Starts at $32,715
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Pros
Cons
What's New for 2025?
Significantly revised this year, the Jetta GLI gets crisper exterior styling that's complemented by standard LED headlights, while inside there's a reshaped dashboard that unfortunately uses a touch-based climate control system rather than last year's foolproof three-knob layout. The significant price increase compared to 2024 is largely due to the fact that the well-equipped Autobahn trim is now the sole offering.
FAST FACTS
"It may seem odd that the GLI's competing against the GTI in this segment, but that's just because the GTI almost the only sport-compact hatchback left — it has nowhere else to go. Everything else in here is a sedan, and the GLI acquits itself quite well on the merits, from its sweet 2.0T four-cylinder engine to its athletic handling and exemplary high-speed composure. VW even decided to keep offering the three-pedal manual transmission with the GLI's refresh for 2025, which incidentally brought crisper styling that keeps this aging model looking fresh. Throw in nice-to-haves like a big backseat and good fuel economy, and you've got a recipe for a great affordable sport sedan, even if the mandatory 8-inch touchscreen looks and feels behind the times."—Ranked #4 out of 7 Sport Compact Cars
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
The GLI with the DSG transmission continues to be one of the top-driving sedans in its price bracket, providing one of the best dual-clutch automatics on the planet along with speedy acceleration and sporty handling. This is a value-packed car for those who appreciate precise driving machines, and the DSG certainly is precise, even if it's one pedal shy of perfection.
The Jetta GLI manual lives! Unlike the 2025 GTI, which ditches the stick, the 2025 GLI still offers a three-pedal setup to go with its crisply refreshed styling. By surviving the manual cull that has swept the industry in recent years, the GLI is automatically, as it were, a car of interest for all driving enthusiasts. Would we rather have a manual GTI? Absolutely, but we'll take what we can get. The swift, athletic and refined GLI is a nice consolation prize for stick-shift aficionados.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
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