Convenience Convenience features include a large trunk, a split folding rear seat, up to six cupholders, and numerous cubbies and pockets.

Volkswagen engineers are obviously aware of the fact that drivers like to carry stuff…lots of stuff. The 2005.5 Jetta addresses this with 16 cubic feet of cargo room (three more than last year) and a split folding rear bench seat. Back seat passengers also enjoy small door cubbies and dual seatback pockets. Jetta 2.5L and TDI models add a fold-down center armrest that acts as a trunk pass-through, offers a lined storage pocket, and includes two retracting, adjustable cupholders. Four more beverage holders are located up front – one in each door and two in the center console. The front cupholders are a fixed size.

Two cooled storage areas are accessible by the driver and front passenger. The large, lined glovebox has a rotary knob that allows cool air from the climate system to enter; the small center armrest storage includes the same feature. The doors include generous pockets, an overhead sunglasses cubby sits just behind the maplights and sunroof controls, and there’s a covered storage tray located forward of the shifter.

Should the interior accommodations fail to meet your needs, the fully-lined trunk offers its own version of utility: a handy fold-down hook can carry several grocery bags; chrome tie downs help keep items secure; and a vertical panel on the right side can either serve to separate cargo or be removed to maximize overall capacity. The trunk features a wide opening and a nice chrome strip along the lower edge; the liftover height is about average (thigh high on our 5-foot-8-inch staffer).