2022 Volkswagen Jetta

　　

2022 Volkswagen Jetta Review

byRonald MontoyaSenior Consumer Advice Editor & Content Strategy

　　Ronald Montoya has worked in the automotive industry since 2008. He has written over a thousand car related articles and bought and sold over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Ronald is a senior consumer advice editor and content strategy at zzdcar and has also contributed to the Associated Press. He has also been featured on ABC, NBC and NPR on a number of car shopping topics. He got his start in the auto industry by taking a part-time job at a car dealership, where he worked in the service and accounting department.

　　The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta receives a multitude of upgrades that should help it be a more compelling pick among other top small sedans including the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte and Mazda 3. Highlights for the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta include revised exterior styling (courtesy of new bumpers and a new grille), a more powerful engine, a simplified trim level structure, and an expanded set of standard tech features.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$108/mo  for Jetta S

　　Jetta S

　　S 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $20,365 MSRPS 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $21,165 MSRPSport 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $21,265 MSRPSport 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $22,065 MSRPSE 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $24,095 MSRPSEL 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $28,095 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Last year's Jetta had a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine good for 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. That's a decent output for a small sedan, but it results in unremarkable acceleration. At zzdcar' test track, we clocked a Jetta from 0 to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. For comparison, a new Civic we tested, with its optional turbocharged engine, reached 60 mph a half-second quicker. The 2022 Jetta gets a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine good for 158 hp, and the hope is that it'll quicken the pace a little.

　　You'll also get more standard technology features on the 2022 Jetta. Now even the base S trim has advanced driver aids such as forward collision mitigation and blind-spot monitoring. A small digital gauge cluster is standard on the S trim too. A few assist features, such as traffic-adaptive cruise control, are still optional for the S, but VW makes them standard starting with the midrange SE trim. Notably, the top-line Jetta SEL now has wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means you can integrate many of your phone's apps onto the touchscreen without having to use a USB cord.

　　The current-generation Jetta debuted for the 2019 model year and since then we've commented favorably on the Jetta's Audi-like styling and generally sensible demeanor. But it's also not a car that makes you think, "Wow, I've got to have one of those!" Volkswagen seems to have done right with the 2022 Jetta. The changes are unlikely to help vault the Jetta to the top of our small sedan rankings, but they will undoubtedly improve upon the car's core attributes of space, no-nonsense style and technology.

　　

Which Jetta does zzdcar recommend?

The Jetta SE trim includes all the available safety technology as standard, plus modern amenities such as keyless entry, heated seats, simulated leather and rain-sensing wipers, for not much more than the base price. But if you like the look of dark trim or want a sportier-looking sedan, the Sport trim is nicely equipped and slightly less expensive than the SE.

　　

Volkswagen Jetta models

Volkswagen offers the 2022 Jetta in four trim levels: S, Sport, SE and SEL. All models are powered by a new-for-2022 turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, borrowed from the Taos SUV. It produces 158 horsepower (11 more hp than last year) and 184 lb-ft of torque and is only available with front-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the S and Sport trims, while all the others come with an eight-speed automatic. Feature highlights for the Jetta include:

　　S

　　The Jetta line kicks off with this basic model and this equipment:

　　LED headlights 16-inch alloy wheels 6.5-inch touchscreen Two USB ports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility Four-speaker sound system Digital instrument cluster (8-inch display) Volkswagen Car-Net mobile app with remote start, door locking/unlocking, parked location finder and other functionsThe S also comes with standard advanced driver aids that include:

　　Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse) Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)Volkswagen offers an affordable IQ.Drive package for the S trim models with the automatic transmission. It adds to the car's standard driver aids with:

　　Active blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot and can add steering assistance to discourage a lane change) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Jetta and the car in front) Emergency assistance (identifies an unresponsive driver and brings the Jetta to a safe stop with the hazard lights flashing) Sport

　　The Sport trim is similar to last year's R-Line trim and adds some cosmetic and performance upgrades that include:

　　17-inch alloy wheels Gloss-black front grille Black window trim, mirror caps and headliner Front accent lights Rear-seat center armrest with cupholdersSimilar to the Jetta S, with the Jetta Sport with an automatic transmission, you can also opt for the IQ.Drive package of driving assistance tech.

　　SE

　　Includes all IQ.Drive driver aids as standard equipment, along with:

　　Sunroof (optional) 17-inch alloy wheels Rain-sensing wipers Simulated leather upholstery Power-adjustable driver's seat Heated front seats Dual-zone automatic climate control Keyless entry with push-button startSEL

　　The top of the line for the Jetta by way of:

　　Adaptive headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves) Remote engine start Upgraded infotainment system with 8-inch touchscreen and navigation Bigger digital instrument cluster (10.25-inch display) Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Wireless smartphone charging pad Nine-speaker Beats Audio sound system Leather upholstery Ventilated front seats Heated rear seats Heated steering wheel Ambient cabin lighting with 10 colors

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