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What's New for 2025?
Treated to significant revisions this year, the Jetta gets a redesigned dashboard with standard 8-inch touchscreen across the board, though it's no great shakes compared to rivals. The manual transmission is gone (check out the sportier GLI if that's a must-have), as is the three-knob climate control system, replaced by a touch-based setup that can be awkward to use. Tasteful exterior styling updates, including standard LED headlights, make the Jetta look more upscale than before.
FAST FACTS
"The Jetta has a new lease on life, thanks to a 2025 refresh that artfully sharpened this aging model's styling. It already had strong fundamentals, from its lively turbocharged engine (0-60 in 7.1 seconds) to its robust fuel economy (40 mpg highway) and unusually spacious backseat. You'll feel the Jetta's age when you interact with its 8-inch touchscreen, which is smaller and less crisp than most rival units, while the new-for-2025 touch-based climate controls are a case of tech overload — the previous three-knob interface was superior. We're still big Jetta fans, though. There's a lot of sophisticated European character here for the money, and if that 0-60 time isn't quite doing it for you, the brawnier Jetta GLI beckons, albeit at a much higher price."—Ranked #2 out of 7 Compact Sedans
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. There's only one standalone version of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, and here it is, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
Offered in just one configuration now that the manual transmission is no more, the 2025 Jetta pairs nicely updated styling with the same overachieving powertrain as last year. That means you can expect both sprightly acceleration and great fuel economy, with the higher trims — Sport, SE and SEL — oddly offering an extra mpg on the highway, achieving an even 40-mpg rating. The base Jetta S gets 39 mpg highway, says the EPA, so if you want a no-frills Jetta at the starting price quoted here, you'll have the 39-mpg version. All Jettas are rated at the same 33 mpg combined, though, so it's safe to say you're getting about the same efficiency no matter what. As an added bonus, the 2025 Jetta starts slightly lower pricewise than did the 2024 Jetta with the automatic.
The 2025 Jetta is offered in just one mechanical configuration. Hit the link or button to read our editorial summary and see detailed specs.
| Version | Price | Fuel | MPG | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Volkswagen Jetta 1.5T | $21,995 | Gas | 33 | 158 hp | 184 lb-ft |
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008. Prior to founding MotorDonkey, he spent 15 years shaping Edmunds' expert automotive content in various capacities, starting as an associate editor and ultimately serving as a senior editor before wrapping up with a five-year term as the company's first-ever director of content strategy. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has driven, compared and critiqued thousands of cars in his career. Helping people find their perfect car never gets old—seriously!
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