2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra underwent a significant transformation with its seventh-generation redesign, shedding its previous unremarkable appearance for a bold and distinctive look. The new design featured a longer wheelbase, wider stance, and lower roofline, creating a striking four-door-coupe silhouette. The Elantra's exterior styling, while reminiscent of the midsize Sonata sedan, had its own unique personality, with a "Z" shape formed by the creases and folds on the doors, adding character and setting it apart from its competitors. Inside, the Elantra's interior saw improvements in material quality, offering a slightly above-average feel for the compact car class, despite some hard plastic elements. The Elantra was available in four trim levels, with the N Line offering sporty styling elements and a black interior, enhancing its overall appeal.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta maintained its status as a best-seller for the automaker, even amidst challenges like the pandemic and supply chain issues. The Jetta received a mild makeover for 2022, with subtle exterior updates that required a keen eye to notice. The front fascia, bumper, and grille were redone with more chrome, while the rear bumper featured a full-length chrome feature. The Jetta's interior updates were equally subtle but appealing, with new rhombus-patterned cloth seats and contrast stitching for a premium look. The Jetta offered a comfortable cockpit for cruising, with well-cushioned seats and ample passenger space. However, its powertrain was a bit of a letdown, with a touchy throttle and tepid dynamics, making it less engaging to drive compared to the Elantra.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra offered a range of powertrain options, starting with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive. While this setup was adequate for most buyers, it lacked power during hard acceleration. The Elantra Hybrid, on the other hand, featured a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle engine combined with a 32-kilowatt electric motor, delivering 139 horsepower and up to 195 pound-feet of torque. The Hybrid's six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission provided a more engaging driving experience. The N Line trim offered a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT. The N Line's sport-tuned suspension and multi-link independent rear suspension enhanced its handling dynamics, making it a compelling choice for driving enthusiasts.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came with a single engine option: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. This engine replaced the previous 1.4-liter turbo-four, offering a slight increase in horsepower. Transmission choices included a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic. The Jetta's fuel economy was impressive, with the manual version achieving 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. The automatic transmission models had slightly different ratings, with the S and Sport trims achieving 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined, while the SE and SEL trims were rated at 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. Despite its fuel efficiency, the Jetta's powertrain was marred by a touchy throttle and turbo lag, resulting in a less engaging driving experience compared to the Elantra.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra was designed with practicality in mind, offering a compact size that made it easy to navigate tight spaces. Its interior was user-friendly, with clearly marked controls and ample storage options. The Elantra's seats were comfortable, though the N Line's low seating position required extra effort to get in and out. The car provided excellent visibility and sufficient space for small families, with the rear seat accommodating three children comfortably. However, taller adults might find the rear headroom limited due to the sloped roofline. The Elantra's trunk offered 14.2 cubic feet of cargo space, adequate for a weekend's worth of luggage, though the narrow trunk opening posed a challenge for accessing the rear area. Some drawbacks included a droning noise from the moonroof when fully open and a lack of USB ports and rear air conditioning vents.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite its compact proportions, offered generous passenger space for four adults, with the option to accommodate a fifth passenger if needed. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for essential controls like climate and audio, ensuring easy access. The Jetta provided ample storage options, including door pockets, a center console bin, and a sunglass holder. However, the center storage bin lacked a latch, which was an unusual omission. The Jetta's interior was comfortable, with well-cushioned seats, though the front seat's bottom cushion had a slight incline that might not suit shorter passengers. Overall, the Jetta's interior was practical and user-friendly, with a focus on driver convenience.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra impressed with its technology offerings, especially considering its price point. The base SE trim came with an 8-inch display audio touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and dual USB ports. Higher trims like the Limited and Hybrid Limited featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, an eight-speaker Bose audio system, and a fully digital instrument cluster. The N Line and Limited trims also offered Hyundai Digital Key, allowing keyless access via an Android smartphone. While the infotainment system was easy to use, the six-speaker audio system's performance was only adequate, lacking the richness of the Bose systems found in other Hyundai models.

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 a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro. The Jetta's infotainment system included a 6.5-inch touchscreen with App-Connect for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink integration. The SEL trim boasted an 8-inch MIB3 system with navigation, wireless device charging, and premium Beats Audio sound. However, the voice activation and navigation commands were not intuitive, requiring specific prompts that often led to frustration. Despite this, the touchscreen was responsive and easy to use.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra prioritized safety with its SmartSense suite of driver-assist technologies, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, and lane-keeping assistance. Additional features like driver-attention warning, automatic high-beam headlights, and Safe Exit Warning were also standard. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control, rear automatic braking, and Highway Drive Assist. The Elantra received a five-star overall crash protection rating from the NHTSA and top "Good" ratings from the IIHS, though lower trims with halogen headlights received a "Marginal" rating.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came standard with IQ.Drive, which included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking. 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 ensured driver attentiveness. The Jetta's safety features were customizable via the touchscreen menu. Although the 2022 Jetta had not yet received crash safety ratings, the 2021 model received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and mostly "Good" grades from the IIHS, with some shortcomings in headlight tests.