The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Demure personality…
- … except in sporty GLI guise
- Big cabin
- Comfy ride
- Good fuel economy
Dislikes
- Styling blah
- Small standard screen
- Can get a bit expensive
- Low-rent touches here and there
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2024 VW Jetta delivers Teutonic solidity with economy car pricing.
What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta? What does it compare to?
The 2024 VW Jetta is a compact sedan with 4-cylinder power, a big cabin, and loads of safety tech. Most versions square off well against the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra, while the GLI does battle with the Kia Forte GT.
Is the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta a good car?
A strong overall choice available in a wide array of configurations, the 2024 Jetta boasts slick handling, a composed ride, and plenty of tech. It’s a 5.7 out of 10 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta?
The Jetta range sees few major changes for 2024, though most trim levels see modest equipment shuffling. All models now come with adaptive cruise control and active lane control, while a GLI 40th Anniversary Edition checks in with 228 hp and special trim for a bit under $30,000.
Carrying over conventional three-box styling with conservative, crisp lines, the 2024 Jetta is hardly a styling standout. GLI versions have zippier looks with hints of red trim, but the rest of the lineup is happy to be a wallflower. The Jetta’s cabin is spacious but light on thrills, too.
Jetta S, SE, and SEL versions use a 158-hp, 184 lb-ft of torque 1.4-liter turbo-4 teamed to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or an 8-speed automatic transmission. Don’t look for rapid acceleration or all-wheel drive, though the Jetta feels more fleet-of-foot than its non-turbo rivals. Better yet, fuel economy can touch 35 mpg combined, and real-world testing reveals that 40 mpg on the highway is no challenge.
The Jetta GLI comes with a 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at 228 hp good for a sub-six second sprint to 60 mph. Those models have a more buttoned-down feel thanks to their firmer suspension tuning and more sophisticated multi-link rear axle.
The Jetta’s cabin offers good space, though the standard 6.5-inch touchscreen is on the small side these days. The optional 8.0-incher fills that dash space a bit better. All versions come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Standard safety fare includes the expected automatic emergency braking, while adaptive cruise control and active lane control are newly standard. Most crash-test scores have been good, making the VW Jetta a safe overall choice.
How much does the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta cost?
VW wants $22,585 for the cheapest version of its 2024 Jetta. That’s a big bump over last year, though more safety tech helps justify that price hike. The sporty GLI checks in just north of $29,000 to start this year, making it a solid sport sedan choice.
Where is the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta made?
In Puebla, Mexico.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Styling
Bland outside, the 2024 VW Jetta hardly makes a styling statement.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta a good-looking car?
It’s not a memorable one. The Jetta’s three-box shape is highly conventional against far more daring designs from Kia, Hyundai, and even Nissan. We deduct a point for some quirky styling touches outside, but its interior is fine. It’s a 5 on the TCC scale.
Those low-excitement lines should hold up well over time, though. If you plan to keep your car for quite some time, the 2024 Jetta will probably look as fresh in a decade as it does today.
GLI versions up the ante with overstyle front and rear ends and plenty of bright red touches. They’re more interesting, if not necessarily better.
Inside, the Jetta has a driver-oriented dashboard with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen or an optional 8.0-inch display. Its purposeful lines ensure that basic controls are easy to sort out, but again, it’s light on flair.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Performance
The 2024 VW Jetta is a comfortable choice. Opt for a GLI and it’s a sporty one, too.
The latest Volkswagen Jetta won’t raise your pulse in most configurations, but it has a comfortable ride and competitive acceleration. S, SE, and SEL versions rate an even 5 on the TCC scale. GLIs would score higher for power and handling if rated independently.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta 4WD?
No, these are front-wheel-drive cars.
How fast is the Volkswagen Jetta?
Stick with the base 158-hp turbo-4 and you’ll have no problem keeping up with traffic. These models furnish good acceleration and work well with either the slick 6-speed manual transmission or the optional 8-speed automatic gearbox. That said, the automatic can become confused in repeated low-speed stop-and-go driving. It never knows if it should be in first, second, or third gear.
The Jetta GLI uses a 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at a hearty 228 hp to deliver brisk go from any speed. Its 6-speed manual gearbox is a great choice, though even the optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic suits its mission quite well.
All versions have quick, if light, steering, and a poised overall feel. The multi-link rear axle fitted to GLI models delivers far better handling and ride quality when pushed, though. Jetta Sport models also add an electronic limited-slip front differential that helps out when pushed hard into corners, though those after true sports-sedan maneuvers should step up to the GLI.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Comfort & Quality
The 2024 Jetta has a big, if not exactly lavish, cabin.
The 2024 Volkswagen Jetta is spacious but not posh inside. We rate it at 6 out of 10 due to above-average room for rear-seat passengers.
The front seat’s occupants will find decently supportive thrones in cloth, synthetic leather, or real hides. Step up to the GLI and you’ll find better bolstering. The rear bench is relatively flat but plenty spacious, with 37.4 inches of legroom and enough width to accommodate three abreast for shorter stints.
Out back, the 14.1 cubic-foot trunk benefits from a big opening. Small-item storage inside is generally quite good, too.
The Jetta’s cabin is loaded with tough and durable trim that imparts a serviceable feel rather than a luxurious one.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Safety
The 2024 VW Jetta comes with a wide range of active safety tech.
How safe is the Volkswagen Jetta?
It should be a pretty good choice, though its headlights prevent it from scoring higher than 7 here. It nets points above average for its standard crash-avoidance fare and for its five-star rating from the NHTSA.
This year, all models now have adaptive cruise control, active lane control, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitors, and automatic emergency braking. Models with an automatic transmission can also use their built-in telematics system to summon the authorities if a crash is detected.
The IIHS doesn’t give the Jetta a Top Safety Pick score because of subpar headlight performance. The latest moderate overlap frontal crash-test score is “Poor,” which worries us, too.
Outward vision impresses, however.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Features
The 2024 VW Jetta can be a pretty good value.
Volkswagen packs a decent amount of features into its 2024 Jetta. The lineup starts at $22,585 for the base S trim level, which comes with cloth seats, automatic windshield wipers, active safety tech, 16-inch alloy wheels, and a 6-speed manual transmission. Figure another $800 or so for an automatic, if you require one. Its 6.5-inch touchscreen is on the small side, though.
We score the range at 7 due to overall value and the 4-year/50,000-mile warranty that also includes two years of free maintenance.
Which Volkswagen Jetta should I buy?
Frankly, the base S is good enough for us. That said, the Sport runs about a grand more and adds heated front seats, a spare tire, and a limited-slip-style front differential. It’s worth the extra coin if you live in a cold climate, even if it’s really not much sportier.
The SEL models run around $30,000 with their leather trim, cooled front seats, 8.0-inch touchscreen, and Beats audio system. They don’t quite feel like budget BMWs inside, but they’re outfitted similarly.
How much is a fully loaded Volkswagen Jetta?
The Jetta GLI starts at $29,235 this year in limited-run 40th Anniversary guise. Those versions cost about $3,000 less than last year’s cheapest GLIs, making them a solid deal. Look for cloth seats, adaptive dampers, and an even more sophisticated front differential to make the most of their 228 hp.
GLIs can work their way into the mid-$30,000 range with leather, sunroof, and upgraded audio, but we think they’re still decent buys.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Fuel Economy
The 2024 VW Jetta makes us rethink the value of a hybrid car.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta good on gas?
It’s quite frugal. Our 5 out of 10 rating is about as high as we give for a gas-fueled car without hybrid tech.
The EPA’s estimates come in at an impressive 31 mpg city, 41 highway, 35 combined. A light foot can nudge these models closer to 45 mpg on the highway, though.
That said, models with bigger wheels check in at 29/40/33 mpg—at least on paper.
Manual gearbox models rate 29/42/34 mpg with the base turbo-4.
The GLI is rated at a still-impressive 30 mpg combined no matter the gearbox.