VW's freshened '22 Jetta gets power boost

Volkswagen's freshened 2022 Jetta sedan will feature a slightly larger engine, more standard equipment, an additional trim level and modest styling changes intended to keep the brand's entry-level vehicle attractive to newcomers to VW.

Due in U.S. dealerships by the end of the year, the latest Jetta gets new front and rear fascias and a new grille to differentiate it from the outgoing model. It receives interior upgrades as well, including a standard 8-inch digital cockpit instrument cluster, heated side mirrors and Wi-Fi capability, along with VW's Car-Net infotainment software suite.

Under the hood, the previous standard 1.4-liter base engine has been replaced with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that makes 158 hp, up 11 hp from the previous model. The engine is mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, giving the Jetta more torque at lower rpms than the current engine.

The sporty Jetta GLI will come standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine paired to either a six-speed manual transmission or available seven-speed automatic gearbox that makes 228 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque.

VW has altered the Jetta's trim lineup for 2022, merging the current SEL and SEL-Premium trims into a single SEL trim level while adding a new Sport trim between the base-model S and midlevel SE trim packages. The base-level GLI trim was also eliminated, leaving the Autobahn as the only trim level.

On the driver-assistance front, the 2022 Jetta now comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, front-assist braking and pedestrian monitoring, as well as rear cross traffic alert. An optional driver-assistance package VW calls IQ Drive includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping and an active blind-spot monitor, all of which come standard on the GLI trim level.

The Jetta is VW's third-bestselling model in the U.S. behind the Tiguan and Atlas. Through the first half of the year, VW had sold 43,009 Jettas in the U.S., up 15 percent from a year earlier. Pricing details for the freshened model were not announced.

Even though sedan sales continue to fall, both for VW and the industry, Jetta "remains an important volume car for our brand," said Hein Schafer, senior vice president for product and strategy with VW Group of America. "There's still a place for compact sedans and we still want to compete in that segment with the Jetta."