The Volkswagen Jetta feels rock solid on the highways and is quite an enjoyable car to drive
Winters were at their peak in the North and I had a strong urge for a quick getaway from Delhi in December. The mood was to drive something comfortable and safe without compromising a bit on the fun factor, which in short is better described with a popular hashtag #ThugLife. So I was looking for a car and a destination that suits this hashtag well and eventually it was none other than the Volkswagen Jetta. The destination I chose was Jaipur, a home to many royal families, which is also known as the Pink City. So, does the Jetta live up to my expectations? Let’s find out.
My plan was to leave at 6 in the morning but due to dense fog I eventually left home around 7 AM as the fog settled to a drivable extent. The powerful projector lights with bending function do an amazing job of illuminating the road ahead and they’re very useful in fog, apart from looking very cool in the dark. Not to forget, the powerful VW horn and sharp dipper lights help a lot to make your presence felt and the traffic gives you way instantly. The route from Delhi to Jaipur is quite simple, you take the NH8 Delhi-Gurgaon-Bhiwadi-Neemrana-Jaipur. It’s a short 273 km route but quite a busy one so it takes more time than you would expect.
Near Manesar there are quite a few diversions to deal with, thanks to the unending flyover projects with very little progress since a while including some that are left incomplete since ages. From Manesar toll to 20-30 kms you have to deal with truck traffic and diversions and this is when I started experiencing #ThugLife of the Jetta. While most of the cars and commercial vehicles around me were struggling to change gears and deal with the traffic, I was enjoying the comfort of the slick 6-speed DSG automatic transmission. I was totally at ease listening to soothing music paired to a user-friendly infotainment system, dual-zone climate control system keeping the cabin warm and cosy while the supportive leather seats made me feel like I’m sitting on my living room sofa.
You might be wondering, how did the Jetta manage to tackle diversions with its 159 mm ground clearance. Throughout the trip, the Jetta didn’t even touch its underbelly anywhere, there are no nasty speed bumps or potholes across the highway, which is very sedan friendly. Now after you cross the diversion mess and truck traffic, the roads open up and its quite a smooth highway throughout. Dab the throttle and the punchy 2.0-litre diesel engine accelerates effortlessly. There is an immense flow of torque across the rev range which keeps the car going and it can munch miles all day without letting you notice. The superior NVH masks triple digit speeds very well while the ride quality of this German sedan is absolutely flat and stable.
You would never feel the need of more power and stability in the VW Jetta
The Volkswagen Jetta feels very sturdy and safe at high speeds with confidence inspiring stability and steering feedback. It offers steering mounted paddle shifts for more fun and that along with the wonderful handling balance of the Jetta is pure indulgence on the twisties. There is this wonderful view of the Aravalli Range across the route, the rocky ridges and Plateau mountains give you a good company alongside the highway. There are many eateries on the route including the traditional dhabas and fast food restaurants. I took a 30 minute break midway for a light breakfast before reaching Jaipur.
The Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur is class apart serving excellent food and offering great amenities
My destination was Fairmont Jaipur hotel, which is not exactly in the heart of Jaipur but on the outskirts and that area is called Kookas. I reached the hotel in 4 hours 30 minutes, which includes 30 minutes of break and around an hour of time wastage near Manesar. Thanks to the Jetta’s ergonomically sound cabin and spot on driving dynamics, I arrived fresh and without a hint of fatigue throughout the journey. Now was the time to enjoy the #ThugLife of Jaipur in the beautiful and super luxurious Fairmont hotel. Well, Jaipur is mostly famous for its royal family heritage, textiles, art and craft but I was more interested in relaxing and unwinding from the daily commotion of Delhi life.
The lavish indoors and outdoors of the Fairmont hotel are inspired from the Mughal architecture
Jaipur is a good place to de-stress from the hustle and bustle of city life
The Fairmont Jaipur hotel is an amazing blend of modern and retro architecture that offers you the best of both worlds. Rajasthan is known for its great hospitality and that reflects on the kind of service they offer. Right from royal Rajasthani zaika, Mediterranean food, international cuisines to a huge chocolate buffet, they have it all. During my stay I tried to taste all the cuisines but some unforgettable dishes include the spicy Laal Maans curry and their humongous Rajasthani thali that gives you a glimpse of what the local taste is like.
The lavish rooms of the hotel have exquisite detailing inspired from the Mughal era with a touch of modernness. There is a great view of the Aravali Hills from the room. The hotel offers many attractions for the guests including hot air ballooning over the hills passing over the Amer Fort in Jaipur. You can visit the nearby Elephant Village where you can feed or ride elephants. You can go for bike trails on BMW motorcycles arranged by the hotel and many more attractions including city sightseeing, historical palaces and forts, shopping in local markets, etc.
It was time to head back to Delhi after having a peaceful time in Jaipur lazing around. I decided to leave a little late for the way back and we left around 10 in the morning. The route towards Delhi is relatively smooth and since it was a Sunday, there was very little traffic and a great opportunity for me to put all that healthy torque of the Jetta to the tarmac. The intense power delivery is extremely satisfying and the way it moves steadily on the highway is very impressive. We reached Delhi in 3 hours 30 minutes. The Jetta easily returned 16 km/l of mileage and after coming back from Jaipur, it had 30 percent of fuel to spare. All in all, the entire trip justified the hashtag #ThugLife very well and the Volkswagen Jetta ticks all the right boxes for an enjoyable highway drive.
The Volkswagen Jetta proved to be a great companion for the Delhi-Jaipur trip as the car offers great comfort with a sense of safety and the pleasurable dynamics of the German sedan keeps you happy throughout the journey.
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