2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid was available in standard, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices ranging from $26,370 to $36,240. The hybrid powertrain added a $1,600 premium, except for the Touring trim, where it represented a $460 savings. The Accord Hybrid was never available in Sport trim. The Accord was praised for its excellent proportions, stance, style, and detailing, making it one of Honda's best-designed cars. Minor front styling changes for 2021 included a new grille, revised bumper, and new headlights. The Touring trim received new 19-inch aluminum wheels and a new Sonic Gray Pearl paint color. The test vehicle, an Accord Touring in Lunar Silver, featured a dark undertone that avoided the typical drab brightness of silver metallic paint. The new wheels looked great but were difficult to clean due to gloss black inserts.

Inside, the Accord's cabin looked remarkably upscale, with lower panels that didn't feel cheap and classy simulated matte-finish wood trim. The controls were logically arranged and easy to use, with both a volume knob and a tuning knob for the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Outward visibility was excellent, and the driver could easily place the car when parking and maneuvering. The Lunar Silver exterior came with a Black interior, while high-contrast Ivory-over-Black two-tone interiors were available with Platinum White Pearl or Radiant Red Metallic exteriors. The only downside was the hard plastic upper rear door trim, which felt out of place in an otherwise high-quality interior.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite overall sales challenges, remained Volkswagen's best-selling vehicle for three decades. In 2021, the Jetta and its performance version, the Jetta GLI, accounted for over 61% of VW's U.S. car sales, rising to 70% in the first quarter of 2022. For 2022, the Jetta received a mild makeover, including an engine update, exterior styling tweaks, improved infotainment, more features, and a new Sport trim. The SEL Premium trim was dropped, simplifying the lineup to four trims: S, Sport, SE, and SEL. The exterior design changes were subtle, with a new front fascia, bumper, and grille featuring more chrome. The rear bumper was less squatty and more square, with full-length chrome extending from deflector to deflector. New wheel designs and metallic colors, including Kings Red, Oryx White, and Rising Blue, were added.

The Jetta's interior received subtle but appealing updates, with standard cloth seats featuring a new rhombus pattern and contrast stitching for all upholstery types. Leather options included a new two-tone Volcano Brown and black. A leather-wrapped steering wheel was standard on all trims except the entry-level Jetta S, which could be equipped with the optional Driver Assistance package. The 8-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster was standard across the lineup, with the Jetta SEL receiving the 10-inch Digital Cockpit Pro and an 8-inch touchscreen-navigation system. The cabin was comfortable for long drives, with well-cushioned and supportive seats. However, the powertrain had some drawbacks, including a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and tepid dynamics. The Jetta offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes, with Sport mode providing a slight improvement in driving experience.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid featured a two-motor hybrid system combining a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a generator/starter motor and a separate electric drive motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. This setup produced a combined 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, with torque available immediately and remaining constant up to 2,000 rpm. The Accord Hybrid could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and achieved 48 mpg in combined driving for most trims, with the Touring trim earning a 43-mpg rating due to its larger wheels and tires. The powertrain control module determined the appropriate operational mode: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, or Engine Drive. Drivers could also select EV Mode, Econ Mode, and Sport mode to tailor drivetrain characteristics.

For 2021, Honda refined the two-motor hybrid powertrain for improved throttle response and a more natural sound and feel during acceleration. The Accord Hybrid Touring averaged 42.8 mpg, matching the EPA's official rating. The car's 19-inch wheels and 235/40 tires provided excellent grip and handling, with a suspension tuned for athletic handling and a compliant ride. The brake-by-wire regenerative braking system offered excellent feel, modulation, and response. The Accord Hybrid was fun to drive, except when navigating speed humps, which required a slow approach.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 1.4-liter turbo-four. The new engine produced 158 horsepower, an 11-hp increase, and 184 pound-feet of torque. Transmission options included a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic. The Jetta's fuel economy was impressive, with the manual transmission rated at 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. Automatic transmission models had two ratings: 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined for S and Sport trims, and 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined for SE and SEL trims. On an 800-mile road trip, the Jetta averaged 46.9 highway mpg, requiring only two fill-ups for the roughly 1,000-mile journey.

The Jetta's cabin was comfortable for long drives, with well-cushioned and supportive seats. However, the powertrain had some drawbacks, including a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and tepid dynamics. The Jetta offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes, with Sport mode providing a slight improvement in driving experience. The steering was accurate but lacked feedback, and the vehicle felt jumpy in stop-and-go traffic. On the highway, the power delivery was smooth, and the eight-speed automatic performed well.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid impressed with its spacious interior, competing as a midsize sedan but offering full-size sedan space. The 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and enormous back seat provided excellent leg support, with the Touring trim adding heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. Interior storage was generous, with a large center console bin, a covered compartment with hidden storage and an available wireless smartphone charger, and large door panel bins. The Accord Hybrid's 16.7 cubic-foot trunk was the same size as other Accords and larger than any competitor in the segment, with 60/40 split-folding rear seats for added utility.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite its compact proportions, offered ample passenger space for four adults and could accommodate five if needed. The seats were comfortable, though the front seats' bottom cushion inclined slightly, which might not suit shorter individuals. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and heated and ventilated seats easily accessible. Storage space included door pockets, a center console bin, a slot next to the cupholders, and a sunglass holder. The center storage bin was usable but lacked a latch, which was unusual but not problematic.

For 2021, the Honda Accord Hybrid's 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system became standard on the base model, previously requiring the EX trim. This change meant all versions of the car included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with wireless connectivity available on the EX trim and higher. Honda improved USB port access for front-seat occupants and added standard 2.5-amp quick-charge USB ports for rear-seat passengers on EX trim and higher. Wireless smartphone charging was also standard on EX trim and higher. The EX-L trim featured a premium sound system, while the Touring trim included navigation, HondaLink subscription services, and a WiFi hotspot. The system worked well, but voice commands required specific prompts and pathways, which could be frustrating.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received a technology upgrade with the Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster standard across all trims. The S, Sport, and SE models had an 8-inch display, while the SEL trim featured the 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro. The standard infotainment system for S, Sport, and SE trims was a 6.5-inch Volkswagen MIB2 system with capacitive-touch sensors, enabling swiping and pinch-zooming. The Jetta SEL received the 8-inch MIB3 system with navigation, wireless App-Connect, wireless device charging, multi-phone pairing, and enhanced voice recognition. The SEL trim also included HD Radio, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, a Car-Net Hotspot subscription, and a Plus Nav package. The voice activation and navigation commands were not intuitive, requiring specific prompts and often failing to understand commands.

In 2020, the Honda Accord did not receive a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) due to its headlights. For 2021, Honda redesigned the LED headlights and made them standard on all trims, aiming to achieve the Top Safety Pick+ rating. The 2021 Accord Hybrid also included a standard rear-seat reminder and rear seatbelt reminder system. The Touring model gained low-speed braking control, a front and rear automatic emergency braking system that worked at speeds up to 6 mph. The Honda Sensing collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) was refined for smoother and more accurate operation, with a button added to the dashboard for easier access to the Honda Sensing menu. However, the system remained somewhat intrusive, and the low-speed automatic braking needed recalibration.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came standard with IQ.Drive, Volkswagen's driver-assistance tech. The Jetta S and Sport included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian recognition. The Driver Assistance package added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Travel Assist combined adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, while Emergency Assist monitored driver attentiveness. The full IQ.DRIVE safety list was standard on Jetta SE and SEL trims. The 2022 Jetta had not yet received crash safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, but the 2021 Jetta received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and mostly "Good" grades from the IIHS, with some shortcomings in headlight tests and LATCH use.