Volkswagen announced the Jetta’s second refresh since its 2019 debut.
After teasing the GLI with a small “Let’s Go!” Easter egg last week, VW is now pulling the wraps off the updated Jetta lineup. You may not think it with how many automakers pulled out of the small sedan market, but the Volkswagen Jetta is a surprisingly strong seller for the brand, thanks in large part to its value proposition. With an 8-speed automatic transmission, the 2024 model started at $23,260, and the base 2025 Jetta S actually gets a slightly lower $23,295 starting MSRP. Pricing for 2025 models includes the projected $1,300 destination charge.
By and large, Volkswagen’s 2025 model updates boil down to the aesthetic changes and some new features across every trim, including the GLI. Every model — even the base S — now gets an 8-inch infotainment display, which is now a fixed and upright unit, rather than recessed into the dashboard. Base models now also get touch-based, dual-zone climate controls, so the Jetta S no longer feels positively archaic with the simple-as-you-can-get-away with temperature and fan speed settings.
The rest of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta trim walk looks familiar to 2024, as well. The Sport model sits above the S, offering more driver-focused touches like an XDS differential, as well as lowered suspension and a front anti-roll bar (that also carries into the upper-spec models). This model year introduces “Molekular” cloth sport seats which we saw with the 40th Anniversary Edition GLI last year, as well as a light bar integrated into the grille.
Above the Sport, the volume-selling Jetta SE sees the most changes. New 17-inch wheels come standard, while an 18-inch wheel package and a sunroof package is available. Other additions include “Microcloud” leatherette seat covers, SiriusXM and voice control integrated into the 8-inch infotainment system, an extra USB-C port (for 3 total), 15-watt wireless charging and Volkswagen App-Connect.
Finally, the SEL tops out the range and brings the most features to the equation, including the larger 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro (rather than 8 inches in the standard models), a sunroof, built-in navigation, a Beats Audio system, selectable drive modes and an alarm. The new features for 2025 list is fairly short on the most feature-rich, non-GLI model: 18-inch wheels and the light bar in the grille.
Powertrain options carry over from 2024, including the base Jetta’s 1.5-liter EA211 engine, making 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. However, this time the 6-speed manual is not an option — relegating the third pedal to the GLI — so the 8-speed automatic is all you get with the S and Sport, in addition to the SE and SEL, where it was already standard.
What about the Jetta GLI, though?
The updated Jetta GLI brings in similar changes to the rest of the lineup: New 18-inch wheels, a light bar in the grille and the new 8-inch infotainment unit. Like before, the GLI only comes in the top Autobahn trim, so you also get 15-watt wireless charging, leather seats, an alarm system, VW’s 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro and a heated steering wheel. Weirdly, while Volkswagen has relented on capacitive buttons on their steering wheels in recent years (including the base 2025 Jetta models), that is not the case with the GLI.
Though the touch steering wheel controls might be hit-or-miss for you, one welcome carryover for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is the 6-speed manual transmission. Now, it is the only configuration other than the Golf R in which you can still get a manual on any VW for the U.S. market.
However, since the transmission options carry over, so does the engine itself. The 2.0-liter turobcharged EA888 under the GLI’s hood still manages 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, which means it has not changed one iota since the 2019 model year. At least you can still row your own gears here, I suppose, which you can’t even do with the Mk8 GTI anymore.
While Volkswagen emphasized the value proposition for the 2025 Jetta lineup, we do not yet have full pricing beyond the base S model. Odds are it won’t change much, with the GLI still topping out around $34,000.
Sales for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta will kick off in the third quarter of this year.
