Volkswagen Golf GTI vs Volkswagen Jetta GLI

2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI
$32,445MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
$31,295MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI
$32,445MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
$31,295MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

Years produced

1985-1992

Years produced

1984-1992

MSRP

$32,445

MSRP

$31,295

Listings

3900

Listings

1156

Ratings & Reviews

User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

7.8 out of 10

Expert reviews

7.3 out of 10

Pros

  • Fun to drive

  • Improved technology

  • Impressive fuel economy

Cons

  • Price increase reduces overall value

  • Frustrated haptic slider controls remain

Pros

  • Fun to drive

  • Manual transmission available

  • Plenty of cargo space

Cons

  • All-wheel drive not available

  • Poor value for money

Reviews Summary

Rent a car while abroad, and there’s a decent chance the agent at the counter will ask if you’d like to upgrade to one equipped with an automatic transmission. Manual transmissions are just more common overseas, particularly in Europe. So, it’s interesting to learn that VW’s decision to drop the manual transmission from the 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI was driven by a lack of demand in Germany, and despite increased demand in the United States. The loss of the stick shift is a big deal–this is one of the first ever hot hatchbacks, after all–but it’s only the headline among a short list of notable changes the car receives for this model year.

Verdict: The 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI is still one of the best hatchbacks you can buy today. With a terrific powertrain and everyday practicality, it’s an ideal choice for anyone looking for a useful car that’s also extremely fun to drive.

Reviews Summary

In a perfect world, every driving enthusiast could afford the car of their dreams. In reality, where mortgage or rent payments are due, you’ve got kids to shuttle, and you need enough cargo space to carry groceries, bulk-packaged toilet paper, and road-trip luggage, it can seem as though no car can possibly satisfy your practical requirements and put a smile on your face at the same time. We have good news! The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is just such a car.

Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.0L 241 hp I4

Engine

2.0L 228 hp I4

Drive Train

FWD

Drive Train

FWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

241 hp @ 5000 rpm

Horsepower

228 hp @ 5000 rpm

MPG City

24

MPG City

26

MPG Highway

32

MPG Highway

36
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI
$32,445MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
$31,295MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI
$32,445MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
$31,295MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

Years produced
1985-1992
1984-1992
MSRP
$32,445
$31,295
Listings

Ratings & Reviews

User reviews

4.6

4.6

Expert reviews

7.8 out of 10

Read full review

7.3 out of 10

Read full review
Pros & cons

Pros

  • Fun to drive

  • Improved technology

  • Impressive fuel economy

Cons

  • Price increase reduces overall value

  • Frustrated haptic slider controls remain

Pros

  • Fun to drive

  • Manual transmission available

  • Plenty of cargo space

Cons

  • All-wheel drive not available

  • Poor value for money

Summary

Rent a car while abroad, and there’s a decent chance the agent at the counter will ask if you’d like to upgrade to one equipped with an automatic transmission. Manual transmissions are just more common overseas, particularly in Europe. So, it’s interesting to learn that VW’s decision to drop the manual transmission from the 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI was driven by a lack of demand in Germany, and despite increased demand in the United States. The loss of the stick shift is a big deal–this is one of the first ever hot hatchbacks, after all–but it’s only the headline among a short list of notable changes the car receives for this model year.

Verdict: The 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI is still one of the best hatchbacks you can buy today. With a terrific powertrain and everyday practicality, it’s an ideal choice for anyone looking for a useful car that’s also extremely fun to drive.

In a perfect world, every driving enthusiast could afford the car of their dreams. In reality, where mortgage or rent payments are due, you’ve got kids to shuttle, and you need enough cargo space to carry groceries, bulk-packaged toilet paper, and road-trip luggage, it can seem as though no car can possibly satisfy your practical requirements and put a smile on your face at the same time. We have good news! The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is just such a car.
Video

Popular Features & Specs

Engine
2.0L 241 hp I4
2.0L 228 hp I4
Drive Train
FWD
FWD
Seating Capacity
5
5
Horsepower
241 hp @ 5000 rpm
228 hp @ 5000 rpm
MPG City
24
26
MPG Highway
32
36
CarGurus logo

By: CarGurus + AI

At CarGurus, our team of experienced automotive writers remain at the heart of our content operation, conducting hands-on car tests and writing insightful guides that are backed by years of industry experience. To complement this, we are harnessing AI to make our content offering more diverse and more helpful to shoppers than ever. To achieve this, our AI systems are based exclusively on CarGurus content, ratings and data, so that what we produce is both unique to CarGurus, and uniquely helpful to car shoppers.

Popular vehicle comparisons

2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 Hyundai Sonata2024 Kia K5 vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2024 Honda Civic vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2024 MINI Cooper vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2024 Acura Integra vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 Toyota Prius2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 Acura Integra2023 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Kia K5 vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Acura Integra vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Toyota Prius vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Hyundai Sonata vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 Hyundai Sonata2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 MINI Cooper vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2023 Kia K5 vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Honda Civic vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Acura Integra vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Honda Civic vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Hyundai Elantra vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2024 MINI Cooper2023 Hyundai Elantra vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 MINI Cooper vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Toyota Prius vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 MINI Cooper vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback2022 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Subaru Impreza vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Subaru Impreza2022 Honda Accord vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Hyundai Sonata2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Honda Accord2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Kia K52022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Toyota Prius2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Hyundai Elantra2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Acura Integra2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2022 Honda Civic vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Kia K52022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2023 Honda Civic2021 Toyota Prius vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2021 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Kia K52021 Audi A4 vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Audi A42021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Honda Accord vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Kia K5 vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Honda Civic