As soon as the Jetta pulls away from the curb, there's a noticeable feel of solidness and a clear sense of high build quality. As there should be. A large part of the investment in the Jetta went toward increasing the car's structural integrity. The stronger structure forms not only a more solid grounding for suspension and drivetrain components, it helps reduce unwanted noise from being transmitted into the cabin.

The other element that was considered most critical in the design of this performance-oriented car was the suspension. This is, without question, the best handling front-wheel-drive car Volkswagen has ever produced yet, somewhat paradoxically, it all starts with the new multi-link setup in the tail of the car.

The physics are complicated, but, simply stated, if the rear end of the car won't properly follow the front, then handling limits are low and driver effort is high. Replacing the old solid-beam axle with the new four-link rear suspension (with telescopic gas-filled shock absorbers, coil springs and stabilizer bar) means reduced body roll, better contact between the wheels and the pavement, and improved ride quality. Angling the shock absorbers and combining them with oval helper springs also contribute to a wider trunk opening for easier loading.

Changes to the front suspension also made dramatic differences to the car's feel. The MacPherson strut arrangement (with coil springs, telescopic shocks and a newly designed, integrated stabilizer bar to reduce weight) has improved geometry to increase front wheel location and reduce torque steer to unnoticeable levels, even when the throttle is maxed out in a corner. This is an amazingly balanced car, with little or no sense that the front end is doing the work of both pulling and steering the car.

Credit the new Servotronic power steering for the sharp response through the steering wheel. It not only adjusts to speed, providing more assist at low speeds and higher effort on the open road, but, through electronic control of the steering column, it automatically corrects the car's direction when such external forces as crosswinds threaten to move it off track. It's a bit disconcerting at first for the car to do something a driver expects he'll have to do but after a short time becomes very welcome in its ability to reduce driver effort.

Getting the car underway is generally effortless, even in slippery conditions due to the application of various standard traction aids. Every Jetta comes with EDL, an electronic differential lock that varies power to either front wheel depending on which one has more traction. It works by applying the brakes very slightly on the wheel that has lost traction, while at the same time it sends more torque to the other wheel. Also standard across the line is ASR, anti-slip regulation, which reduces engine power to the front wheels if slip is detected.

Both EDL and ASR are part of the electronic stability program, or ESP, which is standard on the 2.5L and TDI models and optional on Value Editions. ESP incorporates ABS to brake any of the car's four wheels individually and reduce the risk of skidding. Studies in Europe have shown how effective electronic stability systems are in helping avoid accidents and should be considered a standard item on any serious driver's order list.

The only commotion during take-off, then, is the raspy growl of the new five-cylinder engine, which has been tuned for instant gratification. Throttle tip-in is aggressive, especially when the Sport mode is chosen from the automatic transmission's shift pattern. Upshifts and downshifts then occur at higher engine speeds; also, the engine does not provide any braking while driving downhill. Whee!

The new six-speed automatic with Tiptronic is unusual in this class of car and does just about everything an automatic should do. In full automatic mode, the transitions between gears are quick and slip-free, pedal-activated downshifts are crisp, and a kick-down mode holds the chosen gear until redline and then swiftly shifts up to the next ratio. Tiptronic, the third mode of operation, is activated when the shift lever is moved into a gate to the right of main gear track . Shifting the lever forward chooses a higher gear; lower gears are selected by pulling back on the lever. In Tiptronic mode, without the driver's intervention, a gear is held until engine speed almost reaches redline before the next highest gear is activated. Manual downshifts cannot be performed if there's a possibility of over-revving the engine. As much as we like to shift gears manually, this is a peach of a transmission and will satisfy even the sport-minded with its response and precision.

All of this good engineering would be moot, however, unless it had an engine to match. And the new 2.5L is a wonderful complement to the Jetta's move up in weight class. The literature cites a 0 to 60-mph time of 9.1 seconds, which on paper does not seem particularly stellar, but the brisk and linear power curve is nonetheless pleasantly robust.

In a week of testing on freeways, over mountain passes and around town, the 2.5L never felt underpowered, nor did it seem like it was running out of breath at high rpm. The raspy engine note gets a bit strident when the accelerator is fully applied, but it's still more a growl of power than a whine of discontent. The car will cruise all day long at 90 mph without breaking a sweat, and given an autobahn to explore will reach almost 130 mph at its top end. But, delivering raw speed isn't what this five-cylinder does best. This is a very flexible engine, and delivers power when needed, no matter the gear of the moment.

Even more rewarding was the car's handling, which allowed this driver to explore his own limits on curving mountain roads. It carves through a corner with the precision of a sports car, body lean almost non-existent. Entering a corner too quickly is easily corrected with the excellent four-wheel disc brakes. ABS is, of course, standard, and both 2.5Ls and TDIs get Brake Assist, which ensures maximum brake force during panic stops.

This new Jetta is both a comfortable long-range cruiser and snappy runabout, and its high-tech traction aids provide a greater envelope of safety yet do little to diminish the driving experience. It was difficult at times to accept that we have tasted just the base edition of this exciting new sedan. Give the high level of sportiness and creature comfort delivered by the 2.5L, we can't wait to jump into the GLI later this summer.