With a history spanning decades, the Volkswagen Jetta has cemented its place in the compact sedan segment, competing with rivals such as the Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla, and the Hyundai Elantra. Buyers can select from four front-wheel-drive (FWD) variants, all with a base price under $30,000 at the time of writing. The sporty Jetta GLI is reviewed separately.
2027 Volkswagen Jetta Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2027 Volkswagen Jetta
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2027 Volkswagen Jetta
Refreshed for the 2025 model year, the Volkswagen Jetta four-door sedan is essentially a carryover model, except for a few noteworthy changes. For 2027, S and Sport trims get an upgraded infotainment system with six speakers, satellite radio, voice control, and available Premium Radio with AI-powered speech recognition. All Jettas now also come with push-button start and VW's KESSY proximity keyless entry system.
Design
Volkswagen offers two primary compact cars—a Golf hatchback (available only as a sporty GTI or R variant in the U.S.) and the Jetta four-door sedan. The latter is defined by a sloping rear roofline that leads to a trunk with contours mimicking an integrated spoiler. Creases mark the body lines across the flanks, while the front and rear are home to sleek LED lights. Alloy wheels and bumper accents vary by trim. SE models can be upgraded with dark graphite 18-inch alloys as part of a Black Wheel Package.
Powertrain
With the exception of the GLI, all 2027 Jettas feature a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, all transferred to the road through an eight-speed automatic transmission. With its standard 16-inch wheels, the Jetta S delivers an EPA-estimated 29 mpg in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 34 mpg combined. The Sport and SE ride on 17-inch alloys, and the SEL wears a set of 18s; as a result, combined fuel economy drops to 33 mpg. Unlike some turbocharged models, the Jetta 1.5T does not require premium gas.
Interior
The 2027 VW Jetta seats five and includes dual front bucket seats and a 60/40 split-folding rear bench that can be lowered to extend the 14.1-cubic-foot trunk. The base S trim level comes with a standard tilt-and-telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-trimmed shift knob, a driver's seat with manual height adjustment, and cloth upholstery. Sport trim adds heated front seats, a fold-down rear armrest, and stainless steel pedal caps, but the SE trim really ups the ante with power height and lumbar adjustments for the driver, synthetic leather upholstery, and dual front reading lights and vanity mirrors. A standard heated steering wheel is reserved for the Jetta SEL, along with driver's seat memory, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, leather upholstery, and color-adjustable ambient lighting.
Technology
Technology is the main differentiator between the 2026 and 2027 Jetta models. All trims now come standard with push-button start, proximity keyless entry, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring HD radio and a SiriusXM satellite radio trial subscription, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via VW's App-Connect system. VW also fits every Jetta with dual-zone climate control and an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror. On top of that, the S, Sport, and SE models include an 8-inch digital gauge cluster, voice control, and six speakers, while remote engine start and wireless charging are limited to the SE and SEL. A security alarm, 10.25-inch configurable gauge display, navigation, premium audio, and heated windshield wiper rests come only on the Jetta SEL.
