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As I climbed into the Volkswagen Jetta for the first time, I was struck by how sporty and elegant it looked - black with tinted windows, spoked-alloy wheels and leather interior.
I discovered, when the very knowledgeable Hameed, the sales executive at Behbehani Brothers went through the car's paces with me, just how user-friendly the car was.
It looked and felt luxurious, way beyond its price ticket. This is an ideal choice for the discerning lady driver who wants to drive a compact saloon radiating sporty elegance, together with all the advantages of the traditional Volkswagen qualities of reliability and solid German engineering.
Hameed went on to point out the advantages of the Jetta's sun roof, which was a surprise as I thought this would only be useful in Europe. Not so. He explained that as hot air is lighter, when setting out on a journey, instantly opening the sun roof lets out the hot air so the air conditioning can kick in quicker than cars without one. An interesting point and one worth putting to the test!
The VW Jetta I was test driving included some optional extras which proved to be well worth having.
As I took it for a spin, I was quickly impressed at how comfortable it was to drive, offering great acceleration and smooth handling. I felt totally safe in this car, especially when cornering. I often used the sixth gear - the 'S' gear - which I found gave me more power.
I was also impressed with its sound system, which included a six-disc CD changer and an output of 4x20 watts from 10 loudspeakers. The system is also compatible with Mp3 players, which is a great advantage for music-lovers on the move.
The interior offered a high-level of comfort and ergonomics. As I am only 5'1" tall, I used the lumbar support and adjusted the steering wheel (along with the seat and back rest) to a comfortable level, so this is a particularly important feature for women drivers of similar stature.
When I was first asked to test drive the car, my mind went back to the first time I ever cruised in a VW some years ago. This was in England, during my time working at Yorkshire Television. My colleague had a classic pale blue Volkswagen Beetle.
We used to charge around the Yorkshire Dales with the rushes of either the local news programme or Emmerdale in the boot (he was a cameraman) - a scary experience as in those days they were the only copies of the programmes!
Another colleague of mine in the programme planning department, Geoff, boasted a Volkswagen Fastback, his pride and joy - a real collector's item.
Although I have been a passenger in many Volkswagen's, this was the first time I have had the pleasure of driving one and I must say I was very impressed, especially as this car had a 1.6 engine but its performance felt like that of a much more powerful machine.
Prices for the Volkswagen's Jetta start at only BD 6,299. For further details contact the team at Behbehani Brothers on 17459977.
