2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2021 MINI Cooper

Few cars carried styling as iconic as the 2021 MINI Cooper. Its rounded shape, tidy dimensions, and wide variety of available color choices set it apart in a surprisingly crowded subcompact car segment. The MINI Cooper's exterior offered several customization options for the exterior and top, like graphics for the roof such as the Union Jack flag, and Easter eggs like the Union Jack taillights. Though larger than the original Mini, the MINI Cooper still felt petite yet stylish, and the automaker added wheel and trim upgrades for different models.

Inside, the 2021 MINI Cooper displayed a unique design language with plenty of circles and rounded shapes. The super-funky infotainment touchscreen mounted inside a circular light ring and circular air vents continued this theme. The high-quality cabin materials ensured a refined feel, although the car’s compact size resulted in tight interior space, particularly in the back seats. Back seat space was minimal, making it better suited for cargo than passengers, even small children.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta's design was more subdued yet purposeful, resembling a black suitcase at a crowded baggage claim. The Jetta included subtle exterior updates, like a redone front fascia, bumper, and grille with increased chrome elements. The new wheel designs and fresh metallic colors like Kings Red, Oryx White, and Rising Blue added a slightly more aggressive stance, particularly the 17-inch wheels on the SEL trim.

The interior of the Jetta also underwent subtle but appealing updates. It featured standard cloth seats with a new rhombus pattern and contrast stitching on all upholstery types. The new two-tone leather option in Volcano Brown and black added a premium touch. The driver centric cabin included buttons for climate control, audio, and seat functions positioned where one would naturally look.

The 2021 MINI Cooper featured four powertrain options. The base model boasted a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine producing 134 horsepower. The Cooper S upgraded to a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 189 horsepower, while the John Cooper Works (JCW) got a 228-hp turbo-four. The top-of-the-line John Cooper Works GP came equipped with a 301-hp turbo-four. All models were front-wheel drive, with a standard six-speed manual on the Cooper and Cooper S, a seven-speed automatic as an option, and an eight-speed automatic exclusive to the JCW GP.

Regardless of the powertrain, the MINI Cooper felt spritely and energetic due to its small size, although the turbocharged four-cylinder engines delivered a more potent performance at highway speeds. The JCW GP model particularly stood out for its rapid acceleration. Despite its fun-to-drive nature, the MINI Cooper’s stiff ride could become tiresome on long journeys. The car felt agile and ready to corner at a moment's notice, but comfort took a back seat.

Fuel economy ranged from 28/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined for the most efficient Convertible to 23/32/26 mpg for the Cooper S Convertible.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta offered simplicity with just a single engine— a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. This engine, shared with the Volkswagen Taos SUV, increased power to 158 hp from the previous year’s 147 hp 1.4-liter turbo-four. Torque remained steady at 184 pound-feet. Available transmissions included a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic.

The Jetta’s 158 horsepower felt sufficient for city commuting and impressed most with its fuel economy. The manual transmission Jetta was rated at 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. Automatic transmission models ranged from 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined for S and Sport trims to 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined for SE and SEL trims.

During a lengthy 800-mile road trip on Interstate 94, the Jetta averaged an impressive 46.9 highway mpg, requiring only two fuel stops and costing just $69.13 in gas. While the cockpit was comfortable for long drives, the Jetta’s powertrain had its drawbacks, such as a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and inconsistent dynamics, particularly during stop-and-go traffic.

The 2021 MINI Cooper's interior felt just as compact as its exterior. The rear seat was more suitable for cargo storage than passengers, offering limited legroom and headroom. The front seats, however, provided decent comfort for average-sized adults, though taller drivers might struggle with knee placement due to the dash’s design. The center console storage was minimal, just large enough for a small smartphone, and door pockets weren’t much better. The Hatchback variant provided some cargo space behind the rear seats, and folding the back seats down opened up more storage room. Convertible models, however, had a tiny cargo hold under the folding top compartment.

On the other hand, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta’s compact design managed to maximize interior space. Passenger room was ample for four adults, five if necessary, although the slight incline at the edge of the front seat cushions might not be comfortable for those with shorter legs. Its driver-centric cabin featured intuitive ergonomics with quick access buttons for vital functions. Usable storage spaces included door pockets, a center console bin, a slot by the cupholders, and even a sunglass holder. The center storage bin wasn’t large but practical enough for keeping items out of sight.

The 2021 MINI Cooper didn't come with many standard features. The base would offer a 6.5-inch screen, while an 8.8-inch unit added SiriusXM satellite radio and Apple CarPlay but notably excluded Android Auto, which was a drawback for Android users. Optional add-ons included a Harman Kardon sound system, automatic climate controls, and LED headlights. However, MINI’s inclusion of physical controls improved ease of use, despite the infotainment’s less intuitive design due to the tight space between the front seats and armrest.

Conversely, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta saw significant technology upgrades. All trims featured the Digital Cockpit instrument cluster. Lower trims had an 8-inch display with two views, while the SEL trim boasted the Digital Cockpit Pro with a 10.25-inch display and increased functionality. The infotainment system on lower trims included a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink integration, along with Bluetooth and USB-C ports. SEL models stepped up to an 8-inch MIB3 system which added navigation, wireless capabilities for App-Connect and device charging, multi-phone pairing, and enhanced voice recognition. Extras like Beats Audio and remote start were also available. Although useful, some features like the voice activation and navigation commands required precise prompts which occasionally misinterpreted user commands.

The 2021 MINI Cooper fell short of the Top Safety Pick from IIHS, despite scoring "Good" in crash tests and "Advanced" in front crash prevention. It earned “Acceptable” or “Poor” ratings for headlights and “Marginal” for the LATCH system. NHTSA ratings were not available. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors, with options for front parking sensors, parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came standard with VW's IQ.Drive suite of safety features on S and Sport trims, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian recognition. Higher trims and the available Driver Assistance package added adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Travel Assist was an advanced system that combined cruise control and lane-keeping for semi-autonomous driving, while Emergency Assist could stop the vehicle and activate hazard lights in case of driver unresponsiveness. The Jetta, based on the previous model's architecture, achieved five-star ratings from NHTSA and mostly "Good" scores from IIHS, with some shortcomings in headlight performance and LATCH system usability.