Answer
Jun 25, 2020 - 12:16 AM
Hi there
The Jetta would be the better choice, for one simple reason: Automatic 4-cylinder A4s came with the dreaded Multitronic CVT, which could be financially disastrous if/when it goes wrong. This is an often-neglected part of these cars' maintenance regimen, so this immediately puts older A4si in the "high-risk" category.
As for which Jetta, we'd say that the 1.6 TDI would be a better bet. Many older 1.4TSI engines suffered from premature bore wear (especially given our market's poor-quality fuel), which could lead to an expensive rebuild in the future. By contrast, the TDI should be fine, with the exception of periodic turbo replacements if the car is driven hard or spends most of its time doing short distances in stop-start traffic. Once again, make sure that the gearbox servicing has been kept up-to-date with the dealership, and maintain those servicing requirements in future.
Hope this helps!
The AskAutoTrader Team
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