VW Interiors Not Compromised Says Design Boss

Contrary to the unanimous opinions of the automotive media (read our Jetta review here), Volkswagen insists the interior quality on its new, more affordibly priced models, has not been compromised.

That, at least, is the opinion of chief designer Jae Min who says no compromises have been made. “We didn’t take anything out,” said Min, speaking at the Wards Auto Interiors Conference in Dearborn, MI. “It was a rebalancing of where things go, and there are still a lot of features available.” Instead VW credits much of the cost savings to a new, less expensive platform, with the Jetta no longer sharing its underpinnings with the Golf.

The proof says VW rep Darryll Harrison lies in the numbers, with consumers voting with their wallets. According to Harrison, despite the significantly lower starting price for the new Jetta ($16,495), the average transaction price is roughly $22,000. The same goes for the new Passat, which while listing for $19,995, sells on average between $26,000 and $27,000.

While Volkswagen did anticipate significantly higher volumes (which has happened), the increased price consumers are willing to pay at the dealerships has come as a surprise, with Min even admitting that, “Ironically the transaction price is higher than before.”

[Source: Detroit Free Press]