2020 Volkswagen Jetta

The Jetta, as you might know, is a family sedan. Cost-cutting in the Jetta can be observed all over the car and the inside too. The 2020 Jetta bears the same Volkswagen design language which might seem a little similar to its sister brand, Audi. The interior looks and feels cheap. The leatherette, artificial Leather on the seats and on the armrest on the center and the doors. The dashboard, doors and center console are made up of hard plastic. But opting for a high trim of the car will replace that hard plastic with the soft-touch material. But this car isn't all disappointment. Stick with us and we will tell you more about the 2020 Jetta.

With a total of 5 Trims are on offer, namely the S, SE, R-Line, SEL and SEL Premium, and prices ranging from nearly $18,500 to over $27,000. It goes head-on with the likes of the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Chevrolet Cruze and a lot more other sedans.

Volkswagen is known to offer a long list of trims available for its cars, to suit the buying choice of, theoretical, everyone. Primarily there are five trims are available: S, SE, R-Line, SEL and SEL Premium. The S and SE trims are offered in both, 6-speed Manual and 8-speed Automatic transmission. As always, opting for a higher trim will bring you more features than the comparatively cheaper trim.

Trim	S	SE	SE R-Line	SEL	SEL Premium
MSRP (Manual)	$18,895	-	$22,695	-	-
MSRP (Automatic)	$19,695	$22,645	$23,495	$25,495	$27,945
Key Features	Power Operated Side Mirrors	Adds to the Features from the ‘S’ Trim	Adds/Upgrades features from ‘SE’	Adds/Upgrades features from ‘R-Line’	Adds/Upgrades features from ‘SEL’
	Automatic LED Headlights with LED DRL’s	Leather-wrapped steering and Seats	Black Grill Accents, Side Mirrors, Rear Sport Valance	Rain Sensing Windshield Wipers with Heated Washer Nozzles, Wiper Park	Side Mirrors with Memory Function
	LED Tail Lights	Start-Stop System	Black Headliner	VW Digital Cockpit	VW Car-Net Security
	16” Rama Alloy Wheels	Keyless Access with Push Button Start	17” Trenton Alloy Wheels	17” Aluminum Alloy wheels	Ventilated Front Seats
	Cruise Control	Dual Zone Climate Control	XDS Cross Differential	Beats Audio System	Sport Bolstered Comfort Seats
	Multi-Function Steering wheel	Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Traffic Alert	Fog Lamps with low-speed Corner Illumination Feature	Auto-Dimming Inside Rear View Mirror	Front Seats with adjustable lumbar support
	6 Way Manually Adjustable Driver’s Seat	Heated Front Seats	Center Arm Rest on the Rear Seats	Heated Steering Wheel, Rear Seats	6-way power adjust driver seat with Memory
	VW Car-Net App-Connect	Power Sliding Panoramic Sunroof	R-Line Badging on Front Grill	High Beam Assist and Remote Start	Front Collision Warning
	USB Port with Bluetooth for Audio Streaming	10 Color Customizable Interior Lighting		1 Front USB and 1 USB Charging port
	6.5” Touchscreen Infotainment System with Rear View Camera	8” Touchscreen System with Voice Control and Proximity Sensor
	60/40 split-folding Rear Seat

We Recommend

Although the 1.8L TSI in Jetta SE sport is exciting, It slaps a huge 4 mpg penalty for just 20 hp more. That’s why we will stick with still satisfying but very efficient 1.4L TSI. The SE trim looks sensible to us as it has leatherette upholstery, 6.5-inch infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a power sunroof for just $3000 more than base Jetta S.

The Volkswagen Jetta drives with a German character with precise well-weighted steering and composed high-speed manners. The available TSI engine complements the chassis well too. The 1.4L engine putting out 147hp offers excellent efficiency and satisfying drive giving you enough grunt with better fuel efficiency.  Chauffeur driven owners will also appreciate the supple suspension.

 

The 2020 Jetta comes only with Front-Wheel drive drivetrain. Stuffed with a 1.4L TSI engine delivering 150-hp and 184 pounds-feet of torque. This engine gets a slick-shifting standard 6-speed manual with a light clutch. Also, there is an 8-speed automatic available as an option. Although there are some occasional hiccups at slow speeds, it’s otherwise smooth and silky.

Models	Volkswagen Jetta S Sedan	Toyota Corolla L Sedan*	Honda Civic LX Sedan*	Mazda 3 Sport Sedan*	Hyundai Elantra Sedan SE*
MSRP	$19,695 (A/T)	$19,620	$21,145	$20,035	$18,985
Engine	1.4L Turbo Inline 4	1.8 L inline-four	2.0 L inline-four	2.0 L inline-four	2.0 L inline-four
Transmission	8 Speed Automatic	CVT	CVT	6-speed Auto	6-speed Automatic
Horsepower	147hp @ 5000rpm	132hp @ 6000 rpm	158hp @ 6500 rpm	155hp @ 6000 rpm	147hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque	184lbs-ft @ 1400rpm	128 [email protected]	138 lb.-ft @ 4200 rpm	150 lb.-ft. @4000 rpm	132 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

Even after having the smallest engine of the lot, the Jetta still manages to put a sufficient amount of power figures to make it compete strongly. It does get overshadowed by the power outputs of bigger 2.0L engines in both Honda and Mazda.

Acceleration

The 2020 Jetta with a 1.4-liter engine pulls to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. These stats make the car cover a quarter-mile of distance in under a short of 16 seconds. Although the turbocharged engines in the Jetta have a slight delay in power delivery at lower revs that quickly vanishes as the turbos spool up. 

 

Models	Volkswagen Jetta	Toyota Corolla L Sedan*	Honda Civic LX Sedan*	Mazda 3 Sport Sedan*	Hyundai Elantra Sedan SE*
0-60 MPH(sec)	7.7	9.4	8.2	8.0	8.3
Quarter mile(sec)	16.0	17.2	16.3	16.2	16.4
Emission  (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	5.2	9.8	8.4	11.2	10.2
Curb Weight (lbs.)	2959	2840	2742	2899	2767

This is one segment where even with the smallest capacity engine the Jetta overshadows other rivals. showcasing the best 0-60mph timings and even quarter-mile time is better than most bigger capacity engine rivals.

 Ride and Handling

The Volkswagen has replaced the earlier twist-beam rear suspension in the Jetta with independent multilink rear suspension resulting in more composed ride quality. This is further aided by cushy 16-inch wheels in the base version of Jetta. The steering has a German well-weighted feel giving it a grown-up character against other compact sedans and the long-wheelbase aids high-speed stability.

Volkswagen is constantly trying to improve their car every year to keep up with the competition. The independent rear suspension is made standard for every trim of the Jetta. Because, why not. The result is a well-balanced driving experience. Not excellent in any particular driving aspect but better in every aspect, giving you that driving performance satisfaction.

Braking

With improving technology standards, you’d expect the Sedan to have improved on all aspects. The Jetta gets 11.5-inch brake rotors in front wheels and 10.8-inch rotors in the rear wheels. The brake pedal feels light and has a long travel. This combined with linear response makes smooth stops an easy affair. The Jetta stops from 70 mph in 191 feet. Although this is a short distance, we do have a shorter distances from other rivals.

 

Models	Volkswagen Jetta Sedan	Toyota Corolla L Sedan*	Honda Civic LX Sedan*	Mazda 3 Sport Sedan*	Hyundai Elantra Sedan SE*
Brake Front (in.)	11.5	10.8	10.2	10.7	10.3
Brake Rear (in.)	10.8	9.1	9.8	9.5	9.7
70-0 MPH (ft.)	191	183	180	179	182

The Jetta loses big time in the braking comparison. Taking the longest distance to come to a halt form 70MPH by a big margin as compared to the competitors. The Mazda 3 manages to have the shortest distance of 179ft. followed by 180ft of Civic and 182ft. of Elantra. 

Something to really like about the Volkswagen Jetta is the fuel economy. Giving 30 miles per gallon in the city and 39 miles per gallon on the highway, making a combined of 34 mpg. It is obvious that opting for an automatic variant will give you a lesser fuel economy. Adding an automatic transmission to this engine decreases the highway fuel economy figure by 2 mpg. It is also equipped with a tank capacity of 13.2 gallons, which brings a single tank range of around 400 miles.

Models	Volkswagen Jetta Sedan	Toyota Corolla Sedan	Honda Civic Sedan	Mazda 3 Sedan	Hyundai Elantra Sedan
MPG (city)	30	28	25	26	26
MPG (highway)	39	36	36	35	36
MPG (combined)	34	32	29	30	29
Fuel Tank Capacity(Gal.)	13.2	13.2	12.39	13.2	14
Range(City/Hwy)	396/528 miles	370/475 miles	310/446 miles	343/462 miles	364/504 miles

Again, Jetta delivers a combined efficiency which is above all rivals, all credits to its smaller capacity engine. While rivaling cars still manages a few miles less in both city and highway efficiency, making them offer lesser combined fuel efficiency. 

The Volkswagen Jetta’s spacious interiors and the largest trunk in class may make you believe you are sitting in a midsize sedan. The great outward visibility just adds to the airy feeling. However, it’s miserly appointed and there are plenty of hard plastics – the competitors feel decidedly more upscale. Build quality is as solid as expected from a German product though.

The Jetta interior has one thing in abundance – space. In fact, the Jetta is second only to the Toyota Corolla in terms of rear-seat legroom and the large rear doors make ingress and egress easier (and elegant). That said, the headroom is average in the class. While the base Jetta S comes with basic fabric upholstery, all other Jetta get leatherette draped interiors.

Models	VW Jetta Sedan	Toyota Corolla Sedan	Honda Civic Sedan	Mazda 3 Sedan	Hyundai Elantra Sedan
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.5/55.9/41.1	38.3/54.8/42.3	39.3/57.0/37.1	38.3/54.8/42.3	38.8/56.2/42.3
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.2/54/37.4	37.1/55.0/37.4	37.1/55.0/37.4	37.6/54.4/35.8	37.3/55.0/35.7

Front passengers will never be complaining about space as there is ample availability. With a decent amount of headroom for most passengers along with the Shoulder room and Legroom being sufficient too. The passengers won’t have much to complain about.

Cargo capacity

Cargo is the other best thing in this car. The boot space is surprisingly spacious in this car at 14.1 cubic feet as compared to 12.4 cubic feet in the Mazda3. The trunk of the Jetta comes with a spare tire to help you in the flat tire situations.

 

Models	VW Jetta	Honda Civic	Mazda 3	Toyota Corolla Sedan	Hyundai Elantra
Cargo Capacity (cu.ft)	14.1	15.2	12.4	13.0	14.4

With 14.4cu.ft. of cargo space in Elantra and 12.2cu.ft. in the Honda Civic, the Jetta loses a little with its 14.1cu.ft. of capacity. 

Infotainment System

The infotainment system is mounted lower on the dashboard in Jetta. While the base Jetta S gets 5.0-inch infotainment, the Jetta SE and higher trims get an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability. The touchscreen has crisp graphics and offers a quick response. The Jetta SEL  with a Beats premium audio system caters to the audiophiles.

 

• 10.65” Digital Cockpit
• 1 Front Data and 1 Charging port
• 8” Touchscreen System with Navigation, Voice Assist, MP3/WMA Compatible Audio Player
• Audio Streaming via Bluetooth 
• AM/FM/HD/SiriusXM Radio
• 400W Beats Audio System 
• Qi Wireless Charging and Wi-Fi hotspot
• New Gen Car-Net Telematics system
• VW App connect with Apple Car Play and Android Auto

Interior Features

Like the infotainment, the Jetta's interiors too come loaded with a long list of features. Some of the most noteworthy convenience features include the following

• Panoramic Sunroof
• Heated Steering Wheel and Heated Seats
• Auto-dimming Interior Rearview mirror
• Leather Wrapped Multi-Function Steering Wheel
• Keyless Access with push-button Start
• Leather Seating Surfaces
• Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• Ventilated, Heated and 6 Way Powered Driver Seats with lumbar adjust and memory
• 60/40 Split-folding rear seats

The Volkswagen Jetta gets an unmistakably German looks with clean lines and very conservative styling. This is one of the few compact cars that offer easy and elegant access to the rear seats thanks to the large rear gates. Its understated charm will definitely impress you if you long for those large expensive German saloons.

 

The Jetta is just as heavy as the competition car, Mazda3 sport a little less than 3000 lbs. The Jetta comes in, on average, 2.5 inches longer than the competition cars resulting in the larger space back in the trunk. The width of the car is 70 inches and the height is 56.6 inches. While the other cars the wheelbase around 106.3 inches, the Jetta has a relatively shorter wheelbase at 104.4 inches. The best thing is, this does not trade-off with the legroom in the back. A 6 feet person can sit on the rear with some leg room space left unoccupied.

Model	VW Jetta	Toyota Corolla Sedan	Honda Civic Sedan	Mazda 3 Sedan	Hyundai Elantra Sedan
Curb weight (lbs.)	2767	2840	2724	2899	2844
Length(in)	185.1	183.1	182.3	180.3	181.9
Width(in)	70.8	69.9	70.8	70.7	70.9
Height(in)	57.4	57.3	55.7	57.3	56.5
Ground clearance (in)	5.6	6.7	6.3	6.1	5.3
Wheelbase (in)	105.7	106.3	106.3	106.3	106.3

 

Exterior Features

Following the major changes that went in last year's update, Volkswagen now added a plethora of updates on the inside of the Jetta. Here is the list of  most notable features on the outside of the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta

• LED Headlights
• LED Daytime Running Lamps
• LED Tail Lights and License plate Lights
• Powered Side Mirrors with Memory Function
• Rain Sensing Windshield wipers
• Heated Side Mirrors
• Fog Lights with low-speed corner illuminating feature
• 17” Alloy Wheels
• Powered Sunroof

Being one of the safest cars in the segment, Jetta showcases a large number of safety features to safeguard its passengers. The list of available active safety features includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Blond-Spot Monitor, Forward Collision Warning and more. It has been rewarded top safety pick in the IIHS Rating for 2020. As the 2020 car remains unchanged, it was sure to perform better than before. 

Some Safety Features in the VW Jetta include 

• ABS with EBD and Hydraulic Brake Assist
• Electronic Stability Control with Anti Slip Regulation
• Electronic Differential Locking and Engine Brake Assist
• Driver and Front Passenger Front and Side Thorax Airbag
• Front and Rear Side Curtain and Head Protection Airbag
• Front Seatbelt with pre-tensioners and load limiters
• LATCH child seat anchor points
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Volkswagen Jetta vs. Honda Civic Sedan

The Honda Civic is frequently called the best available compact car and for good reasons. It magically blends a terrific fuel economy with an enthusiastic engine. It rides comfortably and offers corner craving dynamics as well. Its interior is attractive and feature-loaded and it’s priced competently too. However, the Jetta is more spacious and many appreciate its understated looks at an age well.

 

Volkswagen Jetta vs. Mazda3 

The main plus point of the Mazda3 is its amazing ride and handling characteristics in the compact sedan segment. Mazda's always has great sporting characteristics added to their cars, this is true while comparing Mazda 6. Even though there isn't any update in it for the 2020 year version. The driving experience is great in both cars. Where Mazda3 outshines the Jetta us it's well-built interior and eye-catching exterior design. You can consider that the Mazda3 is a better offering over the VW Jetta.

 

Volkswagen Jetta vs. Toyota Corolla 

The Corolla is the car that defines the compact-sedan segment and has the distinction of best-selling car in the world. The reason is simple – immense practicality, bulletproof reliability, sofa-like rear seats with unbelievable legroom for a compact car and excellent value for money. It’s a perfect point A to B tool. The Corolla also features a lower price tag in comparison to Jetta. One downside attached with Corolla is its lack of driving excitement or enthusiasm which is way above in the Jetta. 

 

The Volkswagen Jetta has carved a niche for itself among the playful crop of compact cars with its uniquely German understated looks, solid build quality, and composed driving manners. It has precise handling and turbocharged TSI engine offer delightfully smooth performance. Most distinctively, the current Jetta offers expansive rear seats and largest in the class trunk.

However, the Jetta lacks any of the wow factor offered by the competition. The performance is better than before. It is more fun and thrilling this year. Although the interior is usable and conveniently laid out, it’s too bland with plenty of hard plastics. The same goes for exterior – it’s very conservative. However, if this simple and functional approach impresses you and if you are okay with buying a Volkswagen product after all the dieselgate drama and DSG reliability issues, buy one.