Tag Archives: Volkswagen Jetta

2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

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Remember when you had fun driving?

By Gary S. Vasilash

One of the problems with sedans is that people think people aren’t buying them and so being inclined to do what everyone else seems to do, those people go to a dealership and ask about a crossover.

But in point of fact, people do buy sedans.

For example, last year Toyota sold 248,088 Corollas and Honda 238,661 Civics, and although in each case there were some hatchbacks sold, for the most part they were straight-up four doors.

To put those numbers in perspective, know that in 2025 Buick—the entire division–sold a total of 198,155 vehicles, all of which were crossovers. Of the four models on offer, its biggest seller was the Envista, with sales of 58,949.

Over at Chevy, the only vehicle that outsold the Corolla and Civic was, yes, a crossover, the Equinox, which had sales of 274,356.

But then it is worth noting there were 316,185 Camrys sold in 2025, and the only model Chevy had that outsold it was the Silverado light-duty pickup truck, with 362,909 units, and pickup trucks are another story entirely.

Still, the number of mainstream sedans is small compared to the crossover segment.

VW GLI: a compact sedan that can do the daily activities and provide a bit of engagement while doing so. (Image: VW)

And a consequence of that is people who haven’t been in a sedan for a while have forgotten that driving—even while doing daily chores—can be, well, fun.

Now the VW GLI is a peppy variant of the VW Jetta, a compact sedan that competes with the likes of the Corolla and the Civic.

Peppy? Well, the standard Jetta has a 1.5-liter turbo I4 engine that produces 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque.

The GLI has a 2.0-liter turbo I4 that produces 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

What’s more, whereas the regular Jetta has an eight-speed automatic, the GLI is available with a seven-speed DSG, or dual-clutch gearbox, which quickly shifts gears (no clutch required). (The GLI is also available with a six-speed manual for those who are inclined to like clutch pedals.)

As visually the GLI is sportier, as well, with standard 18-inch wheels (rather than standard 16-inch), honeycomb top and bottom grilles, a red accent stripe across the front fascia, and an integrated light bar across the front of the vehicle. And on the inside, there’s red stitching on the leather seats and trim, metal sport pedals, and a 10-colar ambient lighting system.

The GLI has a multi-link rear suspension, a rear anti-roll bar, and sport-tuned gas-filled shock absorbers. All of which means it can be driven in a spirited manner and the setup helps keep things in order, yet when driven in a more straightforward manner it is a comfortable ride.

What may seem like a trivial thing, the steering wheel is substantial, which underscores the fact that this is a car to be driven, not some sort of thing that you climb into and then otherwise distract yourself from the act of driving.

And while the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen provides access to such things as navi, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there is also a Performance Monitor that can be called up so as to get real-time driving performance data.

Because you never know when you might want to know what the G-forces are.

And you probably wouldn’t in crossover.

Grown-up fun in a car (yes, car) that starts at $33,795 that can also take the kids to school and carry the groceries.

2026 Volkswagen Jetta SEL

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A solid offering in a tough category. But let’s not get carried away. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

According to the official Volkswagen site for consumers, the 2026 Jetta is “The compact sedan that redefines the standard.”

Well, let’s face it: that’s verbiage that came out of an advertising agency that is tasked with talking big about its clients products.

Arguably, in the compact car segment the definitional products are the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla.

Consider: in the first three quarters of 2025 there were 185,225 Civics sold in the U.S. and 179,983 Corollas. Yes, there are hatches among them, but still.

During the same period there were 43,610 Jettas sold.

It would be hard to redefine something with that.

Which is not to say that the Jetta is not a car worth consideration. It is a good-looking, capable compact that is competing in a tough segment (obviously).

In fact, there is something to be said for zigging while everyone else in the market is zagging.

If you go Jetta, you’re likely to be standing out wherever you drive.

VW Jetta: a competitor in a tough category. (Image: VW)

The 2026 Jetta is a seventh-generation vehicle, so there’s experience there, especially with the MQB architecture that the car is based on. All you really need to know about that is that it “feels” like a solid vehicle.

It is 186.5 inches long, 70.8 inches wide and 57.7 inches tall; the wheelbase is 105.7 inches. The Jetta offers 94.7 cubic feet of passenger volume and 14.1 cubic feet of trunk capacity.

It is powered by a 158-hp turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It is a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

That eight-speed, it must be noted, is a differentiator between the Jetta and the Civic and the Corolla, as those two vehicles have a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Some people like the “feel” of a step-gear transmission more than a CVT, so that is a consideration that should be made.

It has EPA-estimated fuel-economy ratings of 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined, which puts it right in the ballpark with the Civic and the Corolla.

The SEL trim driven here has a number of features, including 18-inch alloy wheels, heated and cooled front seats (heated in the rear outboard positions), leather seating surfaces, heated steering wheel, navigation, premium audio, and a sunroof.

One of the features it has that I certainly wish it didn’t is capacitive-touch “buttons.” This is the sort of thing you have on your smartphone: you simply touch a specific area to activate something rather than using a physical button, dial or switch. While this works well on your phone because odds are you are (assuming that you are a good driver, not a scoff-law) standing, sitting or maybe walking while you are doing something with your phone, not traveling at 70 mph as you may be in your Jetta while you are trying to adjust the temperature. (There are buttons and rockers on the steering wheel for a few functions.)

The base MSRP for the 2026 Jetta SEL is $30,450. There is a $1,275 destination charge.

A key consideration, of course, comes down to whether a German marque is more interesting than a Japanese—or Korean: we can’t forget the Hyundai Elantra and the Kia K4, both of which are gamers in the category.

2025 Volkswagen Jetta SEL

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Most people need transportation but don’t necessarily want to compromise on how they achieve it but don’t want to be crushed by the sticker price. Enter the Jetta. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Cox Automotive’s “Auto Market Snapshot” for October 3, 2024, has it that the average used vehicle listing price was $25,172 (updated 9/20/24) and the average loan rate for a used car was 13.91%. And the average new vehicle listing price was $46,841 and the loan rate was 9.51%.

So taking those numbers into account, I am exceedingly impressed with the MSRP for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta 1.5 SEL: $29,000. (Adding destination bumps it to $30,225).

Now were you to buy a used car at that average listing price of $25,172 and get a five-year loan fat the 13.91% rate (assuming nothing down) that vehicle would end up costing $34,929.

If you were to buy a brand-new 2025 Jetta for $30,225 and finance it for five years at 9.51% (again, assuming nothing down), you’d pay $38,320.

Or, a difference of $3,391 over the five-year period, or $678.20 per year.

Somehow it seems that ponying up $56.52 per month is well worth it for getting a car that is really quite impressive—and if you took at the average new vehicle listing price of $46,841, that $29K MSRP cannot be overlooked when the Jetta is a complete package.

2025 Volkswagen Jetta. (Image: VW)

When it comes to VW sedans, the compact Jetta is the proverbial last-man standing. The Passat, which the company once hoped would be its answer to the Toyota Camry and Honda According, went out of production in the U.S. after model year 2022.

Then there was the Arteon, model year 2024 was it in the U.S. for the upscale-but-affordable sedan.

This goes to the point that the U.S. is a tough market for sedans, especially when companies, including VW, are promoting their electric SUVs (the ID.4 in VW’s case), or their ICE SUVs (the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Taos, and Tiguan, in VW’s case).

But apparently there are some people who recognize that the Jetta is a vehicle that fits their needs.

That is, in Q3 2024 in the U.S. there were 19,379 Jettas sold—making it the second best-selling vehicle in the VW lineup, with the Tiguan taking first place, at 21,231. This means the Jetta outsold the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Taos, and ID.4.

Notably, compared with Q3 2023 the Jetta sales are up 35%, the biggest percentage increase of any of the VW vehicles.

This may go to the point of Cox’s findings about the high prices of vehicles nowadays.

The thing about the Jetta is that this is a completely competent vehicle, and that is not damning with faint praise.

The SEL is the top-of-the line Jetta. The S starts at $21,995, which is certainly something that plenty should consider (i.e., $3,177 less than that used vehicle).

But the SEL has much of the “stuff” that people want in a new vehicle—heated and cooled leather front seats (heated in the two back positions), a sunroof, 10.25-inch screen with navigation, BeatsAudio. . .

There is a 1.5-liter, turbocharged, direct-injection engine that provides 158-hp mated to an eight-speed automatic that offers both a sport mode and paddle shifting. The front-drive car is surprisingly peppy.

Adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitor. . .these and other tech-based features are part of the package.

The styling is more sophisticated than sporty or extreme: it is a design that won’t age fast.

It is sometimes said that kids swerve from the types of vehicles their parents owned.

So it went from sedans to minivans to SUVs. Perhaps we are getting to a point of a full circle.

The Jetta is certainly a good reason why that could be the case.