) 1.9-liter diesel engine, the eight-valve SOHC 2-liter engine and the turbocharged 20-valve double overhead camshaft (DOHC) 1.8-liter engine. The 1.9-liter produces 90 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque, the 2-liter generates 115 horsepower and 122 pound-feet of torque and the 1.8-liter pumps out 180 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque. A fourth engine, however, is available for the sedan version: a 24-valve DOHC 2.8-liter V-6 with 200 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque.

Performance

• Volkswagen provided a 14.5-gallon gas tank for the 2003 Jetta, as well as four types of transmission: four- and five-speed automatics, and five- and six-speed manuals. Thus the fuel economy of the '03 Jetta varies widely from a high of 42/49 miles per gallon (mpg) for the GL TDI trim to a low of 22/29 mpg for the GLS 1.8T wagon with its optional five-speed automatic.

  The GLX VR6 sedan -- named after its V-6 engine -- is designated as the high-performance version of the 2003 Jetta. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 6.9 seconds and finish the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds at 90 mph. Also, the 2003 Jetta GLX VR6 tops out at 146 mph and has a 60-to-0 mph braking distance of 140 feet.

Physical Specifications

• Volkswagen designed the 2003 Jetta as a five-seater vehicle. The sedan and wagon versions share the same width at around 68 inches. However, the wagon measures longer and taller than the sedan, with 174 inches and 59 inches, respectively; the latter is 172 inches long and 57 inches high. The curb weight ranges from 2,892 lbs. for the GL 2.0 sedan to 3,291 lbs for the GLS 1.8T wagon with the optional automatic transmission.