The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Calm demeanor
- GLI is just sporty enough
- Good fuel economy
- Comfy ride
- Big interior
Dislikes
- No base manual
- Touch-sensitive climate controls
- A little too bland in most forms
- GLI can get a bit pricey
Buying tip
features & specs
A mild update for 2025 keeps the VW Jetta looking fresh, though we’ll miss its standard manual gearbox.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta? What does it compare to?
The Jetta is a compact sedan. Compare it to the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, as well as the Mazda 3.
Is the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta a good car?
While light on personality in most configurations, the Jetta is spacious, well-equipped, and comfortable. It earns a respectable 6.4 out of 10 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?
The Jetta sees revamped exterior and interior styling for 2025, plus automatic climate control is newly standard across the range. VW also dropped the manual transmission option from non-GLI models, though the sportiest of Jettas sticks with a stick for 2025.
The Jetta is VW’s most traditional model, a compact car with a conventional three-box shape and dimensions more in line with what you might expect from a midsize car. This year’s revamp gives it a pinched front end with a smaller grille and a wide band integrated into its lower front bumper that lends it a low-slung appearance. GLI models have black and red details but don’t alter the overall shape. Cabin revisions this year put the 8.0-inch touchscreen up high on the dash above the center climate control vents. Again, GLI versions have black and red touches, plus more heavily bolstered seats.
Base Jetta S, Sport, SE, and SEL trims have a 158-hp 1.4-liter turbo-4 mated exclusively to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The GLI swaps in a 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at a hearty 228 hp, which comes paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. All Jettas are front-wheel drive.
Even in base S form, the Jetta is mildly entertaining to drive, with light but quick and accurate steering and a composed ride. The turbo-4 is smooth and builds power quickly. GLIs up the ante, but they’re far from harsh. They also add a torque-sensing limited-slip differential that can strategically lock the two front wheels for better traction in hard cornering, and they ride on adaptive dampers that take the edge off of small bumps below.
Fuel economy estimates are likely to come in around 35 mpg combined, though our experience in base Jettas with the automatic has revealed 40 mpg or higher is no issue at highway speeds.
Jettas have a roomy cabin with a contemporary design and materials in line with pricing. The new 8.0-inch touchscreen is flanked by a few buttons, but the climate controls are now touch-sensitive.
All Jettas have good safety tech including active lane control, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.
How much does the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta cost?
The 2025 Jetta S runs $23,295 in its cheapest form. That money buys a pretty well-equipped car with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, safety tech, and automatic climate control.
Where is the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta made?
In Mexico.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta Styling
The VW Jetta sticks with conservative duds despite a refresh for 2025.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta a good-looking car?
It’s pleasant, but not especially memorable even after an update for 2025. The VW Jetta sticks with a three-box shape that stands in contrast to sleeker, fastback-like styling in some competitors like the Hyundai Elantra.
That said, the Jetta’s plain looks should age well, making it a good choice for drivers who are perfectly happy blending in for a long time. We rate the Jetta at a perfectly acceptable—and average—5 out of 10 here.
This year’s new front end features a slim grille with a big VW logo up front, which gives way to a body that has been around since the 2019 model year. Slightly different taillights at the rear now connect via a board light bar, but it’ll take someone truly in the know to spot the difference.
Inside, the dash has been tidied up a bit, and all Jettas now have an 8.0-inch touchscreen with a few buttons and knobs. The display isn’t particularly big, but it’s easy to reach and see. Below, you’ll find a mix between touch-sensitive climate controls and a few real buttons and knobs (and plenty of switch blanks) on the center console.
Jetta GLIs have some red touches inside and out, but they don’t look particularly different than standard models.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta Performance
The 2025 VW Jetta balances sport and comfort quite well.
VW’s only sedan is a pleasant, if unremarkable, companion. It’s great at eating up miles on a long trip, but it only rarely wants to entertain. We rate it at 6 out of 10, adding a point for its comfortable ride, though we acknowledge that a GLI would probably score a 7 thanks to sharper handling and considerably more power.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta 4WD?
No, the 2025 Jetta is a front-wheel-drive sedan.
How fast is the Volkswagen Jetta?
The base 158-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 has no problem keeping up with traffic. Its 8-speed automatic—the only choice now that the 6-speed manual is gone—can occasionally stumble in low-speed driving, though. It often seems to get confused about when it should use the first of its three gears.
GLI versions swap in a 228-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4, which delivers solid punch with limited turbo lag. This engine manages to make the Jetta feel faster than its fairly conservative 228-hp rating, too, and it works exceptionally well with either the driving-friendly 6-speed manual or the traffic-friendly 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters.
Jettas ride on a pretty simple suspension setup with the smaller engine, consisting of front struts and a rear torsion-beam axle. They swallow up bumps just fine, though hard cornering shows the limits of the simple rear-end setup by way of a tail that takes awhile to settle down. GLIs have a multi-link rear axle and an electronic limited-slip front differential that combine for a far sharper, more poised feel. They even ride better thanks to their adaptive dampers.
All models have steering that’s a touch light for us, though the quick tiller makes in-town parking a cinch.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta Comfort & Quality
The 2025 VW Jetta’s big cabin is a big asset.
If you’re after a roomy interior, you’ll find a lot to like in the 2025 VW Jetta. It gets a 6 out of 10 thanks to its good rear seat.
Front-seat riders will find manual adjustments at the bottom of the lineup, though VW peppers in a power-adjustable driver’s seat as you work your way up the range. The front seats are comfy but light on side bolstering, which is where the GLI steps in. That model has far better bolstering and standard leather. Other versions have either cloth, synthetic leather, or real hides.
Rear-seat riders have a hefty 37.4 inches of legroom, which is quite good for the segment. Reasonably large rear doors make loading and unloading easy, too. Uber, anyone?
The Jetta has a segment-typical 14.1 cubic-foot trunk, albeit one with a large opening. Small-items storage inside is impressive, too.
The Jetta’s interior materials are appropriate for its low price tag, but top-end models trail some dressier competitors like the slick Honda Civic and Mazda 3.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta Safety
The 2025 VW Jetta is well-equipped with crash-avoidance features.
How safe is the Volkswagen Jetta?
It should be a safe choice, though we’ll update this space when we have ratings for the revamped-for-2025 model. For now, our 7 out of 10 carries over from last year.
The 2024 Jetta earned points for a five-star rating from the NHTSA and loads of standard assistance features including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and automatic high-beams. VW doesn’t charge extra for many features that cost more on top rivals.
The 2024 Jetta missed out on an IIHS Top Safety Pick due to its lousy headlights, which have been reworked for 2025. They may do better in testing. The model also scored a concerning “Poor” in the moderate front overlap crash test.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta Features
The 2025 VW Jetta is a bargain-priced compact sedan.
Volkswagen’s smallest and cheapest model lives up to the automaker’s “people’s car” branding. The lineup starts at $23,295 for the base S, which has cloth upholstery, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an automatic transmission.
The Jetta earns an 8 on the TCC scale thanks to its decent-size infotainment screen, good standard features, value, and a good 4-year/50,000-mile warranty with two years of maintenance included.
Which Volkswagen Jetta should I buy?
The Jetta S is probably a good enough value for most of us, though the Sport trim adds heated front seats. The mid-level Jetta SE adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a wireless device charging pad, and wireless functionality for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its interior is also draped in synthetic leather upholstery.
As of press time, VW hasn’t priced out these models, but the Sport has previously cost about $1,000 more than the S, while the SE should run about $26,000.
How much is a fully loaded Volkswagen Jetta?
The Jetta SEL is likely to check in around $30,000, which is pricey for a compact but not that bad of a deal when you consider that it has leather seats, cooled front seats, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, and a Beats audio system.
Figure another couple grand for similar features in the sportier and more powerful Jetta GLI, which comes in a single configuration for 2025.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta Fuel Economy
The 2025 VW Jetta is an eco-friendly choice, even though there’s no hybrid.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta good on gas?
Yes indeed. It’s unclear if styling tweaks for 2025 will make the VW Jetta any more slippery than last year’s model, but for now we’ll stick with the 5 out of 10 rating we gave the 2024 model. That’s based on the base Jetta’s 30 mpg city, 41 highway, 34 combined estimates. Versions with bigger wheels check in at 29/40/33 mpg, though they’re not likely to be much different in real-world driving.
The Jetta GLI was estimated at 30 mpg combined regardless of transmission choice last year.
We’ll update this space when we know about ratings for the 2025 model year.
