The refreshed 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, sporting updated styling, more safety features and a new engine, returns to a very competitive compact sedan market. American automakers have discontinued their small sedans, but Japanese and Korean automakers have only upped their game. The Jetta’s closest competitors are the all-new for 2022 Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla and the Hyundai Elantra—all of which, in their base models, are four-door sedans. The Civic and Corolla also offer hatchbacks.

There are four trim levels of Jetta.  All are powered by a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The S (base price $21,260, including destination fee) benefits from VW’s decision to equip all 2022 Jettas with the company’s Digital Cockpit and Car-Net telematics and a set of newly standard safety gear. Moving up to the new Sport model ($22,260 and targeted at the Civic Sport) brings 17-inch alloy wheels, standard sport seats, an electronic limited-slip differential and a black grille, mirror caps and window trim. 

A significant boost in amenities comes with the SE ($25,090).  With this trim, VW’s IQ.Drive active safety suite becomes standard, along with keyless access with push-button start, V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats and a power driver’s seat. At the top of the ladder is the SEL ($29,090), which piles on the goodies—navigation, leather seating surfaces, ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a wireless smartphone charger, a Beats Audio system, the cold weather package with heated steering wheel and a free satellite radio trial.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta gets fresh styling up front and in back, but you’d need to park it next to a 2021 model to really spot the differences. The big news is a new 1.5-liter engine.  Mike Hagerty

More important than the style refresh or any equipment updates is the expansion of safety features. Base model Jettas will now standard with forward collision warnings with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, previously a $500 upgrade. That goes part of the way towards bridging the gap with the Civic and Elantra, but IQ.Drive still costs extra, and brings lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, some of which are standard on competitors.

Pricing is difficult to compare directly as the Civic, Elantra and especially the Corolla offer many more trim levels (and in the case of Civic and Corolla, body styles). Staying within the sedans, the range of $21,600 to $29,090 is broadly similar to the others, though the top SEL trim is pricier than all but the Civic Touring. Each of the others offers sportier versions too, and buyers looking for more oomph in a Jetta should check out the GLI, which we review separately and which gets also gets updates this year.

The Jetta’s styling may be updated for 2022, but you’d be hard-pressed to spot the changes without a ’21 nearby for comparison. It’s still a very conservative design and seems a bit dull against the fresher styling of the Civic and the more aggressive designs of the current Corolla, Elantra and Kia Forte. Like the lower-end models of those cars, the Jetta is more about hassle-free commuting than fun. We spent a week driving the Jetta SEL and found it to be comfortable, quiet and remarkably fuel-efficient, averaging more than 35 mpg in urban freeway driving.

The Jetta’s exterior may not be very exciting, but the cabin feels upscale and almost Audi-like in its spare, elegant details.  Volkswagen

Performance: 12/15

The new Jetta 1.5-liter four-cylinder produces 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. That’s 11 more horsepower but no extra torque over the 1.4 it replaces. But the new engine likes to rev a bit more, making peak horsepower at 5,500 rpm instead of 5,000. The S and Sport models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission with an eight-speed automatic optional, and that latter transmission is standard on the SE and SEL trims.

Zero-to-60 times are quick for an entry-level compact sedan at 7.6 seconds. By comparison, a Civic with its base engine (2.0-liter four, 158 hp, 138 lb-ft of torque) needs 9.2 seconds to make that run.  You need to move up to the Touring model’s 1.5-liter turbo four with 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque to get down to 7.5 seconds. The Corolla’s base engine needs 10 seconds (its optional mill can do it in 7.3) and the Elantra takes 8 seconds flat. Still, the Civic is a more fun machine to drive, as is the Mazda3, the base model of which offers 155 hp and only 150 lb-ft.

SE and SEL models also get Volkswagen’s XDS cross differential system, an electronic approach to a limited-slip differential to improve cornering and handling in the sometimes torque-steery front-drive Jetta.

Fuel Economy: 12/15

The Jetta’s combined city/highway fuel economy average is 33 mpg—just a shade better than the competitive set average of 32. It ties the Civic and beats the Corolla’s 32. The mileage champ of the group is by far the Elantra, at 36 mpg. Volkswagen doesn’t offer any hybrid version of the Jetta, so for those looking for maximum mileage, the Elantra and Corolla Hybrids offer much better MPG without much tradeoff in performance.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 9/15

The Jetta gets a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and good overall ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. We applaud VW for making front assist, blind spot monitor and rear traffic alert on all Jetta models, but that still falls short of what you get in the Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza. 

The Jetta’s rating would markedly improve if the IQ.Drive suite (lane assist, front assist, adaptive cruise control, active blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert, emergency assist and travel assist) were standard across the line. Currently, it’s not even optional on the base S model and is only available on Jetta Sport as an extra-cost option.

The Jetta has a big and comfy back seat for a small-ish car, and ties the Honda Civic on rear-seat legroom.  Mike Hagerty

Comfort & Room: 14/15

Especially in higher trims, the Jetta’s cabin exudes a premium vibe. Even in its base form, the materials are of decent quality and the fit and finish are well-executed. The newly standard Digital Cockpit and new steering wheel (borrowed from the Taos) also improve the interior.

Front seat passengers get plenty of leg and headroom, but it’s the back seat that makes or breaks small cars like this. Rear seat passengers are treated to generous legroom, at 37.4 inches. That ties the Civic sedan (the Civic hatchback drops to 36.0) and gets very close to the Elantra’s best-in-class 38.0. The Corolla brings up the rear with 34.8 inches in sedan model, and its hatchback does much worse yet at 29.9.

Infotainment: 10/15

The 2022 Jetta has (happily) not upgraded to the controversial interface that’s in the new-generation Golf GTI and Golf R.  Having experienced the finicky, menu-heavy new system, the old one, with its 8.0-inch screen,  is simply better. What costs the Jetta points in this category is that a lot of features available at extra cost or on higher trims (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and onboard Wi-Fi) aren’t standard across the line.

As with the backseat, the Jetta’s upright shape and efficient use of space makes for good trunk volume, 14.1 cubic-feet, in fact.  Mike Hagerty

Cargo Space & Storage:  14/15

The Jetta’s 14.1 cubic-feet of trunk space is just a fraction off the Elantra’s 14.2 and not far behind the set-leading Civic’s 14.8. The Corolla lags at just 13.1. Among competitors with hatchback models, the Civic wins again at 24.5 cubic-feet behind the rear seats and 46.2 cubic-feet with the seats folded. The Corolla hatchback has only 17.8 cubic-feet with the rear seats up and 23 with the seats folded, and the Mazda3 hatch isn’t all that much better.

Style & Design: 6/10

Even with a mid-cycle refresh of the grille and tail, the Jetta’s styling is bland—conservative at a moment when Civic, Corolla and Elantra are trying to woo potential crossover buyers with fresher, more aggressive designs. Even the Kia Forte seems more visually daring.

Some of this blandness is compensated for in the cabin. The premium look and feel of the interior suggest a cut-price Audi A3, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The Jetta isn’t particularly exciting, but it does feel more upscale than you’d expect out of a car of its price, with mature styling and a handsome cabin.  Mike Hagerty

Is the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta Worth It? Which Volkswagen Jetta Is the Best Value?

The Volkswagen Jetta is a better-than-average small sedan, but it’s also up against some very tough competitors in the Civic and the Elantra—cars that keep evolving and that appear fresher at first glance.

That said, the SE ($25,090) is the value pick here, bringing with it the full suite of active safety features, dual-zone climate control and heated seats. VW’s option list really is pretty much dealer-installed accessories, so getting niceties like the moonroof, navigation or the Beats Audio system requires going up the ladder and spending an additional four grand-plus. If you can live without those, a solid, well-equipped car with all the safety features for $25,000 and change is a pretty good deal.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta?

The Volkswagen Jetta isn’t an expensive car to insure. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,180, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,028 for the Honda Civic, $2,133 for the Nissan Sentra, $2,138 for the (base) Mazda3 and $1,798 for the Hyundai Elantra. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.