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Sadly, the humble sedan is a dying breed. Models like the Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Malibu, once staples on American roads, have been replaced by larger, taller SUVs. Still, a few noble four-door cars remain. With its sporty feel and upscale looks, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI stands out as one of the best.
Photo: Tim Stevens
For the 2025 model year, Volkswagen introduces significant updates to the front and rear of the Jetta, along with a few new colors, including Monterey Blue Pearl (seen here), to give this sedan a more upscale appearance. The complete list of changes includes:
Additionally, if you're a fan of manual transmissions, starting in 2025, the GLI is the only way to get your three-pedal fix.
For 2025, the Volkswagen Jetta is available in S, Sport, SE, SEL, and GLI Autobahn trim levels, with prices ranging from $24,220 to $34,400, including the destination charge.
For this 2025 Jetta review, Volkswagen provided a test vehicle equipped with GLI Autobahn trim, Monterey Blue Pearl paint with a Deep Black roof, Grigio and Titan Black leather interior, and the following options:
The GLI Black package features 18-inch wheels, as shown here, and black side mirrors. The seven-speed DCT (VW refers to it as a Direct Shift Gearbox, or DSG) is a no-cost option, replacing the standard six-speed manual transmission. Additionally, the paint color is also available at no extra cost.
The test vehicle's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was $34,590, including the $1,225 destination charge to ship the sedan to a local dealership from the Puebla, Mexico, assembly plant.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The Jetta's familiar shape hasn't changed much in quite some time. The current generation has been on the market since 2018, and it wasn't a significant shift from the sixth generation that came before.
The 2025 model also doesn't introduce many significant changes in styling. However, this update enhances the sedan's appearance, making it look more modern and upscale. The new headlights have a slightly more aggressive angle in the front. At the back, the redesigned taillights span the full width of the trunk lid.
While the base Jetta comes with 16-inch wheels, the GLI version offers 18-inch wheels in two styles: a 10-spoke, two-tone design for the standard model, or entirely black in the Black package, as shown here.
Two new colors are also available for the 2025 model year: Monument Gray and Monterey Blue Pearl, shown here. The pearl effect is very subtle, and I don't think the blue pairs particularly well with the red highlights along the front fascia of this GLI, but that doesn't stop it from being a beautiful color. In fact, it's my favorite in the palette.
Photo: Tim Stevens
For 2025, Volkswagen further emphasizes its touch-sensitive interface. This design eschews buttons for a sleek, clean look, but it can be awkward to operate. Besides the touch controls on the steering wheel, the HVAC controls are now a flat panel with touch-sensitive icons that manage everything from seat heating (standard on Sport and above) and ventilation (standard on SEL and above) to adjusting temperature and fan speeds.
If you're someone who sets a temperature, switches the system to Auto, and then never touches the HVAC panel again, you probably won't notice much difference. However, if you're constantly adjusting temperatures, fan speeds, and airflow directions to suit your needs, you might find this interface a bit awkward at times. The good news is that all these controls are operable with gloves on, and the panel is very easy to clean—something that can’t be said for traditional buttons and sliders.
The touch controls on the steering wheel continue to use a single, capacitive surface instead of separate buttons. This makes it harder to find controls by touch and easier to tap the wrong one accidentally. Luckily, Volkswagen has already confirmed that buttons will be returning for 2026.
Above the HVAC panel is the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen system, now standard on all trims. Luckily, Volkswagen kept the volume knob, along with a second knob for scrolling through the touch interface. A few touch-sensitive labels around the touchscreen help you navigate the interface. Everything else is controlled through the touchscreen.
The software interface is basic but functional, offering access to numerous media sources, including AM/FM/SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and various Internet streaming stations.
There is no standard integrated navigation, and while you can activate it for a $95 yearly fee, you're probably better off relying on either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, both of which are supported wirelessly.
If you prefer not to use touch, a basic voice assistant is available, but its features are limited. You can't even adjust the cabin temperature. All you can do is get some limited information about your car and make music requests.
Music plays through an eight-speaker Beats-branded sound system with a subwoofer, which is reasonably powerful and provides decent fidelity but becomes slightly distorted at higher volumes.
Otherwise, the Jetta's interior offers little to get excited about. The added red highlights and stitching help to liven up the grays and blacks that dominate the cabin, creating a look that's far from racy but has a certain upscale vibe. That's despite materials being somewhat inconsistent. The leather upholstery on the seats is comfortable, although they somewhat lack the support you'd expect in a sport sedan. The plastics used on the center console and door panels feel a bit harsh.
However, there's comfortable seating for four, or five in a pinch, with ample legroom and headroom in both the front and rear, despite the sunroof above.
Photo: Tim Stevens
A good sport sedan should have suspension that's firm enough to be fun but comfortable enough for daily driving, along with good power and an overall feel that's engaging without being tiring. The 2025 Jetta GLI hits those different targets with aplomb.
Its output of 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine won't earn many awards. Still, for a car available at just over $30,000, it impresses. There is some turbo lag—the annoying delay between pressing the accelerator and the car's response—but the quick-shifting, seven-speed DCT makes it easy to keep the engine in its optimal power range.
The GLI provides four standard drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Normal, and Sport. When you switch between them, the car's transmission and throttle become more responsive, and the standard adaptive suspension also stiffens. If none of these options suit you, there's a fifth option—Custom mode—which lets you customize parameters such as steering weight and the volume of the car's augmented engine sound.
On its firmest and most responsive setting, the GLI is genuinely fun to drive. It turns in smoothly, and while the steering feel isn't perfect, there's enough to tell when the front tires are losing grip. Chances are you'll hear them before you feel them, though. They get quite chatty when pushed.
Regardless, the GLI will handle your favorite roads well, while those shift paddles on the back of the steering wheel, combined with the ultra-quick shifting from the transmission, mean you'll always have the right gear.
The suspension can feel quite harsh in some cases, especially on concrete highway sections with sudden, frequent expansion joints. However, when you switch to Comfort mode, it becomes significantly smoother and more comfortable, much like a premium sedan should feel.
On the highway, the Jetta's adaptive cruise control effectively detects traffic early and adjusts the speed accordingly. The lane centering assistance system also does a good job of keeping the car centered in its lane. However, the system frustratingly struggled to detect my presence. Every few minutes, the car would chime, urging me to keep my hands on the steering wheel, even though they very much were. This forced me to give the wheel a shimmy every so often to stop the beeping.
Regarding efficiency, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is officially rated at 29 mpg combined. In my testing, it performed significantly better, averaging 34.2 mpg in mixed driving conditions.
Photo: Tim Stevens
Sedans might be a dying breed, but the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn still proves its worth on the road. It isn't the fastest or most maneuverable sport sedan out there, but its fun factor and affordable price make it a very appealing choice.
It doesn't quite match the practicality of its hatchback sibling, the Volkswagen GTI, but it's more engaging than the Honda Civic Si and much less manic than the Hyundai Elantra N. Clearly, the Jetta GLI is a solid all-around choice and worth a test drive.
Tim Stevens is a veteran automotive and technology journalist with over 25 years of experience covering a wide range of topics, from smartphones to supercars. In addition to JDPower.com, his expert perspectives have appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including print, online, and broadcast television.
