2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Still An Amazing Bargain

[AVANTI R5]

2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Still An Amazing Bargain

Pricing for the entire '22 Jetta lineup has arrived.

Volkswagen revealed the refreshed Jetta and Jetta GLI last month but it left out one key piece of information: pricing. Today, the final piece of the puzzle has arrived. It's important to point out all trims cost more than last year but there's a good reason why: a more powerful and more efficient engine, specifically the 1.5-liter TSI, rated at 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The old 1.4-liter turbo with 147 hp and 184 lb-ft is no longer available.

The 2022 Jetta begins at $20,195 for the entry-level S trim. Moving up the ladder, the Jetta Sport starts from $21,095 when equipped with the six-speed manual and $21,895 with the optional eight-speed automatic. For those prices, buyers get a ton of standard features, such as 16-inch two-tone aluminum alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, an 8-inch digital as part of the digital cockpit, and several advanced safety systems.

The IQ.Drive driver-assist suite is a $995 option for automatic models while manual versions get the Driver Assistance Package that includes everything in IQ.Drive except for Emergency Assist. Moving up the ladder, the Sport trim has everything above but tacks on 17-inch wheels, an XDS differential, and unique cloth seats. Pricing begins at $21,095 and $21,895 for the manual and slushbox, respectively. The $23,795 SE is automatic only and gets leatherette seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers, among other items. A panoramic sunroof costs another $850 while dark graphite alloys are another $395.

The also automatic-only SEL kicks off at $27,795 and comes with a long list of standard items, among them a 10.25-inch Digital Pro Cockpit display, ambient lighting, projector LEDs, a sunroof, the cold weather package with a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats, and a nine-speaker audio system.

As for the always fun to drive GLI, buyers are being asked to fork over at least $30,995 with the manual - a $4,650 increase over last year. The automatic requires $800 more. However, VW simplified the GLI's packaging; it's only offered in a single trim: Autobahn. Last year's Autobahn began at $30,745, so we're really only looking at a $250 increase.

Like last year, the GLI comes powered by the 2.0-liter turbocharged EA88 with 228 hp and 258 lb-ft. Fuel efficiency has slightly improved without sacrificing output. Buyers can further tack on the $595 Black Package with black 18-inch alloys, black roof, spoiler, and mirror caps.

None of the above prices include the $995 destination fee.

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[murrdogg24]

looks better than the new WRX...then again everything looks better

[AVANTI R5]

P-tronic has a chip/reflash for 1.5T for the T Roc. Guess there will be a flash for this version of 1.5T in T Roc looks like 45/80. That would bring it up to old Audi two liter turbo specs say 210hp/250 ftlbs/torque just estmating.

So, I would get SPORT model with a manual. Keep original wheels for winter get nice 17's for rest year. Flash it. Done. That's pretty good for 21,100+1000=22100 plus tax. Say 1500 mods. Pretty good in Today High prices. It would fun to drive.

[subyski]

I'm kinda shocked that the GLI is $31k now and single Autobahn trim. But again, the GTI is $31-39k now.

[4S-TURBO]

VW should have offered the GTX (GLX?) in this to compete with the WRX and to differentiate with the GTI and R. GTI power with R AWD in a more American friendly package could be quite compelling.

[arghx7]

Originally Posted by subyski

I'm kinda shocked that the GLI is $31k now and single Autobahn trim. But again, the GTI is $31-39k now.

with the chip shortage, the non optioned trim levels are going away. entry level cars are disappearing; it's mostly affluent people buying new cars, or over extended middle income people, or people who are scraping by and getting predatory loans.

[Sid03SVT]

Originally Posted by arghx7

with the chip shortage, the non optioned trim levels are going away. entry level cars are disappearing; it's mostly affluent people buying new cars, or over extended middle income people, or people who are scraping by and getting predatory loans.

I may not be in love with my IS350, but I'm glad I bought something before the pandemic f***ed everything up.

My wife has been bugging me about us getting something bigger to handle all the kid crap, but there is nothing out there in a similar trim/equipment level or color we want and there are no deals to be had anyways. We could sell her car for more than we paid for it back in 2017, but if we can't replace it with anything then there is no point in selling it.

[arghx7]

yeah I'm going through that with my wife now. Her 2019 Mustang lease is up in April. We've got 1 kid about 2 years old, which actually does ok in a Mustang. she was thinking about getting a GLI next, but her Mustang buy out price is $17k per contract, which is a steal for a car that ended up having like 20k miles on it.

new cars are super expensive and high trade ins don't help unless you "downgrade"

[subyski]

Originally Posted by arghx7

with the chip shortage, the non optioned trim levels are going away. entry level cars are disappearing; it's mostly affluent people buying new cars, or over extended middle income people, or people who are scraping by and getting predatory loans.

This is sad all around. Unfortunately, even if the chip shortage is solved, I think a new bar has been set and we won't see MSRP's drop back down.

Originally Posted by Sid03SVT

We could sell her car for more than we paid for it back in 2017, but if we can't replace it with anything then there is no point in selling it.

This sounds like the housing market here.
Yet people are doing it every day and asking over list price.

[heavyD]

My brother really likes his GLI. Added bonus is that the styling should be relevant for a while seeing the brand new Civic adopted basically the same rear end.

[AVANTI R5]

Need5

For years, Volkswagen's Jetta GLI has tried to be—with varying levels of success—a GTI with a trunk, but for 2022, that's no longer the case. The eighth-generation Volkswagen GTI has moved on and left the Jetta behind—and we think there are plenty of buyers who will want to stay back with the 2022 Jetta GLI. The GLI may lag on numbers compared to the GTI, but the latest iteration of VW's speedy sedan is the sort of good, simple fun that made VW sportsters so easy to fall in love with in the first place.

GLI And GTI, Back To Back
We drove the updated 2022 GLI on the same twisty North Carolina roads where we tried out the all-new 2022 Golf R and Golf GTI, and we were surprised at how different the GLI felt compared to the Golfs—different, but no less enjoyable. Actually, in some ways the Jetta was more enjoyable, and we'll talk about why in a minute.

A little explanation is in order. While the 2022 GTI is an all-new car, the GLI is, from a mechanical standpoint, mostly carryover: same 228-hp, 258-lb-ft 2.0-liter engine, same six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions, same front strut and multilink rear suspension setups, and the same previous Golf R brakes as the outgoing model. One notable new component is an exhaust system with a loud mode. It doesn't change engine output, but the deep, throaty note—all natural, not electronically enhanced, praise be!—is itself a good enough excuse to buy this car.

We tried GLIs with both the six-speed stick and the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic, and came to the conclusion that you can't go wrong with either transmission. We loved the manual; its shift linkage is a bit sloppier than the new GTI's, but it's still a lovely gearbox with a near-perfect clutch. Meanwhile, the DSG gives that same immediate power response as the stick, while putting instant gearchanges literally at your fingertips via the paddles. The Jetta GLI is equally enjoyable with either gearbox, and there aren't a lot of cars about which we can say that.


Sloppier Handling, Bigger Grins

Handling-wise, the GLI trails the new GTI, which is grippier, a bit better balanced, and more willing to rotate. But that doesn't mean we enjoyed the GLI less—quite the opposite, in fact. With the GTI, we left a margin between our driving and its prodigious limits, but behind the wheel of the Jetta GLI, we went hell-for-leather, tires squealing and sliding through every turn. Think of the slow-car-fast rule, though it's not as if the Jetta GLI could even remotely be described as slow. It's good fun to feel like you're pushing a car as hard as it will go, but only if the car feels good when you push it—and not all cars do. The GLI seemed to be almost as gleeful about our pace as we were. The GTI is more of a technician; the GLI feels like it has loosened its tie and is on its second beer.

Granted, we were inclined to like the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI even before we started the engine. The GTI and Golf R have Volkswagen's new touchscreen interface, which, while perhaps not worthy of condemnation in the absence of familiarity, is a very big change. The Jetta's interior is what we must now begin to think of as old-school VW, with rotary-dial climate controls and a volume knob on the stereo. Before you accuse us of being Luddites, think of the safety factor: When you're driving the Jetta GLI hard (or even in congested traffic), you want to be able to change the car's temperature or turn down the fan without having to look at the controls. Thanks to the menu system, that's now all but impossible in the Golf GTI, no matter how well you know the interface. But anyone can do it in the Jetta GLI; the dials are always in the same place.



Best Jetta GLI Interior Ever?

Not that the Jetta GLI eschews all things modern: A digital dash is now standard, and we were pleased to see it has a minimal number of different display modes as opposed to the two billion the GTI has. We did miss the dynamic g-meter in the GTI's dash, but aside from that, we were happy with the Jetta's digitized version of an analog tach and speedo.

2022 VW Jetta GLI 072022 VW Jetta GLI 07
filterSEE ALL 3 PHOTOS

The bulk of the changes to the 2022 Jetta GLI are cosmetic—new grille details, bumpers, wheels, and the like. To us, the Jetta GLI still looks like a Jetta GLI, and that's all that matters. But there are some trim changes on the inside well worth noting: The black leather upholstery (now standard) has a red underlay that shows through the perforations, and the trim on the dash and doors is glossy gray wood with strands of red in the grain. Together with red accents and stitching, these details make this one of the best-looking interiors we've seen in a sporty VW. It's jazzy, and the excellent GTI and Golf R look almost staid by comparison.

Jetta GLI (Almost) Holds The Line On Price

While the outgoing Jetta GLI was available in two trim levels, the 2022 Jetta GLI only comes in top-of-the-line Autobahn trim, priced at $31,990 with a manual transmission and $32,790 with the DSG automatic. That's a mere $250 price increase over the 2021 GLI Autobahn. There's no doubt the new GTI is a better car, but the updated Jetta GLI represents what Volkswagen has always done best. That's why we love it.

2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Specifications

PRICE $31,990-$32,790

LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan

ENGINE 2.0L/228-hp/258-lb-ft turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4

[Straight6]

These are underappreciated cars. When COVID hit, they were selling for 21-23K S and 35th models. It is a great package in need of more aggressive tires. We got the worst AS tires possible for a car like this. It really shines with a proper set of summer rubber as illustrated in C&D lightning lap feature:

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...ning-lap-2019/

[express_wagon]

Originally Posted by Straight6

These are underappreciated cars. When COVID hit, they were selling for 21-23K S and 35th models. It is a great package in need of more aggressive tires. We got the worst AS tires possible for a car like this. It really shines with a proper set of summer rubber as illustrated in C&D lightning lap feature:

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...ning-lap-2019/

I paid just under $21k for a brand new 19 GLI S DSG right before the first lockdown. Excellent value. It was something like $7k under list.

I sold it one year later for more money than I paid because I no longer had a commute.

At $31k, and cars being sold at MSRP, the performance value is no longer there in my opinion.

[VarmintCong]

Originally Posted by express_wagon

I paid just under $21k for a brand new 19 GLI S DSG right before the first lockdown. Excellent value. It was something like $7k under list.

I sold it one year later for more money than I paid because I no longer had a commute.

At $31k, and cars being sold at MSRP, the performance value is no longer there in my opinion.

Kind of like my 2020 Si, great deal for $24k before Covid, not so good for $30k today.

[Straight6]

Originally Posted by express_wagon

I paid just under $21k for a brand new 19 GLI S DSG right before the first lockdown. Excellent value. It was something like $7k under list.

I sold it one year later for more money than I paid because I no longer had a commute.

At $31k, and cars being sold at MSRP, the performance value is no longer there in my opinion.

But that is the fully loaded Autobahn. They dropped the S. MK8 GTI Autobahn is 40 grand...

[express_wagon]

Originally Posted by Straight6

But that is the fully loaded Autobahn. They dropped the S. MK8 GTI Autobahn is 40 grand...

Autobahns were selling $25k during the same time I bought my S. They were excellent deals but I didn't really value the extra features, VW sunroofs made it a total non-starter for me. I would have enjoyed the bigger infotainment, digi cluster, and cooled seats. Honestly, I think heated cloth seats is the best. That's really the best thing about the S.

[Straight6]

Originally Posted by express_wagon

Autobahns were selling $25k during the same time I bought my S. They were excellent deals but I didn't really value the extra features, VW sunroofs made it a total non-starter for me. I would have enjoyed the bigger infotainment, digi cluster, and cooled seats. Honestly, I think heated cloth seats is the best. That's really the best thing about the S.

Agreed, it is a shame they dropped the S. It was a great value. 0% APR too with the people's warranty to boot.