7aMoDi Posted September 6 Share Posted September 6 We're still sobbing about the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R losing their manual transmissions. Turns out, it wasn't us North Americans who doomed the Golf's do-it-yourself gearbox but the other global markets that basically didn't did buy any of them. In fact, the U.S. market is strong for the manual gearbox. According to Volkswagen, 40 percent of Golfs were manual here, similar to the take rate for the Jetta GLI's six-speed. However, the Jetta is a North America-only model, whereas the Golf is a global unit, and that gave the bean counters more justification to preserve the manual in VW's compact sedan. What's New and Different The Jetta GLI enters 2025 largely unchanged, and that's not a bad thing. Exterior enhancements include a more attractive front fascia and grille design. Because red still apparently means performance, there's a red chinstrap at the lower edge, something we could certainly live without. A new unibrow light bar connects the updated LED lighting elements, and the 18-inch wheels have a revised look. The model designation on the front fenders is replaced by a G-L-I letters on the doors. Out back, there's a new trunk lid and taillights that span the width of the back end. The GLI's interior sees fewer changes. There's a new, better-looking dash that houses the 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, which, thankfully, is still the older and easier-to-navigate operating system rather than the still-teething software Volkswagen offers in the GTI. There's an inductive charging pad, and the steering wheel is now heated. However, the formerly knob-controlled dual-zone climate interface has been converted to a touch-capacitive unit. It's responsive enough and looks more modern, and with some acclimation is just as easy operate as the ol' dials. The Jetta GLI is only offered in the kitchen-sink Autobahn trim, which includes everything the Jetta lineup has to offer. That means for $33,940 the GLI comes standard with heated and ventilated front seats and leather upholstery with red stitching. These seats don't offer the lateral support of the GTI's, but they're plenty comfortable. Other fripperies include a punchy BeatsAudio system, a sunroof, and VW's IQ.DRIVE driver-assist package that includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist. What's Not Mechanically speaking, the GLI stays the same. That means a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with 228 horsepower and 258-pound feet of torque sent through a six-speed manual gearbox or a no-cost seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. An electronically controlled limited-slip differential distributes the torque across the front axle. The GLI is equipped with the 13.4-inch front brake rotors and big floating calipers from the seventh-generation Golf R, as well as three-way-adjustable adaptive dampers. Though the dual-clutch gearbox offers launch control, naturally, we prefer the manual 'box. At the test track, it's a constant battle between wheelspin and traction-control intervention. There's some secret sauce to launching the GLI: Bring the revs up to around 4000 rpm and release the clutch but not all the way. Just enough to trick the pedal sensor—this will keep the traction-control gremlins sleeping. Get it right and 60 mph arrives in 6.0 seconds, and the quarter-mile passes in the 14.5 seconds at 102 mph. Sadly, all-season tires are the only shoes offered. A nice set of summer rubber would likely remove a few tenths from its standing-start times. A sticky set of rubber would also do wonders for the chassis. Around the skidpad, the Hankook Kinergy GT all-seasons howl like a coyote on a fresh kill. Even so, the 0.88-g showing is respectable. The non-sporty tires do not highlight how good the brakes are either, requiring 177 feet to stop from 70 mph and 363 feet from 100 mph. We cannot stress how much a decent tire would improve nearly every performance metric of this hotted-up compact sedan. Previous GLIs we've tested on Hankook summer tires have circled the skidpad at 0.98 g and stopped more than 20 feet shorter from 70 mph. Out in the streets, the GLI is a joy to drive. We prefer the Custom drive mode setup with dampers in Comfort, engine and steering in Sport, and the synthesized engine soundtrack turned off. The turbo four is punchy from corner to corner, and though the shifter's throws might be longer we'd like, its action is smooth. The steering effort in Sport is spot-on, and the soft damper setting effectively absorbs bigger impacts. Though we've yet to test it on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy loop, we expect a better showing than the 2019 Jetta GLI's 36 mpg on the then-optional summer tires. The GLI's other strong points include an interior that feels just at spacious the GTI's and a trunk that seems bigger that its 14 cubic feet suggest. The Jetta GLI faces some strong competition. Hyundai's Elantra N is the clear performance champ, but it's more a teenager to the grown-up GLI. The Honda Civic Si isn't as quick, but its shift action is a thing of beauty. Let's not forget Subaru's WRX, whose all-wheel drive makes it quicker, but its bulbous fender cladding can't match the GLI's curb appeal. And all three of those can be had with summer tires. We love the Golf GTI and Golf R. But the Jetta GLI offers nearly the same thrills for a much cheaper price. Applying those savings to a set of tires is a wise investment. Specifications 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan PRICE Base/As Tested: $33,940/$35,045 Options: GLI Black package (black wheels, mirror caps, and trunk-lid spoiler), $650; Monument Gray with Deep Black roof, $455 ENGINE turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection Displacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3 Power: 228 hp @ 6700 rpm Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/11.8-in disc Tires: Hankook Kinergy GT 225/45R-18 91H M+S DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 105.6 in Length: 186.9 in Width: 70.8 in Height: 57.3 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 51/43 ft3 Trunk Volume: 14 ft3 Curb Weight: 3537 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 6.0 sec 100 mph: 14.0 sec 1/4-Mile: 14.5 sec @ 102 mph Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.8 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 12.5 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 8.8 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 126 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 177 ft Braking, 100–0 mph: 363 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.88 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 26 mpg EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a62021190/2025-volkswagen-jetta-gli-test/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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