Model research hub
Volkswagen Jetta
Car and Driver says the Jetta is the final holdout of German-origin compact cars in the U.S. following the standard Golf hatchback's demise, a value play priced below key rivals like the Honda Civic and Mazda 3, with a spacious cabin, a 158-hp turbocharged inline-four boasting great fuel efficiency, and standard features aplenty, though it might not be the most exciting compact around unless you look to the Jetta GLI, ranking #5 in Best Compact Cars. MotorTrend rates the 2026 Jetta 8.0/10, saying it faces stiff competition from the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Mazda 3 and has fallen behind the pack in a few ways, though it gets most of the basics right with a spacious interior and commendable fuel economy, and this is the final model year for the Jetta's manual transmission, with the non-GLI version's engine still suffering from refinement issues and sluggish acceleration.
The last German compact car standing
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the Jetta is the final holdout of German-origin compact cars in the U.S. following the standard Golf hatchback's demise, a value play priced below key rivals like the Honda Civic and Mazda 3, with a spacious cabin and a 158-hp turbocharged inline-four boasting great fuel efficiency.
2026 is the manual transmission's last year
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) rates the 2026 Jetta 8.0/10, saying this is the final model year for the Jetta's manual transmission, with the non-GLI version's engine still suffering from refinement issues and sluggish acceleration.
Solid basics, but falling behind the pack
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says the Jetta faces stiff competition from the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Mazda 3 and has fallen behind the pack in a few ways, though it gets most of the basics right with a spacious interior and commendable fuel economy.
Questions buyers ask
Is 2026 the last year for the manual Volkswagen Jetta?
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says yes, it's the final model year for the manual transmission.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta the last German compact car sold in the US?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says yes, following the standard Golf hatchback's demise.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is built around 1.5L turbo four-cylinder, rated at 158 horsepower across its compact sedan body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2025 U.S. lineup has 4 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2025 Jetta seats 5 and is a Compact sedan.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 28 owner complaints for the 2025 Jetta.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
Every 2025 Jetta uses the same 158-horsepower 1.5L turbo engine; the four trims separate by appearance and comfort equipment instead of powertrain.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
3 indexed Volkswagen Jetta model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Volkswagen Jetta | 2027 record → | |
| 2026 Volkswagen Jetta | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Volkswagen Jetta | 2025 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Volkswagen Jetta.
The Volkswagen Jetta () is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche slightly above the Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations, variously as the Atlantic, Vento, Bora, City Jetta, Jetta City, GLI, Jetta, Clasico, and Sagitar (in China). The Jetta has been offered in two- and four-door saloon/sedan and sometimes as five-door wagon/estate versions.
Source: Volkswagen Jetta (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Volkswagen Jetta generations
The Volkswagen Jetta has been redesigned in 1984, 1992, 1999, 2005, 2010, 2018, gaps of 5, 8, 7, 6, 5, 8 years, an average of 6.5 years between generations. The current generation (seventh generation, A7) began in 2018.
| Generation | Code | Began | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | A1, Type 16 | 1979–1984 | Although the Golf (known as the Rabbit in the US and Canada) reached considerable success in the North American markets, Volkswagen saw that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration. |
| Second generation | A2, Type 20E/1G | 1984–1992 | The second generation of the Jetta is the longest-running so far. |
| Third generation | A3, Typ 1H | 1992–1999 | For its third generation, the Jetta was renamed the Volkswagen Vento in European countries, following the precedent of naming cars after winds ("Vento" means "wind" in both Portuguese and Italian). |
| Fourth generation | A4, Typ 1J | 1999–2005 | Production of the fourth generation began in July 1999. |
| Fifth generation | A5, Typ 1K5 | 2005–2010 | The fifth generation Jetta debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 5 January 2005. |
| Sixth generation | A6, Typ 5C6 | 2010–2018 | The sixth-generation Volkswagen Jetta, known as the NCS (New Compact Sedan) during its development, was announced for the North American market on 16 June 2010. |
| Seventh generation | A7 | 2018–present | The seventh-generation 2018 (2019 in the US) Jetta debuted at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, on 14 January 2018, after Volkswagen released an exterior design sketch in December 2017. |
NHTSA rated the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.
Recent recalls (2 campaigns across the latest model years)
- March 2026, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Jetta and Taos vehicles. The instrument panel may fail to display warning lights or gauges. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number… Consequence: An instrument panel that does not display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
- March 2026, Electrical System:Wiring. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Jetta vehicles. The transmission ground wire may not have been properly connected during assembly, causing an open electrical circuit. Consequence: An open circuit may draw a higher current and increase the risk of a fire.
Owners filed 28 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about forward collision avoidance (6), power train (6), unknown or other (5).
Year by year
The Volkswagen Jetta across 13 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints | NHTSA overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Volkswagen Jetta | 33–34 | $1,900–$1,950 | 2 | |||
| 2026 Volkswagen Jetta | 33–34 | $1,850–$1,900 | 2 | 1 | 5 stars | |
| 2025 Volkswagen Jetta | 33 | $1,900 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 5 stars |
| 2024 Volkswagen Jetta | 33–34 | $1,850–$1,900 | 3 | 41 | 5 stars | |
| 2023 Volkswagen Jetta | 33–35 | $1,800–$1,900 | 3 | 42 | 5 stars | |
| 2022 Volkswagen Jetta | 33–35 | $1,800–$1,900 | 3 | 1 | 42 | 5 stars |
| 2021 Volkswagen Jetta | 28–34 | $1,850–$2,250 | 4 | 4 | 67 | 5 stars |
| 2020 Volkswagen Jetta | 28–34 | $1,850–$2,250 | 4 | 6 | 51 | 5 stars |
| 2019 Volkswagen Jetta | 28–34 | $1,850–$2,250 | 4 | 11 | 545 | 5 stars |
| 2018 Volkswagen Jetta | 27–33 | $1,900–$2,300 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 5 stars |
| 2017 Volkswagen Jetta | 27–33 | $1,900–$2,300 | 5 | 7 | 159 | 5 stars |
| 2016 Volkswagen Jetta | 27–44 | $1,750–$2,300 | 7 | 5 | 161 | 5 stars |
| 2015 Volkswagen Jetta | 26–44 | $1,750–$3,000 | 9 | 8 | 194 | 5 stars |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Volkswagen Jetta, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 33.0 to 33.5 | |||
| 2024 to 2025 | 3 to 2 | 33.5 to 33.0 | Transmissions: Manual 6-spd | |
| 2023 to 2024 | 34.0 to 33.5 | |||
| 2022 to 2023 | Labels: Jetta Sport/SE/SEL | Labels: Jetta SE/SEL | ||
| 2021 to 2022 | 4 to 3 | 31.0 to 34.0 | Labels: Jetta SE/SEL; Engines: 1.5L 4-cyl SIDI | Labels: Jetta GLI; Engines: 1.4L 4-cyl SIDI, 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7) |
| 2020 to 2021 | Labels: Jetta GLI | |||
| 2019 to 2020 | Labels: Jetta GLI | |||
| 2018 to 2019 | 30.0 to 31.0 | Labels: Jetta GLI; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7), Automatic (S8), Manual 6-spd | Engines: 1.8L 4-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S6), Automatic (S6), Manual 5-spd | |
| 2017 to 2018 | 5 to 4 | Transmissions: Manual 6-spd | ||
| 2016 to 2017 | 7 to 5 | 35.5 to 30.0 | Labels: Jetta Hybrid; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7); Fuels: Premium | |
| 2015 to 2016 | 9 to 7 | 35.0 to 35.5 | Engines: 2L 4-cyl; Fuels: Diesel |
Buying used
What the Volkswagen Jetta recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | electrical system (wiring) | None |
| 2025 | 2 | electrical system (wiring); electrical system (instrument cluster/panel) | None |
| 2022 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2021 | 4 | back over prevention (sensing system); seats; air bags (air bag/restraint control module) | None |
| 2020 | 6 | service brakes, hydraulic (foundation components); seats; air bags (air bag/restraint control module); 3 more | None |
| 2019 | 11 | exterior lighting (headlights); electrical system (instrument cluster/panel); suspension (rear); 6 more | 1 stop-driving or park-outside |
| 2018 | 3 | electrical system (ignition); service brakes, hydraulic (foundation components); fuel system, gasoline (fuel injection system) | None |
| 2017 | 7 | engine and engine cooling; equipment (other); electrical system (ignition); 2 more | None |
| 2016 | 5 | engine and engine cooling; fuel system, gasoline (fuel injection system); electrical system (ignition); 1 more | None |
| 2015 | 8 | seats; exterior lighting (headlights); fuel system, gasoline (fuel injection system); 5 more | None |
Recalls that told owners to stop driving or park outside
- 2019, campaign 19V-879 (Dec 2019): wheels. The excessive stress can cause steering, traction or other stability issues or breakage relating to the front wheels, and increase the risk of a crash.
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 333 | 24% | 2019 (154) |
| engine | 318 | 23% | 2019 (147) |
| power train | 247 | 18% | 2019 (162) |
| unknown or other | 241 | 18% | 2019 (95) |
| service brakes | 154 | 11% | 2019 (29) |
| fuel/propulsion system | 134 | 10% | 2017 (29) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Volkswagen Jetta trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5T S | FWD | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 184 | 2,998 | – | 34 | $25,270 |
| 1.5T Sport | FWD | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 184 | 3,058 | – | 33 | $26,580 |
| 1.5T SE | FWD | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 184 | 3,058 | – | 33 | $28,260 |
| 1.5T SEL | FWD | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 184 | 3,058 | – | 33 | $31,270 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Volkswagen Jetta model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 2,998–3,058 | – | – |
| 2025 | 4 | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 3,012–3,071 | – | 13.2 |
| 2024 | 4 | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 2,974–3,036 | – | 13.2 |
| 2023 | 4 | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 2,989 | – | 13.2 |
| 2022 | 4 | 1.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 158 | 2,989 | – | 13.2 |
| 2021 | 5 | 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 147 | 2,965 | – | 13.5 |
| 2020 | 5 | 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 147 | – | – | 13.2 |
| 2019 | 5 | 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 147 | 2,970 | – | 13.2 |
| 2018 | 6 | 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 1.8-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 150–210 | 3,009–3,208 | – | 14.5 |
| 2017 | 6 | 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 1.8-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 150–210 | 3,025–3,194 | – | 14.5 |
| 2016 | 8 | 1.4-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 4-Cyl, PZEV, 1.8T / 4-Cyl, Hybrid, 1.4T +1 | 150–170 | 3,025–3,371 | – | 11.9–14.5 |
| 2015 | 11 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder / 4-Cyl, Turbo Dsl, 2.0L / 4-Cyl, PZEV, 1.8T +2 | 115–170 | 2,859–3,312 | – | 11.9–14.5 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Volkswagen Jetta.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | – | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
| 2022 | – | DOT 4 | – | – | – |
| 2021 | 0W-30 | – | – | – | – |
| 2019 | 0W-30 | – | – | – | – |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Model-year recall record
Volkswagen Jetta: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
Fewer recalls than this model’s own average
- 2026 Volkswagen Jetta : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 4.8).
- 2022 Volkswagen Jetta : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 4.8).
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2019 Volkswagen Jetta : 11 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and suspension.
- 2015 Volkswagen Jetta : 8 recalls on file, most commonly affecting unspecified and brakes.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | not available | electrical system |
| 2025 | 2 | 24 | electrical system |
| 2024 | 41 | ||
| 2023 | 42 | ||
| 2022 | 1 | 42 | backup camera |
| 2021 | 4 | 67 | backup camera, seats, airbags |
| 2020 | 6 | 51 | seats, airbags, brakes, tires |
| 2019 | 11 | 545 | electrical system, suspension, unspecified, exterior lighting |
| 2018 | 3 | 31 | fuel system, brakes, electrical system |
| 2017 | 7 | 159 | equipment, fuel system, brakes, electrical system |
| 2016 | 5 | 161 | fuel system, brakes, electrical system, engine cooling |
| 2015 | 8 | 194 | unspecified, brakes, electrical system, airbags |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Volkswagen Jetta model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Volkswagen Jetta?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2026, 2022 carried fewer recalls than this model's own average, while 2019, 2015 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Volkswagen Jetta model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta has 11 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, suspension, unspecified; The 2015 Volkswagen Jetta has 8 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting unspecified, brakes, electrical system. Always confirm the open/completed status of every campaign for the specific VIN: a recall on this list may already be repaired on the vehicle in front of you.
Q03Which Volkswagen Jetta model years have the cleanest federal recall record?
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta has 1 recall on file; The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta has 1 recall on file: below this model's own average of 4.8. A shorter list on file as of this page's data pull is not a guarantee against a future recall.
Q04What are common recall-related problems on the Volkswagen Jetta by model year?
2026: electrical system. 2025: electrical system. 2022: backup camera. 2021: backup camera, seats, airbags. 2020: seats, airbags, brakes, tires. 2019: electrical system, suspension, unspecified, exterior lighting.
Q05Why do some Volkswagen Jetta model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Volkswagen Jetta model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Brakes, tires and steering, Climate and electrical, Buying, records and recalls, Engine and cooling.
2019 Volkswagen Jetta owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Brakes, tires and steering.
2015 Volkswagen Jetta owners specifically: see Brakes, tires and steering and Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls.
Compared with
Models this Volkswagen Jetta is most often compared with.
Nearest Volkswagen models
Other Volkswagen models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2025 Jetta come in?
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta (compact sedan) comes in 4 trims: S, Sport, SE, SEL.
Q02What are the 2025 Jetta trims?
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta trims are S, Sport, SE, SEL, listed from the entry S up to the top SEL.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2025 Jetta use?
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is built around 1.5L turbo four-cylinder, rated at 158 horsepower across its compact sedan body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2025 Jetta have?
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is rated at 158 horsepower (1.5L turbo four-cylinder).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2025 Jetta?
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is offered with FWD.