“Are you okay with that parking spot, sir, or would you want me to seek out you a much bigger one?”
“Who, me?! Uh, certain, I don’t need to door ding another person’s automobile. Thanks!”
No, this wasn’t the Ritz–it was the overall self-parking lot in Disney World, the place the attendant appeared apprehensive about my costly automobile. And no, I wasn’t driving a brand new Porsche: I used to be in a $33,000 compact sedan with a Volkswagen badge on the entrance.
Meet the Jetta GLI. I suppose that $650 Black Bundle (black wheels and mirrors) paid off! However that pleasant parking attendant’s response was an ideal acknowledgement of this automobile’s goal: Be a price range sport sedan that stands out among the many different automobiles on the highway, whereas nonetheless being completely sensible and getting 32 mpg on common fuel.
What’s a Jetta GLI? Any VW fan will acknowledge the purple lipstick on the grille, a efficiency torch carried all these years from the unique Rabbit GTI. That is mainly a Mk8 GTI with a trunk as an alternative of a hatchback.
Similar enjoyable, playful MQB chassis. Similar glorious, torquey drivetrain (228 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft.). Similar sharp twin-clutch DSG transmission (or six-speed guide). Similar electronically managed clutch-type restricted slip. And, sadly, the identical hateful capacitive buttons all through the inside.
The 2 automobiles don’t simply really feel like stablemates however like twins, and we’d battle to distinguish them in addition to the apparent three-box vs. two-box physique kinds. We’ve written at size about simply how enjoyable and quick the brand new GTI is on monitor, and all that reward holds true for the Jetta. Should you love GTIs however your life-style means you’d slightly have a giant trunk than a hatchback, that is the automobile for you.
What about the entire different entry-level sports activities sedans on the earth? Yeah… it’s 2025, so good luck with that. The Jetta as soon as struggled to compete in a crowded discipline, however discovering any sedan–by no means thoughts one with sporting pretensions–in fashionable America has gotten extra difficult.
A base BMW 3 Collection begins at $12,000 greater than the GLI. Mazda has taken the turbocharged Mazda3 upmarket, forcing an computerized transmission and all-wheel drive. And Subaru’s WRX has a excessive worth, polarizing appears to be like and horrible gasoline economic system. The Elantra N is an absolute hoot, however I feel this automobile does a significantly better job of settling down on a highway journey along with your household.
However, after all, there’s all the time the Civic Si. It’s even a couple of grand cheaper, beginning at simply $30,250. In comparison with the Civic, although, the Jetta has extra energy and an elective (and glorious) twin-clutch transmission.
However the true factor it has is completely encapsulated by that pleasant parking attendant’s response. The Civic appears to be like cool, however the Jetta appears to be like, feels and drives premium. And, for a lot of automobile patrons, that’s sufficient of a cause to decide on it over the competitors.
And whereas we haven’t examined the GLI on our official take a look at monitor, the Florida Worldwide Rally & Motorsport Park, we have now examined the present Civic Si and the present Volkswagen GTI. The decision? The Volkswagen was a full 2.5 seconds across the monitor, suggesting the Jetta’s lap instances is likely to be a bit extra premium, too.
In brief: The Jetta GLI is a improbable day by day driver that appears nice, is priced proper, and turns heads even when the motive force is aware of it’s “only a Jetta.” Kudos to VW for nonetheless making sedans–and nice ones–within the fashionable period.
Feedback
The GLI is a pleasant package deal in that VW “all arounder” form of approach. The comps to different automobiles within the article are legitimate. A Hyundai Elantra N will completely present its tail lights to a GLI…except I am driving the N and Randy Pobst is within the GLI.
It is a swift automobile if not the outright quickest in school.
I feel it is the final VW product to supply a guide within the USA, however I may very well be incorrect. That mentioned, I’ve a DSG in my GTI, and since nobody else can see this, I am going to say… it received me over! However that stays strictly between us.
And a pleasant factor for the GRM followers: mainly all the pieces that y’all did to the venture GTI may very well be finished to the GLI.
Coniglio Rampante mentioned:
That mentioned, I’ve a DSG in my GTI, and since nobody else can see this, I am going to say… it received me over! However that stays strictly between us.
On a extra critical observe, I all the time imagined the DSG to supply simply sufficient enjoyable with out spending half your life 1-2-1-2 in site visitors.
I simply turo’d a ’24 GLI throughout florida for the final week and principally loved it. Since actually each different automobile I personal is a guide it took me some time to get used to the DSG. It wasn’t dangerous. the automobile is definitely higher than most different issues in it is class. I used to be not a fan of the turbo enhance curve although. The distinction between half throttle no enhance and half throttle ALL THE BOOSTS was a really small window.
Received an ideal deal on a 2025 guide (12% off MSRP) the day earlier than the trrrrrif pricing set in. Kudos to Autobarn VW.
Actually lovin’ it. Miss the Fender Audio from my final VW however IMHO you simply cannot beat this for the cash. Sure, there are some small faults however I am very proud of the acquisition. Love the up to date styling.
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