The 2024 Volkswagen Jetta sticks to its usual lane of being a smooth and spacious compact sedan. Pricing starts at $21,435. There’s still a place for small sedans in today’s motoring world. They’re relatively affordable to buy and run, most are quite roomy, they tend to be at least a little enjoyable to drive, there’s the security of a lockable trunk, and parking is usually easy. That’s certainly the case with the Jetta. Historically, Americans have tended to prefer sedans over hatchbacks. So even though the VW Golf has been and continues to be a superb car, Volkswagen also offers the Jetta. It’s just that the Jetta is gaining quite a bit of history itself. Most of this class is newer, especially the Honda Civic, which is a favorite of ours. We get it, though. Volkswagens have a Germanic vibe that’s a cool trait in a car, especially when an Audi is out of the price range. Investigate the Jetta, absolutely. But take a good look at the rest of the competition as well.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Pricing
The 2024 Volkswagen Jetta has a starting sticker price of $22,660, with the range-topping Jetta 1.5T SEL kicking off at $30,050. But Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Pricing currently suggests paying $1,203 to $1,359 less than MSRP, depending on trim and equipment. These prices are updated weekly.
MSRP | KBB Fair Purchase Price (nat'l average) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
1.5T S | $22,660 | $21,363 | ||
1.5T Sport | $23,810 | $22,607 | ||
1.5T SE | $26,100 | $24,797 | ||
1.5T SEL | $30,050 | $28,691 |
Power, Ride and Handling
Most versions of the Volkswagen Jetta employ a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower. That’s the same amount of muscle as the base engine in the Honda Civic, although the Toyota Corolla has 169 horsepower and the Mazda3 starts out with a wonderful 191 horsepower. The Civic and Corolla both have an automatic transmission as standard; the cheapest Jetta comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Independent testing shows the Jetta and these other contenders accelerating from standstill to 60 mph in around seven seconds. Not especially rapid, but enough not to feel intimidated by the surrounding traffic. The 228-horsepower GLI is like a Golf GTI in sedan form (although the GTI now has 241 horses). It deploys its turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine to hit 60 mph in six seconds or so, which is noticeably more fun. It also has stronger brakes than its regular stablemate, plus an adaptive suspension. Chances are you’re just looking for a nice, comfy, economical, easy-to-park car for driving around town and the occasional trip further afield. In which case, we think the Jetta could work. It rides smoothly yet tidily. However, if the idea of a driver’s car holds some real appeal, we’d suggest using the Mazda3 as a benchmark. Which is not to suggest that the Mazda3 can’t also be smooth and easy — it just has more talent. We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of compact cars, including the VW Jetta. The best Jetta fuel economy figures are achieved with the automatic transmission: 35 combined mpg (31 city, 41 highway). To compare, the Civic and Corolla also attain 35 combined mpg, while the Mazda3’s best is 31. The GLI manages 30 combined mpg, regardless of transmission. Both Jetta engines are fine with regular gasoline.Fuel Economy
Spacious Interior
Not so long ago, Volkswagen led the way among mainstream manufacturers regarding the quality of its soft-touch plastics. Even when the cabins were dark and somber, they still felt classy. Since then, companies like Mazda and Hyundai have caught up and often surpassed VW. Which leaves the Jetta’s interior looking somewhat dated — as well as dark and somber.
Ignoring the looks and concentrating on functionality, though, we’ve found that the Jetta still has plenty to offer. We like the comfortable and well-shaped front seats. A digital driver information display is standard throughout, while the infotainment touchscreen and main controls are angled slightly toward the driver.
We’re also impressed with the rear legroom of 37.4 inches, exactly the same as the Honda Civic, both of which are impressive for the class. Trunk space is 14.1 cubic feet. That’s OK in this compact sedan context, and not too far off the Kia Forte’s 15.1-cubic-foot caboose.
Unadventurous Exterior
The tail end of the 2024 Jetta has a kind of Audi-ish look to it, which is no bad thing. The front end has the usual contemporary stuff like LED headlights and lines are kept quite clean. The GLI livens things up with its own design of alloy wheels, plus a few red accents here and there. But it all seems a bit staid these days. Even the Toyota Corolla comes across as more adventurous. At 15.5 feet, the Jetta is one of the longest compact sedans. That does translate into generous interior space, though.
Our Favorite Features and Tech
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Digital co*ckpit IQ.Drive Blind-spot monitoring Automatic transmission Sport trim
Phone integration is standard in every new Jetta.
A non-configurable 8-inch instrument cluster comes in the lower four trims, while a customizable 10.25-inch setup goes into the SEL and GLI variants. They both look cool and sharp, though.
This array is only available with the automatic transmission, but most buyers choose that anyway. It includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, emergency stop assistance, and adaptive cruise control.
We’re happy to see this as standard equipment across the range, warning drivers of nearby vehicles in adjacent lanes.
Many drivers will see the usual two pedals and the PRND lever positions, and not think too much about what goes on behind the scenes. The standard Jetta uses a smooth 8-speed automatic, while the GLI brings a sporty 7-speed dual-clutch unit that can activate gear changes in milliseconds. We’ve found both enjoyable for the task at hand.
This one-up-from-base version has snug front seats and an electronic locking differential, enhancing cornering ability and adding to the enjoyment of those occasional back-road jaunts.
Engine & Transmission
The main engine in the 2024 Jetta range is a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder unit making 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard, with an 8-speed automatic transmission available as an option — or standard in the higher trims. The Jetta GLI has a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine generating 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The GLI also brings a 6-speed manual transmission or offers an optional 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic. Front-wheel drive is the sole configuration. Volkswagen’s new-car warranty and powertrain warranty both last four years or 50,000 miles. Compare that with Honda and Toyota’s 3-year/36,000 new-vehicle warranties and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage. Hyundai and Kia offer the segment’s best terms. VW includes roadside assistance for three years or 36,000 miles, plus free scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 20,000 miles. In crash testing carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), this generation of Jetta took top scores of Good in the main categories, expect for an updated side impact test where the car earned an Acceptable rating. It was also awarded the maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty
Safety Ratings
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Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings. We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology. Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing. Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.) We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
