2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

　　

2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　, rating written byMichael CantuVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The Jetta GLI is the spiced-up version of the regular Jetta sedan. In many ways, it's a Golf GTI with a trunk. Performance upgrades over the regular Jetta include a more powerful turbocharged engine, a sport-tuned adaptive suspension, a limited-slip differential and larger brakes. The GLI also comes equipped with multi-link rear suspension in place of the regular Jetta's torsion-beam setup. If you're the type who doesn't want to drive a regular compact sedan and prefers something that's more capable, packs extra power and is sporty-looking, the GLI is a solid choice.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn 4dr Sedan (2.0L 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 $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$153/mo  for Jetta GLI Autobahn

　　Jetta GLI Autobahn

　　Autobahn 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $31,295 MSRPAutobahn 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) (Most Popular) - $32,095 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Like the regular Jetta, the GLI was refreshed for the 2022 model year. It received revised exterior styling (new grille and front and rear bumpers) and is now only offered in the fully loaded Autobahn trim. (The base S trim was discontinued.) That means standard features now include a full suite of advanced driver aids, leather upholstery, sport-tuned adaptive suspension, and heated and ventilated front sport seats. The GLI's engine carries over unchanged.

　　We liked the Jetta GLI before its refresh, and now that it comes standard with more features and advanced driver aids, it's even better. But keep in mind there are similarly impressive compact fun machines to consider with lower starting prices. Check out the Subaru WRX if you want grippy all-wheel-drive traction, and if you prefer something more affordable, there is the Hyundai Elantra N Line. And you can't forget about the highly rated Honda Civic Si, which just received a complete redesign for 2022. Check out the zzdcar Expert Rating below to get our test team's full review of the Jetta GLI.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.0/10

　　How does the Jetta GLI drive? The GLI is heavier and less powerful than VW's GTI, as well as sedans like the Hyundai Elantra N, Subaru WRX and Honda Civic Si. The GLI's 0-60 mph time of 7.1 seconds sits near the bottom of the class, too, and that's with the quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic. Manual-equipped models will be even slower. The transmission can be lazy to downshift to pass on the street or highway. We used the shift paddles more than usual. Braking is not up to the standards set by some of the class leaders. The brake pedal required more effort than we would like and faded more quickly than other sport sedans.

　　One of the main causes for poor braking figures is the standard all-season tires. These tires hurt handling and steering too. Neither is bad. The steering is quick and weighted well, but it lacks feedback. The standard adaptive dampers do an effective job of controlling body roll, but the tires give up before the chassis reaches its limit. They simply don't have the grip of summer tires, even with the standard electronic limited-slip differential managing traction.

　　

Comfort

8.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Jetta GLI? The GLI is one of the more refined sport compacts on the market. Its adaptive dampers do a lot of the work here. There's a distinct difference between the Sport and Comfort suspension, though even the stiffest setting won't break your back. The well-padded seats help too. There's not a ton of adjustment, but they provide plenty of lateral support. They have a sporty shape that doesn't feel too confining. The GLI is quiet on the road, with only a mild amount of wind noise on the highway. The exhaust has a bit of a growl, but it doesn't roar as loudly as other compacts.

　　The climate control system is fairly straightforward, with dedicated buttons and knobs for temperature, fan adjustment and more. The controls are mounted a bit low on the center stack, but they're still easy to reach. The standard heated and cooled seats work well, and the automatic climate control operates quickly and evenly without being overly loud. Unfortunately, the GLI doesn't have vents for rear occupants, a bit of an oversight in a modern sedan.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below