Used 2021 Volkswagen Jetta for Sale near Des Moines, IA

The Volkswagen Jetta blends comfortable commuter car characteristics with German precision in an attractive package with plenty to like. Though VW offers the sedan in a sporty GLI format, most variants are just solid everyday cars. The 2021 Jetta doesn’t get any changes, but VW’s newest infotainment software does make an appearance in higher trims. Competition includes the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic. Volkswagen equips every Jetta with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive are standard, but VW also offers an eight-speed automatic transmission. Though 147 horsepower sounds puny, the Jetta doesn’t feel massively underpowered. It’s plenty quick for running errands around town, and it does fine on the highway, though passing does take a little more effort than expected. The Jetta delivers a sedate but comfortable ride and stays relatively quiet in most situations. There’s little sportiness to its handling, however, as the sedan exhibits plenty of body roll when driven hard. Others in its class are more engaging to drive, especially the Mazda3, but for most, the VW offers exactly what a compact sedan should. Top trims of the 2021 Jetta get Volkswagen’s newest MIB3 infotainment system, which runs on an 8-inch glass display. The colorful interface brings wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with multi-phone pairing and voice recognition. The Jetta SEL adds navigation, JD Radio, SiriusXM radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The S, SE, and R-Line trims come with a 6.5-inch screen that runs the older MIB2 system. It includes USB-C inputs, Bluetooth, and an SD card reader. Starting with the SEL trim, the Jetta comes with VW’s Digital Cockpit. The ten-inch display is configurable to show various vehicle statuses, maps, audio and infotainment data, and phone information. The views are selectable using a button on the steering wheel and can be changed on the go. Buyers can opt in to VW’s Car-Net program, which offers subscription-based benefits such as enhanced navigation and other online features. Though it missed out on a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Jetta picked up “Good” scores in all crash test categories and a “Superior” score for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention. Most advanced safety features are reserved for added-cost options packages. Only a backup camera and post-collision braking are standard. Others, including forward-collision warnings and automatic emergency braking, become standard after the base S trim. Available tech includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. The 2021 Volkswagen Jetta is on sale now. It comes with a starting price of $19,990. The R-Line starts at $23,790, the SE at $23,890, the SEL at $26,740, and the SEL Premium at $29,040.