I don’t take life too severely, and in the event you want proof simply have a look at my automobile. I’m a 6-foot-8 Mini Cooper S proprietor with a license plate that reads as “Yeah, I match.” I revel within the alternative to have enjoyable, particularly behind the wheel of a zesty sport compact, so suffice to say I used to be stoked to get a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI with a six-speed handbook for per week. How was the USA’ final handbook transmission-equipped Individuals’s Automobile? In a phrase, enjoyable.
Full disclosure: Volkswagen invited me to the launch occasion for the facelifted 2025 Jetta, and I bought to take a Jetta GLI residence with me for per week. I lived with my frankly stunning Kings Purple 2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn as my every day driver and had a blast doing it. Should you’re searching for data on the usual Jetta, learn that evaluation right here. Thanks for the enjoyable, VW!
The primary Jetta GLI was launched 40 years in the past, and this 2025 mannequin retains the spirit of the unique as an attractive sporty automobile with all of the practicality and usefulness of the spacious and reasonably priced Jetta. What’s new for 2025? Not a ton, and that’s okay. VW restyled the entrance finish, which now aligns higher with the remainder of Volkswagen’s lineup and appears way more fashionable and enticing. The rear beneficial properties a full-width tail gentle bar, and inside there’s a brand new sprint design with a bigger tablet-style infotainment display screen and touch-sensitive local weather controls.
Sadly for critical cut price hunters, the Jetta GLI is now solely supplied in prime Autobahn trim; all different trim ranges have been eradicated. This implies the most affordable GLI now prices a still-reasonable $33,940 (together with $1,225 for vacation spot), and neither transmission choice saves you any dough. My take a look at automobile rang in at $35,045 because of its non-compulsory attractive Kings Purple paint job and Black Package deal that blacks out the mirror caps and the roof.
What doesn’t change within the 2025 replace is the powertrain. Volkswagen’s much-loved EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine nonetheless lives beneath the Jetta’s restyled hood, and it produces the identical 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque as final 12 months. It may be mated to a six-speed handbook transmission like my take a look at automobile or a seven-speed dual-clutch computerized gearbox, in the event you insist. I’m not an computerized transmission hater, however the 2025 Jetta GLI is the one new Volkswagen supplied with three pedals within the U.S., so it deserves to be celebrated for that. The GLI additionally retains the outgoing automobile’s unbiased rear suspension and limited-slip entrance differential, two crucial items of the fun-to-drive puzzle.
Driving the GLI is a joyful expertise whatever the setting, however let’s begin with the enjoyable stuff. Be warned — driving the GLI like a hooligan could produce unwanted side effects like extreme grinning and laughing, as a result of this factor is a hoot. Choose Sport mode, and the GLI’s steering and adaptive dampers agency up whereas the audio system let the fizzy EA888’s sounds fill the cabin. Drop the clutch, let the entrance tires discover grip, and experience the hefty wave of torque to the 6,500 rpm redline.
The GLI has the identical spectacular shove that it’s had for years, and it’s nonetheless playful and enjoyable to toss by way of twists and turns. It’s susceptible to torque steer, particularly in the event you’re on an uneven highway floor, however that makes it really feel energetic and rowdy. The exhaust be aware sounds nice with out the piped-in engine noise, which I truly turned off as a result of it bothered me. Sadly, the automobile is let down by its commonplace all-season tires that inhibit the GLI’s in any other case spectacular front-end grip. The handbook transmission is each simple and a number of enjoyable to make use of, with a lightweight clutch and a fairly exact shift really feel. The GLI delivers on enjoyable similar to it has for many years, however as sedans change into rarer and rarer, we will now not take its existence with no consideration.
Lower to the bustling metropolis streets of Los Angeles the place the Jetta GLI felt extremely strong and composed, and sure, nonetheless enjoyable. The unbiased rear suspension does an amazing job maintaining the again of the automobile settled over damaged pavement, and the handbook transmission’s gentle clutch prevented any left leg ache. The EA888’s intoxicating energy paired with the handbook transmission made it troublesome for me to drive frugally; I saved catching myself driving aggressively and utilizing site visitors lights like drag strip christmas bushes. The automobile possesses a fascinating character that makes you need to drive it more durable.
On the freeway, the GLI suffers from terminal tire noise in a manner that the Jetta’s extra fashionable rivals have already solved. All Jettas come commonplace with Volkswagen’s Stage 2 driver’s help system known as IQ Drive, which blew my thoughts a bit given the handbook transmission. It’s a really efficient system that does an excellent job maintaining issues centered within the lane and transferring easily with site visitors, however it’s such a wierd feeling to be shifting your personal gears whereas the automobile does many of the remainder of the work. It’s not a foul feeling in any respect — in reality it labored nice with the handbook and would stay lively by way of shifts, even persevering with to decelerate when the automobile is in impartial — it’s simply an intriguing combination of digital and analog. The GLI’s freeway gasoline effectivity is spectacular too. Cruising round 75 mph in sixth gear returns miles-per-gallon numbers within the mid-to-high 30s. The handbook is rated at 26 mpg within the metropolis and 36 on the freeway, with each of these numbers being one mpg larger than GLIs geared up with the automated transmission, surprisingly.
The operate of the Jetta’s inside doesn’t change a lot from the present automobile, except for the unlucky determination to modify away from bodily local weather controls with knobs and buttons to a Climatronic Contact show. It’s not completely hateful, however it does require you to look away from the highway to make sure you’re partaking with the contact slider you meant to. It’s illuminated at night time at the least, not like different VWs from the previous few years, and the truth that there’s a devoted local weather show is best than having all the things hidden within the infotainment, however the 2024 automobile’s bodily controls have been extra idiot-proof.
The steering wheel feels nice in your fingers, but additionally suffers from contact delicate buttons. I had an infuriating expertise with these touchpads once I adjusted the cruise management’s observe distance after which tried growing the cruise management pace. I efficiently adjusted the observe distance, however once I tapped the + button to extend my pace, the automobile thought I used to be nonetheless urgent the observe distance button again and again. I needed to let it relaxation for a second after which strive growing the pace once more. It’s not a deal breaker, however it’s unnecessarily sophisticated.
You get the identical capacious inside as the usual Jetta with ample room up entrance, within the again seats and within the trunk. The infotainment is typical VW, so in the event you’re accustomed to the corporate’s UX then you definately’ll be proper at residence. If not, some issues could take some time to seek out, however you’ll study it fairly rapidly. For 2025 the Jetta beneficial properties commonplace wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a cooled and increased-output wi-fi charger, and quicker charging USB-C ports. The entrance seats sit weirdly excessive up and are available commonplace with a pleasant however barely underwhelming air flow operate, and there are heated outboard seats entrance and rear. The one factor I actually disliked contained in the automobile was the usual BeatsAudio system, which simply sounded unhealthy and never befitting of a $35,000 automobile.
My greatest problem with the Jetta GLI comes once you carry its rivals into the image. Since VW solely provides the Autobahn trim, the GLI prices virtually the identical as a Hyundai Elantra N, a automobile that takes a fun-to-drive demeanor to the subsequent degree. The Elantra N provides a handbook just like the GLI, and it’s a considerably extra highly effective centered driver’s automobile, however the GLI provides a extra refined on a regular basis expertise.
The Jetta is beginning to present its age, however it’s nonetheless an extremely versatile automobile that has precise house for a household of 4 whereas nonetheless capable of change into a canyon carver at a second’s discover. Should you care about your automobile’s driving expertise, you need to contemplate the GLI earlier than you have a look at any crossover. And don’t be afraid of the handbook!
