2025 Volkswagen Jetta: Refreshed Looks, Affordable Price
Competes with: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra
Looks like: A sharper, crisper version of the 2024 Jetta, now with more design elements cribbed from the GTI
Powertrain: 158-horsepower, turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder or 228-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; eight-speed automatic (1.5-liter) or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or six-speed manual transmission (2.0-liter); front-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: End of third quarter 2024
Volkswagen’s refreshed 2025 Jetta compact sedan gets a modest restyle with a few extra standard features and a slightly lower base price than last year’s equivalent variant. The hotter Jetta GLI returns, as well, complete with an upgraded independent suspension, a more powerful engine and a choice of two performance-oriented transmissions.
Related: It’s Back! Full Volkswagen Jetta Line Returns for 2024 Priced From $22,660
A Sharper Image
The Jetta took a few notes from the Golf GTI hatchback in its 2025 redesign, featuring narrower headlights with a thinner upper grille between them, although the sharp character lines down the side and the presence of a trunk mean you won’t mistake this for anything but a Jetta. Speaking of the trunk, it gets a redesign, too, with a cool full-width light bar running between the taillights. Trims higher than the base S variant can also spec a new front light bar to backlight the upper grille.
The 2025 model year also brings two new paint colors (Monument Gray and Monterey Blue Pearl) and several new wheel options. The SE trim offers new 17-inch aluminum wheels, and the SEL and GLI trims offer 18-inch alloy wheels. SE and GLI trims can spec a new black wheel package, as well.
That Familiar Feeling
Volkswagen’s biggest focus with the 2025 Jetta refresh was keeping its bestselling model in North America affordable in light of higher interest rates pushing customers to downsize and look for an excellent value. As such, VW opted to keep the same platform and engines in the Jetta and Jetta GLI for 2025. Non-GLI Jettas will keep the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 158 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Unfortunately, the regular Jetta loses its optional six-speed manual transmission for 2025, but at least it’s still available on the Jetta GLI.
The GLI also keeps its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 228 hp and 258 pounds-feet of torque. GLI buyers can choose from a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The GLI retains its independent rear suspension in place of the regular Jetta’s torsion-beam rear suspension, and it also features adaptive dampers, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, an electronic differential lock, a sport exhaust and larger brakes.
A Few More Features, But a Few Less Buttons
Inside the new Jetta is a sleek redesigned dashboard, which features a newly standard 8-inch infotainment display and a cool three-bar design across the dashboard that camouflages the upper dashboard air vents. Trim levels carry over from the 2024 model year and range from the base S up through the Sport, SE, SEL and GLI Autobahn (which we’ve just called GLI in this preview as it’s the only GLI trim).
To make the Jetta an even better value, Volkswagen shifted some options from the SEL trim and above to the SE trim, including SiriusXM satellite radio, voice controls, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. That wireless charging pad is now a cooled 15-watt system, allowing it to charge at an even faster rate without heating up your phone as much.
The climate control system’s simple set of physical knobs and buttons will be replaced with a standard dual-zone system with a more futuristic-looking but polarizing-to-use set of touch-sensitive controls, nearly identical to the one found in the Tiguan. Fortunately, the Jetta’s are backlit and feature grooves that make them easier to use. The GLI also has backlit touch-sensitive controls on its heated steering wheel; however, Volkswagen representatives confirmed to Cars.com that they plan to move back to more conventional steering wheel controls soon, similar to how they did for the 2024 Golf GTI.
Gray or black cloth interiors with brushed silver accents are standard on lower-trim Jettas, with the Sport variant getting the black embossed cloth that debuted on the 2024 Jetta GLI 40th Anniversary Edition. The SE gets a perforated suede-style leatherette interior that’s available in two-tone gray and black or blue and gray. The SEL and GLI trims both feature perforated leather seating, with two-tone gray and black and brown and black interiors available for the SEL and a trim-exclusive gray, red and black tri-tone interior with contrasting red stitching for the GLI.
More From Cars.com:
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- 2024 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Celebrates 40 Years With Anniversary Edition
- 2023 Volkswagen Jetta Lineup Largely Left Alone, Starts at $21,760
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Standard Safety Features
All new Jettas come standard with VW’s IQ.Drive suite of safety features, which includes a bunch of popular safety items: forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active blind spot monitor, rear traffic alert, lane departure steering assist and VW’s semi-autonomous driving system, Travel Assist. Non-manual transmission Jettas also get Emergency Assist, which can detect when the driver may have had a medical emergency and call for help.
Availability and Pricing
Full pricing will not be available until closer to the car’s release date, but we do know the base Jetta S will start at $23,220 (including $1,225 destination). That’s a little higher than the old base trim’s starting price, which came with a manual transmission. However, when compared to the automatic 2024 Jetta S — which is more likely to appear on U.S. dealership lots anyway — the new 2025 Jetta S is $240 cheaper.
The new Jetta and Jetta GLI hit dealerships toward the end of the third quarter of this year.
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