2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2021 Hyundai Elantra

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra stood out in the compact sedan market with its Sensuous Sportiness design language and Parametric surfacing. Its sharp creases and dramatic angles created a distinctive and appealing look. The Z-shaped dent in the doors, a controversial design cue, was intended to give the Elantra a unique character, breaking conventional automotive design rules. The Elantra's appearance improved with higher trim levels, ranging from SE to Limited, with prices between $19,650 and $25,450. The high-performance Elantra N, expected to cost less than $34,000, was set to debut early the following year.

Inside, the Elantra featured a driver-focused dashboard and center console, with higher trims offering a more upscale and high-tech cabin. The Limited or Hybrid Limited in Gray was particularly favored for its modern and upscale look, with light gray seats and trim contrasting against the black cabin. The Elantra SEL with the Premium Package, however, had a drab black interior with glossy black plastic that was less appealing.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, a long-time best-seller for the automaker, received a mild makeover that included an engine update, exterior styling tweaks, improved infotainment, more features, and a new Sport trim. The Jetta's design changes were subtle, with more chrome on the front fascia, bumper, and grille, and new wheel designs for each trim level. The Jetta's exterior updates were so subtle that they were easy to miss, likened to differentiating one black suitcase from another at baggage claim.

Inside, the Jetta received equally subtle but appealing updates, with standard cloth seats featuring a new rhombus pattern and added premium look thanks to contrast stitching. The Jetta SEL offered a new two-tone leather option in Volcano Brown and black. The 8-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster became standard across the lineup, with the Jetta SEL receiving the 10-inch Digital Cockpit Pro and an 8-inch touchscreen-navigation system. The Jetta's cabin was comfortable for long drives, with well-cushioned seats and good visibility, though the powertrain felt touchy and the dynamics were tepid.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra offered a range of powertrain options, including a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The Elantra SEL Premium, priced at $25,015, returned 31.4 mpg in combined driving, though it felt gutless during highway merging or passing. The Elantra Limited Hybrid, priced at $29,095, used a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a 1.32-kWh lithium-ion battery, making 139 horsepower. It returned 42.2 mpg in combined driving, with instant electric motor torque and a six-speed DCT providing a satisfying driving experience.

The Elantra N Line, priced at $26,245, featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT. It offered a fun driving experience with its sport tuning, multi-link rear suspension, and performance tires. The high-performance Elantra N, expected to cost around $34,000, had a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed manual or eight-speed wet DCT. It provided an exhilarating driving experience with its N performance configuration, electronically controlled suspension, and variable-valve exhaust system.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta was offered with a single engine: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic. The Jetta felt quicker with the increased horsepower, and its fuel economy was impressive, with the stick-shift Jetta rated at 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. On a road trip, the Jetta averaged 46.9 highway mpg, requiring only two fill-ups for a roughly 1,000-mile trip.

The Jetta's powertrain, however, was its downfall, with a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and tepid dynamics. The Jetta offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes, but Normal felt numb, and Eco felt even more so. Sport mode offered a flicker of life, but overall acceleration was good only on the highway. The eight-speed automatic performed well, but the power delivery felt jumpy in stop-and-go traffic.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra, classified as a midsize car by the EPA, offered a roomy interior with a height-adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt/telescopic steering wheel. Heated front seats were standard, with the Limited Hybrid also offering ventilated front cushions. The rear seat provided best-in-class legroom, though the backrest shape and angle lacked upper back support. Storage space was useful, with a 14.2-cubic-foot trunk and a 60/40-split folding rear seat. However, the Elantra lacked a height-adjustable front passenger seat and a grab handle inside the trunk.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite its compact proportions, offered ample passenger space for four adults, with comfortable seats and driver-centric ergonomics. The cabin featured buttons for climate control, audio, and heated and ventilated seats, with driving-related controls located next to the shifter. Storage space included door pockets, a center console bin, a slot next to the cupholders, and a sunglass holder. The center storage bin, though not large, was usable, but the compartment cover lacked a latch.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra featured traditional instrumentation with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, and Blue Link connected services. The Limited trim included a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, paired with a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation screen. This upgrade offered a dynamic natural voice recognition system, a Sounds of Nature function, and a 64-color ambient cabin lighting system. The Limited Hybrid's voice recognition system performed inconsistently, but a Hyundai spokesperson demonstrated better results in a different car. A new Bose premium sound system and Hyundai Digital Key were also available.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received an upgrade in technology, with all models equipped with the Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster. The Jetta SEL featured the 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro with three views and more widgets. Standard infotainment included a 6.5-inch Volkswagen MIB2 system with App-Connect, Bluetooth, and USB-C ports. The Jetta SEL received the 8-inch MIB3 system with navigation, wireless App-Connect, wireless device charging, and enhanced voice recognition. The MIB3 system's voice activation and navigation commands were not intuitive, often requiring manual input for addresses and points of interest.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra was built on a new platform with multiple structural collision energy pathways. Every Elantra was equipped with SmartSense, Hyundai’s collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver attention warning system. Additional safety features included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, Rear Occupant Alert, and Safe Exit Warning. Safety-related upgrades included cyclist detection, junction turning assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear automatic braking, and Highway Drive Assist.

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, 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, but the 2021 model received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and mostly “Good” grades from the IIHS.