2025 Volkswagen Jetta Test Drive Review: When The Base Models Are The Winner

The Volkswagen Jetta is now 45 years outdated and staring into the existential void of center age, battling for relevancy in a world leaving the compact four-door sedan behind. In its lifespan thus far, it has been a critic’s darling, an fanatic’s pleasure, and a rental fleet staple – not often all on the similar time, although. In its present type, the Jetta is an economical, feature-laden entry-level sedan aimed on the savvy purchaser wanting premium options in a classy compact package deal with out spending a fortune.

In that sense, the seventh technology Volkswagen Jetta already delivers, however the 2025 mannequin goals to enhance on the system with a refresh. The entry value is below $25k and it comes with a 158-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter engine that sips gasoline at a charge of 39-40 miles per gallon.

The mid-generation refresh is the automaker’s approach of reminding us a automobile is on sale by making engaging updates – generally substantial, generally simply new bumpers, up to date headlights, and some small tools enhancements and tweaks for usability. On paper, the 2025 Jetta falls into the second bracket, however we spent per week with the refreshed mannequin to see how the updates influence on a regular basis life.

Exterior: Conservative Type

This technology of Jetta appears sharp in a approach that does not stand out, which is presently the conservative Volkswagen approach. Nonetheless, we do not see that as a foul factor, and for 2025 Volkswagen is upping the sharpness recreation with narrower and slit-like headlights, a thinner grille, and extra assured entrance and rear fascias. On the higher trims, the Jetta now has a lightweight bar connecting the entrance lights, as is the present development throughout the business. From a important standpoint, we respect how the bottom automobile’s grille has gone in opposition to the development, and we discover the connecting mild bar pointless, and strikes us as an afterthought.

The usual drop of 0.6 inches on the suspension that was reserved for the Sport trim helps the Jetta’s new stance and sense of favor. Our take a look at mannequin is the top-trim SEL, which rides on 18-inch wheels as an alternative of the Sport’s 17-inch discs. In the event you frequently learn automobile opinions, this paragraph is, certainly, foreboding. Learn on.

Inside: Blended Feelings

From the skin, the Jetta carries off a premium look with its styling. Nonetheless, the inside has a variety of plastic that allows you to know the place prices have been reduce. The general design is an enchancment, however we’d take some comfier seats inside over the dramatic exterior updates. There’s additionally a variety of cheap-feeling plastics that kill the temper.

We do not typically touch upon seat consolation as there may be principally a base stage of seat design, and from then on, physique varieties fluctuate. It is a huge a part of why everybody ought to sit in after which take a look at drive a automobile earlier than shopping for it. Nonetheless, the Jetta’s seats are objectively quite off-putting; we discovered the identical on our first drive with the Jetta GLI and expounded additional on the difficulty of the seats in our dialogue on how we might enhance the 2025 Jetta.

To search out out if we had been being overly important, we even received our neighbors to take a seat within the Jetta, and sadlym, they agreed with us. These aren’t seats we want to sit in for a protracted journey. Regardless of this, the neighbors had been impressed by how roomy the Jetta is inside for such a small automobile, which fits on to the trunk, which has far more house than you count on.

Infotainment: Significant Customary Enhancements

On the constructive facet, the beforehand customary 6.5-inch touchscreen has been changed with an eight-inch unit, which we discover an excellent measurement for on a regular basis use. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t customary on decrease trims, however Twin-zone computerized local weather management is now customary, and the brand new local weather touch-controls do a surprisingly good job contemplating Volkswagen’s observe file there.

The SEL mannequin comes with a 400-watt BeatsAudio system with eight audio system and a subwoofer, however it’s not one thing to get enthusiastic about. It seems like a system that is been inserted right into a automobile with out forethought. The bass is free and boomy, the highs are shrill, and the mids are muted. It is not as unhealthy because the JBL system within the Toyota Supra, however we’d begrudge paying further for it. It is flat-out unhealthy, and no tweaking of the EQ could make it sound prefer it ought to have the phrase premium connected to it.

Underneath The Hood: The Nice Commerce-Off

With solely 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque coming from the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, getting from a cease to sixty mph takes simply over seven seconds. Nonetheless, we noticed 37 mpg total by way of our week with a good quantity of driving up and down a mountain. The Jetta does not really feel gradual, and it is not fast off the road as the primary gear is brief – which means it helps the torque, which is totally obtainable at simply 1,750 rpm, get the car going.

*metropolis/freeway/mixed as per the EPA

Final yr’s six-speed handbook is finished away, though you possibly can nonetheless get it on the GLI if you wish to row your individual gears. We do not miss it an excessive amount of hear save for the truth that the beforehand non-obligatory computerized transmission that’s now customary is not nice. The quick first gear makes up for a scarcity of engine energy from the beginning, however the transmission does not rush to alter gears. For many who wish to hustle by way of a metropolis, it is not best, even with the early availability of the engine’s torque.

On The Street: Some Revision Nonetheless Wanted

Not serving to the uncomfortable seats is the combo of 18-inch wheels on low-sidewall tires and the suspension on our SEL trim tester. It registers wonderful with us in the event you solely ever drive on excellently constructed and maintained roads. On closely trafficked roads linking small cities, the trip grew to become annoying in a few locations the place we often would not discover something. Perhaps the 0.6-inch reducing of the suspension ought to stick with the Sport trim, the place you’ll count on to commerce trip consolation for a sportier angle. Mixing that with 18-wheels, effectively, it makes it exhausting to suggest the SEL trim.

Across the metropolis and on typical commuter roads, nonetheless, the Jetta turns into nice and straightforward to drive with mild steering and an total mild feeling to the automobile. On a again street, it is a nimble little automobile with nice physique management and first rate braking however it comes up quick within the enjoyable facet of driving dynamics in contrast with Honda’s Civic or the irrepressible Mazda 3. If you would like slightly extra out of your VW sedan, the GLI is a should:

Conclusion: Select Your Trim Properly

Once we say “select your trim properly,” we imply do not stretch for the SEL mannequin. As an alternative, benefit from the worth for cash and, presumably, higher trip high quality supplied by the lower-rung fashions, or the addition of an XDS differential on the Sport. Mainly, faux the SEL and its 18-inch wheels and BeatsAudio system do not exist. It is clear that Volkswagen’s product administration is decided to supply worth for cash in a handsome package deal that is not a penalty for not having over $25,000 to spend on a brand new automobile.

As a product with a function, the S, SE, and Sport trims obtain the targets of being handsome, sensible, feature-rich, and financially wise. That makes the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta effectively value a take a look at drive if these are the containers that want ticking.