Used 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews
Used Jetta for sale
2...
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Respectable Gas Sipper
jbkutah, 11/01/2012
2012 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I wanted something with excellent gas mileage for business reimbursement, but respectable enough for my wife to want to ride in on date night. So far, this car is fitting the bill great. Much roomier and respectable than a Corolla, Focus, or the like. Traded the hubcaps for some 5 spoke oem wheels. Mileage is 33-35mpg in mixed driving. True, the 2.0 is not a fast car nor a luxury ride, but I don't race around in it during my commute or during business outings. Manual tranny helps give it a little pep and/or work the gas mileage numbers. Decent ride comfort and I feel safe in the car. I'm expecting decent reliability 'cause of the tried and true engine and lack of bells and whistles.
Lasted only 75000 miles VWdesign FLAW
unhappyvw1, 01/19/2015
2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
Bought as certified pre-owned with 23K miles Loved the car great mileage ect Drove it to work 70 miles (reason we bought it) and at quitting time tried to start only to have engine turn over then lock up. Turns out after some research these motors have issue with inter cooler As motor is run in cold weather air that comes in freezes on inter cooler as the day warmed up ice thawed and when I tried to start water was sucked into engine (NOT GOOD) Dealer will do nothing out of warranty 600 price tag to just evaluate it. Issue with VW since 2009 USE EXTREME caution before purchase Cost 8-10K to replace this motor
Awesome Buy
jcmoore5, 06/19/2012
2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
Best Bang for your buck! I don't know why reviewers slam the VW Jetta TDI so bad. I have driven all the others that this site has ranked with it. I recomend driving them all for your self. Find what car fits you. Do the math for your self. I think that you would be surprised.
This car is a LEMON. Stay away!!
dirtmcgirt718, 02/03/2015
2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
16 of 18 people found this review helpful
I got it used with 7k miles on it. After I ran the odometer up to 65k miles, I ran into the same intercooler problem other people have. The intercooler traps moisture in cold weather, and after the temperature rises, it sucks water into the engine, and the lights on the dashboard go haywire. The electronics are also horrible. I've burned out countless lightbulbs, and apparently, after less than 3 years, and 65k total miles, my wiring harness has a short and needs replacement. VW refuses to believe there's anything wrong with the car, but clearly, I've read about similar problems before.
Miss my VW......
mardigras413, 02/16/2015
2012 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
ok so I am a big VW fan, its been about 3 years since I had my last VW and this was worth the wait. I purchased my 2012 Jetta used about a week ago yea its the 2.0 but this one gets up and goes better than my 04 Jetta 2.0 (it had a 4 speed auto) I love all the great compliments I get about how great it looks and I love all the standard features......no big complaints here!
Solid, Comfortable, Effecient, Elegant, Sporty
jlgolden, 03/27/2012
2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan w/Premium, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
After determining that I wanted an efficient sedan with some acceleration zip and handling athleticism, the Jetta TDI prevailed as the most appealing. The diesel's acceleration is delightful around Houston's inner-city grid, as well as when merging and passing on open highways. The DSG transmission takes some personal adjustment time, due to its characteristic (normal) hard downshifts during parking-lot creeping and stop & go traffic situations. Conversely, upshifts are fast and super smooth. Fuel economy is now averaging 42 mpg in mixed driving. This car feels amazingly stable, responsive, and capable in all driving situations.
Good value, reliabilty
Liz, 05/26/2017
updated 06/09/2021
2012 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan w/Sunroof (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2012 Jetta S as a late-model used car that had been turned in because of a lease, and it had about 22,000 miles already on it. I had not owned a VW before this and I didn't have anything to compare it with, as I had owned a Toyota and a Subauru previously. I must say, though, that I am very happy with my Jetta. I use it as a daily driver, and it rides smoothly, brakes securely, is solidly constructed, and has an overall good feel on the road. I have a 5-speed manual and although the 2.0 engine (as noted in other reviews) is not as peppy as my previous cars, I find that if I downshift to 4th gear, especially on hills, I can easily find myself traveling in the 70-80 MPH range. I have been following the maintenance schedule closely and so far, everything seems to be working fine. I hope to keep this car for a good long while. [Update 2021]: I am still very happy with this car and haven’t encountered any problems with it. It has about 86,000 miles on it now and it still drives like a champ.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
First-time Volkswagen owner
Liz, 05/19/2016
2012 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan w/Sunroof (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I bought this car certified pre-owned as a leased car someone had turned in. So far, I'm very satisfied with it. One issue would be with the engine -- my previous car was a Toyota Corolla and its 2.0L engine seemed to have much more zip than this Jetta, especially going up hills. This Jetta is a manual shift and it is very smooth going from one gear to another and now that I have a new set of tires on it, my gas mileage is much better, in the 33-36 mpg range, rather than 29-31 mpg with my old tires. The interior is appointed nicely -- the controls are easy to read and accessible while driving. There are lots of options for seat adjustment, in both the nearness to the steering wheel but also seat height. Since I'm an audiophile, the sound system is important to me and it doesn't disappoint. Those controls are also easy to navigate and program. Another thing I'd suggest is for Volkswagen to include a couple USB ports on the lower trim models. Right now, I have an external port plugged into my cigarette lighter (not a problem since I'm a non-smoker), but even it seems to integrate well with the sound system. This car is a daily driver for me, but occasionally, I have passengers and they have all commented on the roominess not only in the passenger seat, but in the rear seats. The last suggestion I'd have is that there should be a daytime/nighttime function on the driver's side and passenger side mirrors to alleviate glare on all the trim models. Otherwise, as I said, I'm relatively happy with this car and I intend to keep it as long as possible.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
A Nice Used Car at a good price...
freddok2, 06/29/2013
2012 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I suddenly found myself in the position of needing a another car after my previously-reliable 2006 Subaru Impreza suddenly overheated on me. The Dealer where I had the Subaru taken for service (and from where I had bought it new in 2006) had put me in a white 2013 VW Passat as a loaner for a while, so when it came time to deal and to decide whether to take back my old car or buy a new or certified Pre-Owned car from the dealer, I was pleased when I took on a test drive a blue Certified pre-Owned 2012 Jetta with low mileage. The only thing I didn't like about it was the mostly-plastic dash, but that was a minor tradeoff in return. I bought it and have been happy with it ever since.
Good clean driving fun
beaverdam, 08/09/2012
2012 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan w/Premium, Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
This VW has exceeded all of my expectations. Highway Mpg is always above 50 unless the AC is on then it drops to 46. City MPG is about 35. Only time will tell but so far it is rock solid and very reliable. Ride control is tight but not too firm. The lack of independent suspension in the rear is not noticable for me. 4 wheel disc brakes have a firm feel. Electric power steering feels like "steer by wire" but is easy to adjust to.
2...