Volkswagen Jetta GLI: Test Drive of the Week

Do small sedans still have a place in the market? That's a question I can definitely answer now that I've spent a week behind the wheel of the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI.

Firstly, for those who are not familiar with this version, it's not exactly a Jetta in the style of the Golf GTI, although it's very close to reality. The technical specifications of the two cars are similar, but there are some important differences between the GTI and the GLI, especially in terms of wheels and interior finishing. Its road behavior is also very different from that of the Golf GTI, even though they share the same good elements.

Lineup and Engines

When you consider that the average price of a new vehicle is around $60,000 in 2023, one might tend to think that a $25,000 car would be dull, poorly constructed, and full of flaws. The starting price of the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta is $25,760, and there is no more robust and balanced car on the market, especially in this price range. On the other hand, the Jetta GLI is slightly more expensive with a starting price of $35,560, which is still very competitive for a car of this caliber.

Trendline - $25,760

Comfortline - $28,760

Highline - $30,160

GLI - $36,960

Two engine options are available for the Volkswagen Jetta. First, there's a small 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that covers almost the entire range of the German sedan. This engine delivers 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It can be paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission. The second engine option is unique to the GLI version, and it's a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Here, you can choose between a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Design, Amenities, and Technologies

The Jetta is both a simple and technologically advanced car. The German manufacturer has done an excellent job with the design to make it very elegant, and that applies to all versions of the sedan. The interior is understated, but the finishing remains of high quality. In short, it's a typical German car. The seats are very comfortable, the cabin is spacious, and the trunk is very roomy. The Jetta offers one of the nicest dashboards in its category. Volkswagen has also done an excellent job with the ambient lighting, which gives us the impression that we're in a luxury car. The Jetta's infotainment system is fairly easy to use, and the most useful controls are easy to find.

The Version on Trial

As I tested the GLI version, you may have understood that the Jetta I had for a week was powered by a 2.0-liter engine, and for this occasion, Volkswagen opted for the dual-clutch transmission. Although nothing beats a good old manual transmission, the dual-clutch transmission remains effective thanks to excellent programming. As for fuel consumption, I managed to maintain an average of 7.5L/100 km during my test, while the manufacturer claims an average of 7.9L/100 km with this engine.

Volkswagen provided me with a red-colored car that was very pretty, but I would have liked to see the Jetta GLI in another color, especially to allow the contrasting red elements to stand out better.

The Driving Experience

The Volkswagen Jetta has a major advantage over the competition because it is part of the large Volkswagen family. As a result, it benefits from technologies and manufacturing techniques that are applied to other models, such as Lamborghini, Porsche, and Audi. This means that we end up with a mainstream car whose driving experience is as robust and refined as that of a luxury car.

Highway - It's a car in which you simply don't feel the speed. Therefore, one must be vigilant.

Country road - Pure pleasure!

City - The accelerations are strong, and it's a car that moves with agility in dense traffic.

Recommendations

I must admit that it's very unusual for the German manufacturer to offer a performance version of its sedan when cars are much less popular than SUVs and trucks. Well, that's the trend, but it seems that the portion of people who still love cars has a particular attraction to sporty versions, and that may explain why the Jetta has gained popularity in recent years. It's a car that is anything but boring to drive, and it's also quite attractive. As you know, I had a lot of fun behind the wheel, and it's a car that I highly recommend. It's fun to drive, very practical, and also fuel-efficient as long as one exercises control. Nowadays, for $36,000, you can get an entry-level compact SUV. Thus, I find it impressive that Volkswagen can still offer such a complete and performance-oriented compact car at a similar price. Unless you really need an SUV, you will clearly get more value for your money with the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI. So, to answer the question I asked earlier, in my opinion, small sedans clearly still have their place in the market.

Jean-Sébastien Poudrier