I don’t take life too critically, and in case you want proof simply take a look at my automotive. 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 guide for every week. How was the US’ final guide transmission-equipped Individuals’s Automotive? 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 every week. I lived with my frankly stunning Kings Crimson 2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn as my day by day driver and had a blast doing it. In the event you’re in search of information 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 a fascinating sporty automotive 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 engaging. The rear features 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 severe discount hunters, the Jetta GLI is now solely provided 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 automotive rang in at $35,045 because of its non-compulsory beautiful Kings Crimson paint job and Black Bundle 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 below the Jetta’s restyled hood, and it produces the identical 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque as final yr. It may be mated to a six-speed guide transmission like my take a look at automotive or a seven-speed dual-clutch computerized gearbox, in case you insist. I’m not an computerized transmission hater, however the 2025 Jetta GLI is the one new Volkswagen provided with three pedals within the U.S., so it deserves to be celebrated for that. The GLI additionally retains the outgoing automotive’s impartial 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 might produce unintended 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 journey 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 means of twists and turns. It’s vulnerable to torque steer, particularly in case you’re on an uneven street floor, however that makes it really feel energetic and rowdy. The exhaust observe sounds nice with out the piped-in engine noise, which I truly turned off as a result of it bothered me. Sadly, the automotive is let down by its customary all-season tires that inhibit the GLI’s in any other case spectacular front-end grip. The guide transmission is each simple and lots of enjoyable to make use of, with a light-weight clutch and a fairly exact shift really feel. The GLI delivers on enjoyable similar to it has for many years, however as sedans turn into rarer and rarer, we are able to not take its existence with no consideration.
Reduce to the bustling metropolis streets of Los Angeles the place the Jetta GLI felt extremely stable and composed, and sure, nonetheless enjoyable. The impartial rear suspension does an ideal job maintaining the again of the automotive settled over damaged pavement, and the guide transmission’s gentle clutch prevented any left leg ache. The EA888’s intoxicating energy paired with the guide transmission made it troublesome for me to drive frugally; I saved catching myself driving aggressively and utilizing visitors lights like drag strip christmas timber. The automotive possesses a fascinating character that makes you need to drive it tougher.
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 customary with Volkswagen’s Stage 2 driver’s help system referred to as IQ Drive, which blew my thoughts a bit given the guide transmission. It’s a really efficient system that does job maintaining issues centered within the lane and transferring easily with visitors, nevertheless it’s such a wierd feeling to be shifting your personal gears whereas the automotive does a lot of the remainder of the work. It’s not a foul feeling in any respect — in actual fact it labored nice with the guide and would stay energetic by means of shifts, even persevering with to decelerate when the automotive 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 guide is rated at 26 mpg within the metropolis and 36 on the freeway, with each of these numbers being one mpg increased than GLIs geared up with the automated transmission, surprisingly.
The operate of the Jetta’s inside doesn’t change a lot from the present automotive, except for the unlucky determination to change away from bodily local weather controls with knobs and buttons to a Climatronic Contact show. It’s not completely hateful, nevertheless it does require you to look away from the street to make sure you’re participating with the contact slider you meant to. It’s illuminated at night time at the very least, in contrast to different VWs from the previous few years, and the truth that there’s a devoted local weather show is healthier than having the whole lot hidden within the infotainment, however the 2024 automotive’s bodily controls have been extra idiot-proof.
The steering wheel feels nice in your arms, but additionally suffers from contact delicate buttons. I had an infuriating expertise with these touchpads after I adjusted the cruise management’s comply with distance after which tried growing the cruise management velocity. I efficiently adjusted the comply with distance, however after I tapped the + button to extend my velocity, the automotive thought I used to be nonetheless urgent the comply with distance button again and again. I needed to let it relaxation for a second after which strive growing the velocity once more. It’s not a deal breaker, nevertheless 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 case you’re accustomed to the corporate’s UX then you definately’ll be proper at residence. If not, some issues might take some time to seek out, however you’ll be taught it fairly shortly. For 2025 the Jetta features customary 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 customary 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 automotive was the usual BeatsAudio system, which simply sounded dangerous and never befitting of a $35,000 automotive.
My greatest problem with the Jetta GLI comes while you carry its rivals into the image. Since VW solely gives the Autobahn trim, the GLI prices virtually the identical as a Hyundai Elantra N, a automotive that takes a fun-to-drive demeanor to the following stage. The Elantra N gives a guide just like the GLI, and it’s a considerably extra highly effective targeted driver’s automotive, however the GLI gives a extra refined on a regular basis expertise.
The Jetta is beginning to present its age, nevertheless it’s nonetheless an extremely versatile automobile that has precise house for a household of 4 whereas nonetheless in a position to turn into a canyon carver at a second’s discover. In the event you care about your automotive’s driving expertise, you need to think about the GLI earlier than you take a look at any crossover. And don’t be afraid of the guide!
