VW has good reason to espouse this philosophy. Its cars, particularly the Jetta and

Golf, are appealing to people who view driving as something other than mere

transportation. They respond quickly, precisely and smoothly to commands. They become an extension of the driver. Not all cars are like that.

That's because this oneness between driver and machine is not easy to achieve. It

requires precision engineering and years of research and development. It's something the Germans, who must design to Autobahn standards, have perfected, and in the case of the Jetta and Golf, it's affordable.