2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Road Test and Review

2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Front ・ Photo by Nicole Wakelin

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is the halo vehicle in the Jetta sedan lineup. This is a fully loaded sports sedan with a more powerful engine, sportier styling, and a choice of either an automatic or manual transmission. This year, it gets a new look that enhances its sporty appeal. It includes red accents inside and out that are unique to the GLI, along with special 18-inch machined aluminum alloy wheels.

The interior of the Jetta GLI is attractive and comfortable with plenty of room for five adults. This is a compact sedan that actually has enough room for rear passengers. There’s also good standard safety features and a fully featured infotainment system. Let’s take a closer look at the refreshed 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI to see if it’s the right compact sports sedan for you.

Only One Trim Is Offered

One of the changes this year is a reduction from two trims to one. The trim that remains is the Autobahn, which has no shortage of standard features that make this affordable car a great value. Pricing is $30,995 with the standard 6-speed manual or $31,795 with the optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Standard features include a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, multi-link independent rear suspension, drive mode selector, adaptive damping system, and a limited-slip differential.

There’s a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, leather seating surfaces with red accent stitching, 10-color ambient lighting, 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging. Safety features are extensive and include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane keeping assist. With only one trim, the GLI Autobahn doesn’t hold back and instead offers a complete package with plenty of standard features.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

A Powerful Turbocharged Engine

Power for the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired to a standard 6-speed manual transmission or an optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. It’s hard to find a manual transmission on a sports car these days, much less on a sedan, and the one on the Jetta GLI is a hoot to drive. It makes taking this along winding mountain roads a compelling proposition with a short throw and a light clutch. Driving this in heavy traffic won’t become tiresome.

Those who don’t want a manual have the option for the automatic. It shifts smoothly and quietly, but your most engaging drive experience comes with the manual. Regardless of which you choose, the Jetta GLI has strong acceleration that makes merging into heavy traffic effortless. It might not be aggressively styled, but the Jetta GLI offers strong performance.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Budget-Friendly Fuel Economy

One of the challenges of buying a more performance-minded car is fuel economy. Powerful engines demand more gas, which can be hard on your budget. The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI gets fuel economy that won’t drain your wallet, even as gas prices continue to rise.

The EPA-estimates that it will get 26 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined when equipped with the manual transmission. Choose to go with the automatic, and the numbers are very nearly the same with 26 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. No matter which transmission you choose, fuel economy figures make this a good choice for the morning commute or those long-distance road trips.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Sporty Yet Passenger-Focused

The Jetta GLI balances sportiness with comfort. This is a sedan, after all, and a sedan needs to put a certain amount of focus on passengers. The Jetta GLI does this with a suspension system that smooths out rough road surfaces and soaks up bumps and dips in the pavement. There’s not a lot of road or wind noise and even engine noise isn’t intrusive. You hear the engine, but it’s not something that will become tiresome over long trips or interfere with conversation.

Handling takes things in a sportier direction. Steering is responsive, making short work of winding roads with a minimum of body roll. This makes the Jetta GLI more controlled for the driver and more comfortable for passengers. Hard braking produces a minimum of nosedive, and the available drive modes let you tailor handling for a more relaxed drive or a sportier one depending on your preferences.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

A Comfortable and Eye-Catching Interior

The interior of the Jetta GLI has gloss black trims with red accents, padded leatherette door inserts with red contrast stitching, and a leather-wrapped sport steering wheel. That multi-function steering wheel includes a red GLI badge with paddle shifters for the automatic transmission. There’s a black headliner, stainless steel pedal caps, and illuminated scuff plates. Ten-color ambient lighting is standard with perforated black leather seats and a red underlay.

It’s attractive and comfortable with sport seats that have bolstering for more spirited driving. The driver gets an 8-way power seat with lumbar and memory while both front passengers get heated and ventilated seats. There’s room for three in the back with enough space for everyone on all but the longest trips. Legroom and headroom are good and, unless everyone is pushing six feet, two won’t mind sitting there for an extended period. There's also 14.1 cubic feet in the trunk.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

An Attractive Exterior Design

The Jetta GLI has updated exterior styling this year. This includes new front and rear bumpers, a new grille, and unique wheels. For the GLI, there are 18-inch machined alloy wheels with the option for glass black alloy wheels. These are exclusive to the GLI and not available on the rest of the Jetta lineup. The new grille continues to feature a black honeycomb pattern with a red accent stripe and a gloss black surround. There’s also GLI lettering tucked into the grille on one side.

Around back, there’s a black honeycomb diffuser and a new wider dual exhaust. This not only makes the GLI look a bit sportier but provides an aggressive soundtrack to your drive. This is a sports sedan that has more modest styling. There are no overly aggressive angles, but instead just a few key enhancements that differentiate it from other Jettas.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Large Infotainment With Key Features

Infotainment in the Jetta GLI includes the all-new third generation of Volkswagen’s MIB3. It features an 8.0-inch touchscreen, navigation, wireless device charging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. There are three USB ports and a 400-watt, 8-speaker BeatsAudio system that includes a subwoofer. Although not strictly part of the infotainment system, there’s also a standard 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. It not only gives the dashboard a streamlined and very tech-forward appearance, but it also offers a full-screen display for navigation.

The system is easy to use with well-organized menus and great touch response. No need to stab at the screen multiple times to get to the right menu. It doesn’t take long to master and is equally easy for passengers unfamiliar with how it all works. Additional features include SiriusXM with 360L, HD radio, and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Plenty of Standard Safety Features

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI has not yet been tested by either the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It does, however, come with an impressive roster of standard safety features. These include forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, and high-beam assist.

There’s also adaptive cruise control, automatic post collision braking, and a crash response system. These features are all standard. There are no options, which in this case is just fine. Volkswagen included everything as a standard feature on the Jetta GLI so there’s no need to budget for an option package if you want the peace of mind offered by advanced safety features.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Final Thoughts

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI offers performance and passenger comfort in one. It has a powerful engine with a choice of either a manual or automatic transmission and responsive steering. While some might see sedans as boring, ho-hum choices, this sedan bucks that trend. Whether it’s the daily commute or a road trip, this Jetta GLI is a car you’ll enjoy driving.

It also delivers an attractive interior with sporty design elements and quality materials. Infotainment includes a solid range of features, and the digital cockpit gives the dashboard a unified appearance. There’s also good standard safety with no need to consider expensive options packages that could stretch your budget. Those in the market for a comfortable, affordable, and powerful compact sedan will find the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI a top pick.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin