2025 Volkswagen Jetta
I have never featured a Volkswagen car under review since I established this website almost 4 years ago (surprising I know!), so in light of being a little more daring this year, I decided to write about one of their more practical everyday cars, that’s right you guessed it, the Jetta! Now I have to say (without giving away too much just yet) the car itself has seen a couple of face lifts over the years and now it looks more like the 2022 Honda Civic in terms of exterior design and shape than any other car. Do you see it?
New for 2025
Obviously besides the more rounded shape this car has gotten over the years, there is more that was added to the 2025 model. A slightly refreshed fascia features new grille and headlamp designs – with the Sport trim and higher levels seeing a grille-spanning light bar option available for purchase at an extra cost. There is also a new trunk lid that comes with a standard full width light bar that connects the taillamps. For the SE version, the rims are available in a new 17 inch alloy design whereas the SEL version sees an 18 inch design.
When compared to 2024, the color options remain the same at 8 however there are 2 colors that are being added for 2025 which replace the 2 colors that were part of the 2024 options – Monterey Blue Pearl replaces Rising Blue Metallic and Alpine Grey replaces Opal White. The rest of the updates for the 2025 model will be featured under the appropriate headings so keep reading to find out!
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The Jetta has always been one of Volkswagen’s more affordable cars and 2025 is no different – which is a relief for consumers given the fact how crazy things have been recently in the economy. The base price of one of these is $23,220 (for the S model) and pricing goes all the way up to $30,225 for the top of the line model (SE). Of course, this is just standard pricing that does not factor in for upgrades and other paid for options this vehicle offers.
Although the S model has the best looking price across the other 3 options, Car and Driver recommends opting for the Sport level trim. The cost of this model is $24,500 which isn’t far off from the S model but trust me, it’ll be worth more for your money to make this purchase. For 2025, the Sport trim level sees the following features:
- Black pattern-embossed molecular cloth seats (that first appear on the GLI 40th Edition)
- Front anti-roll bar
- Volkswagen’s XDS brake-based limited-slip differential
- Standard 17 inch alloy wheels
- Heated front seats
- Stainless-steel pedal trim
- Black window trim and mirror caps
- 60/40 folding rear seat
Convinced yet? I thought so!
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The 2025 Jetta features a turbocharged 1.5 litre four cylinder engine under the hood that helps make 168 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It now comes available in 2 different transmission options – a 6 speed manual which is only available for the Jetta GLI and an 8 speed automatic that can handle the gear swaps no matter the trim it comes in. The chassis has been tuned to allow for a more quiet and comfortable ride rather than having a strict handling experience, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not entertaining within it’s limits. And although the steering isn’t as precise as the GLI’s siblings if you want to talk about “performance”, well let’s just say in this case it’s more of a pleasant and relaxing vibe all around so don’t expect to get where you’re going in lightning speed with this car.
0-60 MPH
For this section the SE model (equipped with an automatic transmission) will be referred to. This version made it from 0-60 MPH in 7.1 seconds. Okay so not the fastest but then again, this car isn’t meant to be considered a sports car, it’s more of an everyday car so these numbers are justifiable – even if just for me.
Fuel Economy and Real World MPG
The Jetta has always been considered to be a miserly car – simply because you can get a good car at a cheap price (no matter what make and model you decide to get) and the same holds true for this release. Of all of the models in the lineup for the Jetta, the base S (with automatic transmission) takes the top honor for EPA ratings with 31 MPG city and 41 MPG highway.
The other trims – Sport, SE, and SEL see slightly lower ratings due to the varying equipment differences, only achieving 29 MPG city and 40 MPG highway. When the previous models (equipped with automatic transmissions) were considered into this equation they actually did better exceeding their EPA Highway estimates, reaching an impressive 42 MPG. To find out more about the Jetta’s fuel economy, please visit the EPA’s official website linked here.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
In terms of the interior features of this car, it is quite similar to its Golf sibling in that it provides a comfortable amount of front passenger head, shoulder, and legroom with the rear passenger section mimicking the same roomy feeling too. Although not fashionable, the interior design can be described as contemporary and even sees an increase on availability when it comes to feature content, across the different trim levels (getting better the higher you go). The cabin caters to the driver and gives off good vibes all around.
The base S model comes with:
- Cloth upholstery
- Manually adjustable seats
- Useful door pockets
- A deep center console bin
Features such as ambient interior lighting, wireless device charging, and ventilated front seats are reserved for the more expensive models.
On average, the Jetta can hold up to 7 bags in the trunk (3 more added to this if the back seats are folded down).
Infotainment and Connectivity
The Jetta S, Sport, and SE trims get a basic 8 inch digital gauge cluster whereas the SEL trim sees a 10.3 inch fully customizable setup. Previously this car featured a smaller 6.5 inch touchscreen (which was fully removed and replaced with the 8” for 2025), however, the tiny but mighty hard knobs for volume and tuning remain on either side of the touchscreen. Another feature that was removed for 2025 is the simple and well known three dial HVAC control setup being replaced with a more finicky touch setup as seen in other Volkswagen products.
A 4 speaker audio system comes standard, with the SE seeing a 6 speaker setup and SEL getting an 8 speaker Beats Audio rig. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both compatible across the line up coming standard on the SE and SEL trims which see wireless charging capabilities as well. This model also comes standard with the Car-Net feature and 2 USB-C ports.
Fun Fact: Every Jetta has a mobile hotspot – that is as long as you’re willing to pay for a subscription-based data plan.
Safety and Driver Assistance Features
In terms of safety, the NHTSA gives the 2025 Jetta a 5 star overall rating. Even if you were to opt for the base level of this car, you would still get the same safety features that are offered in the higher trim levels which are as follows:
- Standard forward collision warning and automated emergency braking
- Standard blindspot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert
- Available adaptive cruise control with stop and go technology
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Volkswagen sits on both sides of the teeter totter when it comes to the Warranty and Maintenance coverage. On one side, it features above average limited warranty which includes warranty that covers 4 years or 50,000 miles and on the other it features below-average powertrain coverage that only covers 4 years or 50,000 miles. To try and help balance everything out, Volkswagen does provide complimentary service coverage for 2 years or 20,000 miles.
Final Thoughts
Why not check out a post we featured a while ago on JDM car culture. It’s worth the read!