Volkswagen Jetta vs Subaru Legacy

2025 Volkswagen Jetta
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
$22,995MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Subaru Legacy
2021 Subaru Legacy
$22,895MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
$22,995MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Subaru Legacy
$22,895MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

Years produced

1980-Present

Years produced

1990-Present

MSRP

$22,995

MSRP

$22,895

Listings

10007

Listings

5737

Ratings & Reviews

User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

7.3 out of 10

Expert reviews

8.3 out of 10

Pros

  • Fuel-efficient

  • Fun to drive

  • Spacious

Cons

  • Frustrating controls

  • No hybrid option

  • All-wheel drive is not available

Pros

  • Standard all-wheel drive

  • Comfortable

  • Standard advanced safety features

Cons

  • Uninspired styling

  • Sluggish performance

  • Interior materials feel cheap

Reviews Summary

At a base price under $23,500, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta offers plenty of passenger space, a large trunk, and a fuel-efficient engine with plenty of zip. This year, Volkswagen tweaks this compact sedan’s styling, improves the interior, upgrades the handling, and adds more standard technology. Driving enthusiasts will appreciate the affordable Sport trim and the continued existence of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which still offers a manual transmission. This review is based on our experience with the Jetta SEL, which looks and feels more upscale than its price.

Verdict: While the changes to the 2025 VW Jetta are appealing, some are missteps, such as the touch-sensing climate control system interface. Also, the Jetta isn’t a leader in its segment regarding safety ratings. Nevertheless, its sensible German design and engineering shine through, giving it a distinctive driving experience unlike other compact cars.

Reviews Summary

The Subaru Legacy delivers a lot of what the typical Subaru customer is looking for, including standard all-wheel drive (AWD)—it's the only vehicle in its class to offer that. It is also fuel-efficient, has comfortable seats, and ranks as one of the safest vehicles on the market today. But, fit-and-finish questions linger, and the EyeSight safety technology can prove annoying, with frequent beeps and chimes.
No video found
No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine

1.5L 158 hp I4

Engine

2.5L 182 hp H4

Drive Train

FWD

Drive Train

AWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

Horsepower

182 hp @ 5800 rpm

MPG City

29

MPG City

27

MPG Highway

39

MPG Highway

35
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
$22,995MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Subaru Legacy
2021 Subaru Legacy
$22,895MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
$22,995MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2021 Subaru Legacy
$22,895MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

Years produced
1980-Present
1990-Present
MSRP
$22,995
$22,895
Listings

Ratings & Reviews

User reviews

4.4

4.5

Expert reviews

7.3 out of 10

Read full review

8.3 out of 10

Read full review
Pros & cons

Pros

  • Fuel-efficient

  • Fun to drive

  • Spacious

Cons

  • Frustrating controls

  • No hybrid option

  • All-wheel drive is not available

Pros

  • Standard all-wheel drive

  • Comfortable

  • Standard advanced safety features

Cons

  • Uninspired styling

  • Sluggish performance

  • Interior materials feel cheap

Summary

At a base price under $23,500, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta offers plenty of passenger space, a large trunk, and a fuel-efficient engine with plenty of zip. This year, Volkswagen tweaks this compact sedan’s styling, improves the interior, upgrades the handling, and adds more standard technology. Driving enthusiasts will appreciate the affordable Sport trim and the continued existence of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which still offers a manual transmission. This review is based on our experience with the Jetta SEL, which looks and feels more upscale than its price.

Verdict: While the changes to the 2025 VW Jetta are appealing, some are missteps, such as the touch-sensing climate control system interface. Also, the Jetta isn’t a leader in its segment regarding safety ratings. Nevertheless, its sensible German design and engineering shine through, giving it a distinctive driving experience unlike other compact cars.

The Subaru Legacy delivers a lot of what the typical Subaru customer is looking for, including standard all-wheel drive (AWD)—it's the only vehicle in its class to offer that. It is also fuel-efficient, has comfortable seats, and ranks as one of the safest vehicles on the market today. But, fit-and-finish questions linger, and the EyeSight safety technology can prove annoying, with frequent beeps and chimes.
Video
No video found
No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine
1.5L 158 hp I4
2.5L 182 hp H4
Drive Train
FWD
AWD
Seating Capacity
5
5
Horsepower
182 hp @ 5800 rpm
MPG City
29
27
MPG Highway
39
35
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 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2024 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Toyota Prius2024 Acura Integra vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2024 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Hyundai Sonata2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2024 MINI Cooper vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2024 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2025 Honda Civic2024 Honda Civic vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2024 Kia K5 vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2024 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 Subaru Legacy2023 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2023 Acura Integra vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2023 MINI Cooper vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2024 Subaru Legacy2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Kia K5 vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Kia K5 vs 2023 Subaru Legacy2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2023 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Hyundai Sonata2023 Subaru Legacy vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2023 Kia K5 vs 2024 Subaru Legacy2023 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Kia K52023 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2024 Toyota Prius2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Kia K5 vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Honda Civic vs 2024 Volkswagen Jetta2023 Acura Integra vs 2024 Subaru Legacy2022 Subaru Legacy vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2022 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Subaru Legacy2022 Subaru Legacy vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2022 MINI Cooper vs 2023 Subaru Legacy2022 Subaru Legacy vs 2023 Kia K52022 Toyota Prius vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Honda Accord2022 Subaru Legacy vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2022 Subaru Legacy vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Hyundai Elantra2022 Subaru Legacy vs 2023 Subaru Impreza2022 Honda Accord vs 2023 Subaru Legacy2022 Hyundai Sonata vs 2023 Volkswagen Jetta2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Toyota Prius2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2023 BMW 5 Series2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Kia K5 vs 2022 Subaru Legacy2021 Subaru Legacy vs 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 Audi A4 vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Honda Civic2021 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Honda Accord2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Subaru Legacy vs 2022 Toyota Prius2021 Honda Accord vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2021 MINI Cooper vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Toyota Prius vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Hyundai Elantra vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Subaru Legacy vs 2022 Honda Accord2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Subaru Legacy2021 Subaru Legacy vs 2021 Honda Civic2021 Kia K5 vs 2021 Volkswagen Jetta2021 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2021 Subaru Legacy vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class