2025 Volkswagen Jetta: A Missed Opportunity in Design and Functionality. The Mid cycle facelift is a well-known strategy in automotive product planning. Sometimes, these facelifts breathe new life into a vehicle. At other times, they must catch up, such as the 2002 Hyundai Tiburon, which detracted from the car’s appeal. Unfortunately, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta’s facelift lands in the latter category, failing to impress in critical areas.
Volkswagen’s attempts to refresh the Jetta for 2025 have resulted in a design that is, at best, mixed. From a distance, the front of the new Jetta appears decent, with a commendable slimmer grille. However, a closer look reveals disappointing details.
The new light bar on the front grille aligns with current automotive trends, but it needs to blend seamlessly with the awkward junction between the headlights and body panels. The filler panel above the grille, which lacks proper attachments to the fenders, further adds to the rushed and unpolished finish, starkly contrasting Volkswagen’s historically meticulous design standards.
While the front design falters, the “2025 Volkswagen Jetta” rear is promising. The full-length tail light treatment is a notable improvement, and the simplified chrome trim on the rear bumper enhances the car’s overall aesthetic. Volkswagen got this change right, providing a cleaner and more modern look to the vehicle’s backside.
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta’s interior disappoints with an underwhelming update. While not groundbreaking, the outgoing model’s interior was practical, user-friendly, and accessible on excessively glossy black surfaces. The new dashboard, however, is marred by an infotainment screen that, although the same size as before, needs to be better integrated.
The thick bezel surrounding the screen gives it an outdated look, and the mismatch between the screen and bezel shapes only worsens the overall aesthetics. This choice seems driven by the desire to incorporate more glossy black plastic, which is not a particularly appealing trend.
Moreover, Volkswagen’s decision to use capacitive touch sliders for climate control across all 2025 Jetta trims must be revised. These controls, reminiscent of Cadillac’s CUE system from over a decade ago, need to be more user-friendly.
The previous physical knobs were nearly perfect, making this change all the more puzzling. While the standard Jetta retains physical buttons on the steering wheel, the GLI model replaces them with capacitive touch controls, making essential functions, like adjusting the heated steering wheel, cumbersome during driving.
Aside from these design changes, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta has a few significant updates. The standard model loses the manual gearbox option, although the GLI retains it. All trims now feature an 8-inch touchscreen, but the engine options remain unchanged: a 158-horsepower 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder for the standard model, and a 228-horsepower 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder for the GLI.
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Volkswagen Jetta 2025: what’s new?
A second redesign comes to the Jetta, which changes the aesthetics and some aspects of technology. Everyone has a Jetta, at least in their head.” This was the slogan Volkswagen used in its advertising campaign several generations ago, and people know something about their compact sedan, as it is one of the most successful in North America.
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is the second redesign of the seventh generation. Still, it received significant changes to align with the aesthetic language of the rest of the range while receiving technological improvements that are so demanded in any modern car.
What does the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta look like on the outside?
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta updates focus on a fresher exterior, which features longer headlights and a new interior arrangement of LEDs with the traditional light bar in the house. The grille has a body-colored upper eyebrow that lengthens the look of the hood and extends to the top of the headlights. The fascia also receives a new, more fluid style.
As part of current design trends, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta’s rear now adopts a red bar that joins the taillights with lighting that, although not continuous, is elegantly cut by the model name in the center.
The wheels can be 17 or 18 inches, depending on the version; naturally, there are new exterior colors. For the 2025 Volkswagen GLI, the fascias have a more aggressive style and contrasting details in bright red and black. The rear has eliminated the model name only to carry GLI.
More Modern 2025 Volkswagen Jetta Interior
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta’s cabin receives new leather or fabric upholstery, depending on the version. The most relevant change is that it now adopts an 8-inch floating screen and touch-operated climate control controls. Other new features include continuous-looking air conditioning vents and a more significant number of glossy black surfaces.
Engines
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta presented is the US specification, which uses the 158 hp 1.5 TSI engine and 8-speed Tiptronic. However, since the seventh generation was introduced in Mexico, it uses the 150 hp 1.4 TSI with a 6-speed Tiptronic. It is still unknown what configuration we will have in the country, but it will probably be the one we already know. The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI maintains the 230 hp 2.0 TSI with a 7-speed DSG or a 6-speed manual in the US.
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta will be available in the US by the end of September so that we can see it in Mexico before the end of the year, subject to the brand confirming it, along with its specifications, for our market.
Elegant and renewed exterior design
The new 2025 Volkswagen Jetta 70th Anniversary Edition has significant improvements and updates, featuring aerodynamic, avant-garde, and elegant lines. Its exterior design has details that evoke a dream vision, materializing your boldest fantasies. Among its main features are:
- Main headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights in LED technology
- An LED light line on the grill
- 70 side emblems
- 17-inch polished aluminum wheels
- Panoramic sunroof with height adjustment
Available in an exclusive color
The 70th Anniversary Edition of the New 2025 Jetta is available in a unique and distinctive color, Oryx White (pearl), highlighting its elegance and sophistication.
Interiors that combine comfort with functionality
The New Jetta 2025 70th Anniversary Edition interior has been created to offer comfort and functionality. This Volkswagen sedan will make you want to spend as much time on board as possible. Its main features include:
- Seat upholstery partially in two-tone leather
- 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Ambient lighting on front doors and dashboard with ten selectable colors
- Multifunction steering wheel covered in leatherette.
Cutting-Edge Technology and Connectivity
The new 2025 Jetta 70th Anniversary Edition integrates the latest technology and connectivity, reflecting your dreams and elevating your driving experience to the next level.
Equipped with the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, it provides a fully digital and customizable display that shows essential information clearly and accessible. Its 10-inch semi-floating color touchscreen facilitates access to infotainment functions, while the Volkswagen Wire & Wireless App-Connect system seamlessly integrates mobile applications.
It includes a wireless smartphone charger and an 8-speaker sound system, entertaining every trip and keeping you connected. Meanwhile, the Climatronic air conditioning with a 2-zone touch panel ensures that all occupants enjoy the ideal temperature regardless, while the Type C USB ports for data and charging in the front console and for charging in the central armrest ensure that all your mobile devices are always ready to use.
How safe is it?
Regarding safety, the New 2025 Volkswagen Jetta 70th Anniversary Edition is a car that incorporates the most advanced systems to promote safe and reliable driving. Its driver assistance features include:
- Lane Keeping Assistant ( Lane Assist )
- Adaptive cruise control ( ACC )
- Forward collision assist with emergency braking
- Fatigue detector
- Multi-collision brake function
- Light Assist
- Blind-spot monitoring with rear traffic alert
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Tire pressure loss warning light
Additionally, you will be supported by its state-of-the-art security systems:
- Airbag for driver and passenger with passenger deactivation
- Side airbags for driver and front passenger
- Front and rear side curtain airbags
- Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
- Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) system
- Hill Start Assist System (HHC)
- Sport electronic differential lock system (XDS)
- Motor inertia control system (MSR)
- Traction control system (ASR)
- Electronic stability control (ESC) system
- Electronic brake force distribution (EBV) system
These technologies work together to offer you and your companion maximum protection, ensuring that every trip is as safe as exciting. With them, you can enjoy each journey with confidence and serenity, celebrating your dreams come true.
And finally, is it a Good Car option in 2025?
The New 2025 Jetta 70th Anniversary Edition is proof of that. This sedan continues the successful trajectory of its predecessors and sets new standards in design, technology, and comfort. With its launch, we celebrate its history and look forward to a bright future, reaffirming our place as a leader in the automotive industry.
When you enter the New 22025 Volkswagen Jetta, you’ll begin a journey celebrating your achievements and making your dreams come true. From the first time you put your hands on the wheel, you’ll feel the confidence and pride of driving a vehicle that reflects your success and accomplished goals. This Volkswagen sedan symbolizes your career and a benchmark of everything you’ve achieved with determination and simplicity.
Volkswagen updates the Jetta for 2025
The German firm presented the second update of this vehicle, which improves the design and maintains the sedan’s good handling.
The Volkswagen Jetta is a global icon of the German firm, with more than 17 million units sold. Although it is no longer sold in Europe, the German brand is set on this model for the North American region. This is why it presents today as the second facelift of the seventh generation.
This model was initially presented in 2018, and for 2021, it received a first update, relatively light. So, this facelift looks deeper, leaving aside the substantial hexagonal grille and the large headlights to show off a much cleaner, sober, and elegant silhouette, recalling its European lineage.
Continuing with the aesthetics, the side remains practically unchanged. Even in both models, the same wheel design is maintained. In the cross area, we see a new LED signature extending towards the tailgate’s center to take us to the latest Jetta typography. The rest of the set is practically the same.
Inside, there are fewer surprises, the main one (if not the only one) being the new design of the multimedia screen. Instead of being embedded in the same piano black molding on the dashboard, it is now more exposed and oversized, while a new molding has been added on the passenger side.
There are discrepancies regarding its engines. The brand only confirmed that the renewed Jetta will now deliver 158 horsepower, a slight increase in power. We are still determining if it will reach Chile since, in the United States, it is sold with a 1.5L turbo engine, and in our country, it maintains the 1.4L turbo unless there are surprises. It also comes with an engine change, which would be strange.
The refreshed Jetta and GLI will hit the US market at the end of the third quarter of this year, so we should see it in Chile at the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025. Both models will continue to be produced at the Volkswagen plant in Puebla (Mexico), where several engineering aspects and the redesign of these vehicles were worked on.
Volkswagen Jetta 2025: The Best-selling Sedan
Today, the Volkswagen 2025 Jetta competes in a highly contested compact sedan segment, where rivals such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia Forte, and Hyundai Elantra stand out. Still, with this list of rivals and more, the Jetta has remained one of the most popular models in performance, technology, and value.
An exterior and interior design that evolves without losing its essence
For the 2025 model year, the Jetta and its VW Jetta Sport version, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta Gli, present changes to the exterior but maintain the style of the current generation, as it is specifically a facelift.
Although the body changes are not as profound, the modernized treatments at the front and rear give it a more distinctive and elegant look. In some models, new grille designs, LED headlights, and a light bar enhance its presence on the road. At the rear, a new decklid with a standard light bar connecting the taillights adds a touch of sophistication.
Inside, the Volkswagen Jetta 2025 surprises with a new dashboard design, colors, and finishes across the range. Now standard, the 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system and Climatronic Touch automatic climate control make their appearance, contributing to the elegant appearance of the center console.
The seats have also been renewed to offer greater comfort. Depending on the model, they are made of different materials and finishes, offering a perfect combination of comfort and style. SE models feature two-tone synthetic leather seats, while GLI models feature perforated Vienna leather seats with red contrast stitching.
Power, performance, and safety
Despite being a facelift, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI 2025 maintains its 1.5-liter, 158-hp turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine and standard eight-speed automatic transmission. It offers a balanced performance between sportiness and efficiency.
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, known as the GTI with a trunk, has a 2.0-liter EA888 engine that delivers up to 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It is available with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or six-speed manual transmission.
This VW Jetta Sport version also features larger brakes, a VAQ electronically-controlled torque-sensing limited-slip differential and XDS electronic differential lock, the DCC adaptive damping system, and a sports exhaust system.
If you’re looking for a reliable, comfortable sedan with a touch of style, the Jetta deserves a place on your options list. The refreshed Jetta line is expected to arrive in US dealerships at the end of the third quarter 2024 for $21,995.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI feels like a missed opportunity. Instead of making meaningful improvements, Volkswagen has introduced frustrating features like capacitive touch controls and removed the manual transmission from non-GLI models.
While the 2024 Jetta was a charming and reliable sedan, the 2025 model falls short despite a starting price of $23,295, which is $165 less than the previous base model with the automatic option. This facelift seems more unnecessary than beneficial, leaving enthusiasts disappointed with the latest iteration of the Jetta.