2019 Volkswagen Jetta Road Test and Review

When many Americans think Volkswagen, they think Jetta, the German brand’s smallest and least expensive sedan. Since 1980, Americans have bought over 3.2 million Jettas, and VW has sold over 17.5 million units all over the world. The all-new 2019 Jetta is the seventh generation of the popular sedan, and it’s the latest in Volkswagen’s recent onslaught of new products aimed at American families. Built on the company’s versatile new MQB platform that also underpins the new Atlas and Tiguan SUVs, the 2019 Jetta is larger, safer, more comfortable, and more efficient than its predecessor. It’s also more fun to drive. According to Daniel Shapiro, the new Jetta’s product manager, the entire vehicle has been rethought and re-engineered.

The total overhaul is sure to make the Jetta more competitive in the crowded compact sedan segment against the Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Subaru Impreza, Kia Forte, and our favorites, the Honda Civic and Mazda3.

Built in Mexico for the American market, the 2019 Jetta shares many components with Volkswagen's Golf hatchback. All new Jettas are front-wheel drive, but VW will continue to offer the Golf SportWagen and Alltrack wagons with all-wheel drive. The Jetta sedan is available in five trim levels: S, SE, R-Line, SEL, and SEL Premium, with all models powered by a smooth 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 147 horsepower. The 2018 Jetta's 170-hp 1.8-liter engine is no longer available. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Jetta S, but an all-new eight-speed automatic is available for an additional $800 and is standard on other trims.

Prices start at $19,395, including an $850 destination fee, for a Jetta S with A manual transmission and 16-inch wheels. The SE will be a popular trim level at $23,005, and the R-Line, which gets 17-inch wheels and a slightly sportier look, costs just under $24,000. Our SEL test car stickered for about $25,265, which is actually $1,830 less than last year, while the SEL Premium has jumped $700 to $27,795.

For years, many enthusiasts looking for performance in a small sedan have turned to the Jetta GLI. Mechanical similar to the legendary Golf GTI, last year the Jetta GLI offered a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch wheels and tires, and the largest engine available in the Jetta: a turbocharged 2.0-liter making 210 horsepower backed by a dual-clutch automatic transmission. It cost just over $30,000 and could accelerate to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds.

The 2019 Jetta won't include a new GLI version when it goes on sale later this spring, but Volkswagen promises that a new model will appear in the future. We expect the GLI to again be powered by the turbocharged 2.0-liter. We’re also told it will get an independent rear suspension for improved handling over the other Jetta models, which have switched to a less sophisticated suspension design.

All 2019 Jettas get a bump in fuel efficiency. The 1.4-liter engine, which is a carryover from last year, gets some minor changes that have reduced its emissions and its fuel usage, including an extremely smooth start/stop system that shuts it off automatically at idle. The Jetta is rated 30 for mpg in the city and an awesome 40 mpg on the highway with either the manual or automatic transmissions. That’s a 2-mpg improvement in the city over last year’s Jetta.

During 150 miles of mixed driving around Durham, North Carolina, where there is essentially no traffic, we averaged an impressive 36 mpg. These are very strong fuel efficiency numbers for the compact class, although some Honda Civic models get better mileage and the Chevrolet Cruze diesel still leads the pack with a 48 mpg highway rating.

VW says the exterior of the 2019 VW Jetta is redesigned, not overdesigned. We agree. The new look is sleeker and more sophisticated, but it remains clean and attractive. It still looks like a Jetta. It isn’t the most radical shape in the compact sedan class, but it is one of the more refined. There’s a significant family resemblance between the new Jetta and the larger Passat sedan, as well as the exceedingly handsome Tiguan SUV.

It’s also larger than before, with over an inch more wheelbase and almost two inches of additional length. And it's 10 percent more aerodynamic with active grille shutters that close to improve airflow and improve fuel efficiency. All its body panels are steel, though, rather than a costlier weight-saving metal. Exterior highlights include a more aggressive roofline and a prominent character line that runs down its length. LED headlamps, daytime running lights, and taillights are now standard, and the R-Line and SEL models get a decorative faux vent with chrome trim on their front fenders.

VW has radically improved the Jetta’s overall driving experience, creating one of the best-driving cars in its class. The ride is comfortable, even with the available 17-inch wheels and tires, but you can feel the road, which gives the Jetta a lively and youthful character. It feels substantial and expensive, but also responsive and precise, with enough handling capability to satisfy most buyers. Last year we complained about the previous Jetta’s mushy brake pedal, but it’s no longer an issue.

The Jetta’s well-tuned eight-speed automatic transmission is a perfect match for its smooth turbocharged engine, which packs strong low-rpm torque for good acceleration off the line. The engine also likes to rev to its 6,000-rpm redline. Unfortunately, there are no paddle shifters, but the driver can select among four driving modes to customize the sedan’s feel. It's very satisfying in Normal mode, but there's also Eco, which maximizes fuel economy; Sport; and Custom. Sport mode tightens up the steering, dials up the throttle response and reprograms the transmission to hold gears longer. It also turns the Jetta’s blue gauges a cool racy red.

Although the new 2019 VW Jetta is larger on the outside than last year's model, its interior is essentially the same size as before. There’s room for five, but it's more comfortable for four. The rear seat is spacious, but the Honda Civic offers significantly more rear legroom. If backseat space is a high priority, we suggest checking out the larger VW Passat sedan, which costs about the same as a Jetta SEL. The Jetta’s new heated front seats are firm but comfortable. Visibility is excellent thanks to large glass and thin pillars.

Overall, the interior design is sophisticated and sporty with high-quality materials. Ergonomics are simple, with three large dials to control the heat and air conditioning, and a new larger 6.5-inch touchscreen, which grows to 8 inches on the SEL and SEL Premium trims. Bluetooth, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, are standard, but onboard Wi-Fi is still not offered. Other cool new features include an available digital gauge cluster that is configurable just like on an Audi, and a seriously crisp 400-watt seven-speaker Beats Audio premium sound system. Even your teenagers will ask you to turn it down.

Another high point is the 2019 Jetta’s interior storage. The center console bin is huge, big enough to swallow an iPad. The door pockets are also large and have slots for water bottles, and there’s a huge open bin ahead of the shifter. The Jetta’s two front cupholders are big and well placed so that tall drinks don’t interfere with any of the switchgear, and they accommodate cups with handles. The two rear cupholders are part of a center pull-down armrest.

The Jetta’s trunk has shrunk, however, from 15.7 cubic feet to 14.1 cubic feet of space. That’s less trunk then you get in a Honda Civic sedan, but it’s still more than you get in a Mazda3 or a Toyota Corolla. To expand the space, the Jetta’s rear seat is split 60/40 and easily folds flat.

VW has also increased the number of active safety systems on the Jetta. Every model now gets a rearview camera and automatic post-collision braking, which attempts to prevent dangerous secondary impacts. VW’s standard "Intelligent Crash Response" system also automatically unlocks all doors, shuts off the fuel pump, and turns on the hazard lights in the event of a collision.  

Other available safety systems include a blind-spot monitor with a rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and a forward collision warning with emergency automatic braking, which will apply the brakes for you to try to avoid an accident.

Overall, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is a significant improvement over the previous model. It’s more comfortable, more fun to drive, more fuel-efficient, and a heck of a lot better looking. Its turbocharged engine is also among the best in this class, and its new eight-speed automatic transmission is a huge improvement that buyers will appreciate.

Although the Jetta S is a serious value at under $20,000, we recommend stepping up to the Jetta SE for few grand more. That model adds keyless entry, push-button start, a huge sunroof, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, leatherette upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, front parking sensors, and a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.