2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI front

The first of Volkswagen's revised line of cars was unveiled less than a year ago with a new 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine (slow, unsatisfying), 6-speed Tiptronic transmission, new multilink rear suspension, and electro-mechanical steering. A TDI diesel variant joined not long ago, and for 2006 a 200-horsepower turbo 4 spruces up the line in the Volkswagen GLI, the Jetta's equivalent of the Golf's GTI. All engines can now be had with manual transmissions, too.