Our reviewers had just one major complaint about the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta: its base engine struggled a bit with a full load of passengers. VW listened. For 2022, the Jetta gets a stronger base engine.
Combined with a tasteful styling refresh and some welcome interior updates, the improvements should make the Jetta a more competitive entry in a compact sedan class that doesn’t have a weak contestant.
VW hasn’t announced pricing for the 2022 Jetta. The 2021 model starts at $18,995, while the performance-oriented Jetta GLI starts at $26,345. A $995 destination fee is extra.
More Power
For 2022, the base Jetta borrows the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine from VW’s Taos small SUV. That bumps horsepower up to 158. More importantly, that engine is tuned to deliver much of its torque in early acceleration. That should make the car feel significantly more powerful at neighborhood speeds, addressing our test driver’s main complaint. Power goes through the same 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission as last year.
The performance-oriented Jetta GLI carries over its 228-horsepower turbocharged engine, which has always been more than adequate.
New Tailoring
A new grille with thinner horizontal chrome elements tones down the nose a bit, while a reshaped front bumper looks sleek thanks to larger intakes. LED headlights are a bit more trim than those on 2021 models. The GLI gets a new honeycomb rear diffuser.
Upgraded Cabin
Inside, the upgrades are more significant. The base cloth seats have been upgraded, and contrast stitching comes standard. Heated and ventilated front seats are available, and come standard in the GLI. New ambient lighting further dresses up the look. The GLI’s perforated leather seats now have a cool red underlay scheme.
A Wi-Fi hotspot is now standard, though it requires buyers to subscribe to a data plan. A digital display replaces the old analog gauges in the driver’s instrument bezel.
Acitve safety and driver assist features such as forward collision warning with emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control are standard from the mid-trim and up.
Class of 2022: All the New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
