2018 Volkswagen Jetta leaked

Undisguised pictures of Volkswagen’s seventh-generation Jetta small sedan have been leaked online ahead of the car’s official unveiling, which is expected to be at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November this year.

The first unobscured view of VW’s next-gen Jetta was unearthed by Mexican publication Autologia.com.mx, suggesting the shots originate from the Puebla factory where Jettas destined for the United States and Brazil are built.

Unsurprisingly, the outed Jetta appears to wear a family resemblance common to other sedan models in the VW line-up, including the Passat and Arteon, which have a more dominant grille, darkened headlights with LED bar highlights, and sharp bonnet creasing.

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The spied car appears to be a lower-end variant or pre-production prototype with typical fleet features including unpainted door handles, steel wheels, cloth interior, and white paint. Nevertheless its bare shape and lines offers a good idea of what to expect in higher specification grades as well.

No technical information on powertrain or interior features accompanied the scoop, but it is known that the new version will roll on the MQB platform, which opens up a plethora of engine and transmission possibilities.

A carry over, or lightly developed, version of the current 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine that is offered in Australia is one possibility, as are a 2.0-litre TDI diesel and broad range of other engines in the current global catalogue, ranging from a 1.2-litre turbo petrol, up to a 2.5-litre five-cylinder.

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Until right-hand drive production is confirmed, the new-look Jetta will not be offered for the local market, but Volkswagen Group Australia corporate communications general manager, Paul Pottinger, explained that the business case also relies on being able to position the Jetta correctly in relation to its larger sibling.

“We would certainly consider it for the right price,” he said. “We now have a Passat that starts at a little over $34,000. If you consider that our cars generally sell at the top end of the segment, the average buying price for the outgoing Jetta wouldn’t have been much beneath that.”

With the popularity of Volkswagen’s Golf on local soil, the Jetta has always played second fiddle to its hatchbacked stablemate, but still manages to attract a solid audience with 733 registrations to the end of July this year. With its 7.5 update, the Golf sales momentum continues with 9999 examples sold in the same period.