While the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta is a fifth-generation model, this is only the fourth incarnation of the sporty GLI. Like the rest of the Jetta line-up, it’s grown an inch in height and width and six inches in length, and rides on a wheelbase that’s been stretched by two inches. Most of the additional three cubic feet of interior room created by this growth spurt went to the back seat, making this the most four passenger-friendly Jetta yet.

As the performance-oriented model of the Jetta line-up, the new GLI jettisons the previous generation’s V6 in favor of a powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Two excellent transmissions, beefed-up suspension bits, 17-inch wheels, xenon headlights, and several important interior tweaks round out the upgrades.

The result is a total package that transforms what might in its other variations might be considered a very nice “economy” sedan into an engaging vehicle that can put a smile on the face of anyone for whom driving a car is a pursuit to be actively enjoyed rather than passively tolerated.