The Volkswagen Jetta offers a smart blend of practicality, space, and fuel economy. That said, it’s far from the most engaging option in its segment, but VW equips a long list of safety equipment, and the car offers a comfortable ride in most situations.
2024 Volkswagen Jetta Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2024 Volkswagen Jetta
VW didn’t make many changes in 2023, but the 2024 model year brings a host of upgrades, including a longer list of standard safety tech, a new 40th Anniversary GLI model, and more.
Design
The Jetta has grown in size over the years, but its friendly compact sedan dimensions remain intact. VW has updated its appearance in 2022 with a slightly sportier look and a new front-end design with revised LED running lights and grille. Some trims carry tasteful applications of chrome, and all models feature subdued styling without much visual noise.
Powertrain
The Jetta comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed manual transmission by default, but buyers can upgrade to an eight-speed automatic.
With just 158 ponies on tap, the Jetta isn’t the quickest ride in town, but it returns good fuel economy, especially on the highway, where it’s rated at 42 mpg. At the same time, handling is just ok, as the car can feel too soft at times and too harsh at others. The hotter GLI trim gets a 2.0-liter turbo-four making 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, plus sportier suspension.
Interior
Volkswagen equips the Jetta with standard cloth upholstery and manual seats. Synthetic or genuine leathers are available, and the front seats can be upgraded with heating and ventilation. The top trim adds heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. In all cases, the Jetta offers spacious seating in both rows, and adults can ride comfortably in the back.
Technology
The Jetta comes standard with a 6.5-inch display, but an 8-inch unit is available. Both bring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the larger display brings wireless connectivity. VW’s excellent digital gauge cluster system is available, running on a 10.25-inch display. The cluster offers a highly configurable interface with views available for maps, media information, vehicle performance, and more. While VW’s infotainment system looks a bit dated, the interface is easy to use and responsive, making it less distracting to use while driving.
Safety
Volkswagen equips standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian detection, and more. Automatic high beams and rain-sensing wipers are available on higher trim levels.
The 2024 Jetta missed out on a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) due to mixed results in the agency’s updated crash-test protocols. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2024 Jetta a five-star overall safety rating.
Pricing and Release Date
The 2024 Volkswagen Jetta is on sale now. As of this writing, the Jetta S starts at $22,660, which includes a $1,225 destination charge. The midrange Jetta Sport costs $23,810, and the top SEL trim starts at $30,050.