Used 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan Consumer Reviews

great car for the Price

Bought this car as a come on from newspaper ad. $13599 0% financing. It is exactly what I wanted and got. Underpowered? Yes! Bells & whistles? No. Basic affordable transportation? Yes! If you want more upgrade!!! HWY mpg 41 @ 75mph in town 27 mpg. Don't dog this car you can't make it faster, it is what it is. I love it. No problems great dealer and service department. UPDATE 8-20-17 the car is still as described above with the usual parking lot road wear and tear. No problems. Snow tires added this year, what a difference they make. No squeaks or rattles. Overall I'm pleased with the Jetta S but I knew what I was buying. UPDATE 2-21-18 I've still not had a problem with the Jetta, I occasionally use it driving for a nationally recognized ride share company and half the riders are surprised at the quietness and comfort of the ride. Still very pleased with the car.UPDATE 8-22-18 Still pleased with the Jetta. No mechanical or electrical problems, I've only had the oil changed regularly. New tires coming up soon. 10/10/18 New tires in October, changed cabin and engine air filter, New plugs and wires, all were recommend maintenance. Body and electrical still have no problems. Recently on a long highway trip of 700 miles round trip averaged 45 mpg!!! Love the car still. 8/22/19 I haven't put many miles on since last update. Everything's the same as before. Regular maintenance done, nothing has worn out, the body integrity still good. It's been a good car for basic transportation. I still enjoy driving it and plan to keep it running a long while. 8/22/20 not much has changed with my Jetta I've only had to have regular maintenance done, new tires are coming soon. I've only driven 400 miles since early February total mileage now 64000. 2/242021 mileage 67000. Everything else is same as previously reported. New tires and wiper blades in November. Original brakes, shocks/struts, battery still working fine. No rust or paint issues. Still the basic transportation I bought it for.

Still A Great Value

I now have 57,000 miles on my Jetta. I still haven't had any major mechanical problems. The only issue was a burned out light bulb on one of the daytime running lights that occurred several thousand miles ago. That has been the only thing so far. Mileage in and around town continues to be about 32 - 33 mpg. My best highway mileage is 43 mpg. The 1.8 TSI engine still does not use any oil and has lots of power. I have used synthetic oil from the beginning and change it every 5000 miles. The interior (and trunk) is very roomy and comfortable. The ride is quiet and smooth. My wife's 2016 Jetta S has had no issues either and now has over 30,000 miles.

The best car I ever drove as a commuter

It's the 2014 S model, 5 speed manual 2.0 L no thrills version of this vehicle. Paid $18,600 new. Because it's a manual, it actually is quite spirited even though it only has 115 horse power and not sure about torque, but it's a little rocket considering. It has now 70,000 miles on it and I do my own maintenance. Car has had no issues. It's assembled in Mexico, so quality of build will be different from anything coming from Wolfsburg, Germany, but it's working great and overall good. I am sure I have the cheapest interior, but it's holding up. I am not an oversized XXXXL individual either, so I can't wear out the springs haha. So if you are a normal build person, the car holds up. My mileage is probably around the mid 30's, not bad. Wasn't worth for me to get the TDI, which I owned before this one. Couldn't justify the more cost of a Diesel at the time of purchase in Oct 2013. It looks sharp for what it is and the trunk space is amazingly roomy. 09-22-18 update: 154,000 miles and going strong. changed sparkplugs and cables @140,000 miles myself because i forgot at 100,000 miles. never had a problem with this car, never got stuck, no mechanical or electric issues. only driving headlight lamps (low beam) need replacement often in hot Texas. I pop the hood after coming home to let hot air escape engine compartment. nothing special. keep fluids in order, dont overfill. car is reliable and robust. This may be by far the most troublefree vehicle I ever owned.

Safe in an accident

Another car ran a red light, we hit them going 45 mph. The air bags and seat belts work fantastic.We never felt the collision.Though the front end of our car was totaled my wife and I had only minor injuries.

Good value

I live in the mountains of So Cal this car pulls the mountain just fine it averages 28 mies per gallon overall.It has 29000 miles and has only seen the shop for oil changes.I am totaly satisfied with this car. This is no sports car so dont complain if you want more pay for it and quit complaining.

2014 Jetta SE 1.8

Picked up the car just before Thanksgiving. Covered 800 miles thus far. Handles well, but not a sports car. Has that 'tight' feeling of quality that German cars are often described as having. New turbo motor & the return of the independent rear suspension is the main reason I selected the Jetta over a '14 Mazda 6. The power of the new motor works well being mated to the auto trans. Engine is extremely smooth and revs freely. Transmission is quick to up-shift in pursuit of MPG's, but also downshifts quickly if you need to pick up the pace. Interior is clean with simple controls. Heated seats have been handy with the vinyl seats and the cold temps in my neck of the woods.

Sadly I was in an accident :(

I love this vehicle, never once let me down in the 136k miles that I owned it. Unfortunately I was in an accident on 03/26/2017 and my vehicle was totaled, I was hit making a left turn, the side curtain air bags deployed and the passenger seat air bag deployed. Fortunately nobody was in my car with me. The person hit me going 50mph and my vehicle was barely even damaged. The cars interior was not touched by the accident, the door is not entering the occupant space. Unfortunately since the airbags deployed my insurance totaled it. This is a great vehicle reliable, nice features, fast engine for a turbo 4cyl, and great safety!

8000 miles/9 month update

My SE with the 1.8L turbo has been sublime so far. Anyone who bothers with the way underpowered 115hp 2.0 base Jetta should check themselves into a mental hospital. Don't go near it. Head straight for the 1.8 in the SE for only a 2-3K more. This car is so fun and engaging to drive. The 1.8 really performs and it's even better once its broken in. Never at a loss for power and the ride/handling/comfort are stellar. This car was a steal for what I paid for it (under $20K with discounts). And love the v-tex leatherette heated seats, soft leather steering wheel..etc. Yes the dash is kind of no frills but who cares. It's the driving that it's all about and this car delivers it comfortably.

Great car with some drawbacks

This was a former lease car with less than 2,000 miles when I bought it. I liked the fact that it didn't have a lot of bells and whistles (I test drove a 2015 and it had a lot of features I didn't need; heated seats, keyless entry, etc.). This one starts with a key and has no superfluous buttons on the steering wheel. Nice, clean efficient design inside and out. I also like the solid feel when I close the doors. Overall I like it, but it has flaws. Being an automatic and not the turbo model it accelerates like a slug. The stiff suspension is a plus and minus; it has a solid feel but you feel every bump in the road. The steering is a bit loose as low speeds but very nimble at higher speeds. On the whole I'm happy with the car.

Want to love it but its so high maintenance

Bought a Jetta because I was in a corner to get a car for son in the middle of the Pandemic. Didn't realize how messed up the marked was but this little car looked nifty and seemed to be in good shape. It's been one little problem after another. Four repairs later and a couple of k - it still has a check engine light. It hesitates on the acceleration. Just changing the headlights took me half a day (actually several attempts). Burns oil like a beast. All that and the nearest mechanic is scheduled months out and the dealership is over an hour away and not very helpful. DON'T BY THIS THING UNLESS YOU LIVE IN A MAJOR CITY

NICE car especially for the money.

First off the review that says the seats are hard and uncomfortable.......either that's a fake review or the person is demented. A Corolla....really? The seats in Jetta are superb. Been on 3 hour drives and they are simply great and supportive. The extended and height adjustable armrest is a great idea too. The 1.8t is noticeably better in all aspects compared to the 2.5....smoother, faster, better mpgs. Car handles great, rides like a dream, and soaks up the bumps well. Averaging 25-27mpg in mixed driving. Got mine for about 3K under sticker so it was around 19K before tax. Drives like a much more expensive car.

Manual Transmission Broken at 64K miles

VW quality is gone. Very cheaply made. Had software update and mileage has gone down. Windows will stop working because of a cheap plastic pin and cost $380 to fix. Had to replace radio under 30K miles - lots of dots on the screen. Had to replace windshield wiper motor at 34K miles (out of warranty) VW split cost to fix. Cup holder will fall through as tabs are too short to hold holder in place. Now at 64K miles heard clanking while driving and am told I need a new transmission at 64K miles! Waiting to hear if VW will extend warranty to fix. Very disappointed in this car!

Gets the job done

I bought this car brand new due to the year end sales and 0% financing. I wanted a smaller sedan that would get great fuel economy and do its job. This car accomplishes all that and then some. This car went for 700+ miles on a tank of diesel. Currently averages around 550 per tank and costs just under $40 to fill up. Its a great little commuter car. On the down side, the diesel lag is very very obvious in this car. Anyone who says otherwise is still in the honeymoon phase. Accelerating from a stop is very annoying. Either you get the obvious lag or you burn out your tires every-single-time. However, I'm not a speed racer so I can deal with that, but just know to expect it despite what a few are saying here to the contrary. Also, for a 2014, I feel VW should be embarrassed that this car doesnt come with a standard USB plug. Rather, it comes with an ungodly VW specific plug that only uses VW cables that you can only get from VW stores and they are RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. The car charger cables that the car comes with are a laughable 6" in length, which leaves your phone dangling from arm rest as they're too short for your phone to rest on anything. It is such a massive fail on VW's part. I'll keep the car because it does its job, but hopefully VW gets its act together on the new models.

Great airbag protection.

Great airbag protection. Especially curtain side airbags. Saved me a trip to ER. Exceleration is not very clean if you need to increase speed quickly. It kinda of takes a second or two to for it to really find its gear and take off quickly. All in all I liked 2014 Jetta 1.8 se .. sad it now is on its way to salvage yard. DuE to total loss in auto accident

Power house!

Bought this car used 2 years ago from rental car company with 50k on it. Because I like speed I got the car tuned with apr stage 1 with a downpipe, and let me tell you WOW. 28mpg city and 0-60 maybe in the low 6s I beat tuned focus STs all the time. Stock this car performance wise beats most others in its class with mpg to power in consideration. But after the tune it is no contest. The ride is good not great for cornering really fast but I'd rather not feel every crack anyways. Seats are comfortable, taken the car on many 3+ hour trips and no issues. Although the interior quality is a bit lacking.

Honest

Owned for seven other then normal oil changes, replace a battery and tires I have only had two mechanical problems and actuator on the door locks and a pulley on the alternator go bad this has been the most inexpensive vehicle to maintain that i have ever owned my only complaint is the cup holder in center console keeps coming apart.

After 18,000 miles continues to impress

I can't imagine somebody test driving cars in the $20K price range and not settling on the Jetta. It's so refined and crisp to drive, it's amazing that its price point is with a Ford Focus or Kia Forte...etc. It's drives like it should cost $10K more than it does. I haven't had a single issue in nearly 18K miles. Engine is powerful and silky smooth. Transmission shifts are quick and precise. Handling and ride quality are terrific as is the gas mileage. And the seats are simply awesome and the interior is roomy. The interior isn't techno-gimmick filled or very colorful. But I could care less about that stuff. This is a driver's car and it's always fun and engaging. Zero regrets.

UPDATE 2014 VW Jetta SE-Basic is what VW does best

After reviewing a variety of cars, the Jetta appealed to me . The Jetta can be considered austere in many regards. The interior is basic, with a clutter free dashboard. This is what VW does best. I love how clean the interior dashboard is free of the over techno interiors found in many cars. The front seats are extremely comfortable with plenty of room in the rear. The trunk is very large with the ability to drop the back seats for added storage. Driving the Jetta with the 1.8 Liter turbo with the manual 5 spd is where the Jetta shines. The shifter has short throws between gears and has a great feel to it. The car handles great, with an adequate suspension for daily driving. My gas mileage averages between 37-41MPG. The Jetta is a very solid and safe car. I also am very happy with base stereo. I put on 40k miles on my Jetta. I still love my Jetta. Living in NH, the Jetta has been a great winter car. Especially with Toyo Celsius tires, the Jetta is just as good as any AWD car I have had. I have had no issues with the Jetta other than the heater fan being replaced under warranty. The seats are very comfortable for long trips, and the car gets great gas mileage on regular gas. I've been averaging between city and hwy 36MPG with hwy mileage per gallon at 42 MPG. The outside finish on the Jetta has held up .

Okay basic car

Bought it in 2016 with 18,000 miles on it, sold it in 2021 with 54,000 miles. Seemed to get us where we needed, but traded it in for a minivan because of our growing family. Maintenance was just routine oil changes, however the dealer wanted to replace the motor mounts when we turned it in. It seemed to drive fine with the exception of feeling a little underpowered at times, such as getting onto a freeway or climbing a hill. Trunk space and interior space was pretty decent for a compact car. I'm 6 feet tall and it was almost enough space. Wife is 5-7 and was fine for her, who actually drove it the most. In fact, the trunk and interior felt almost as spacious as a mid sized sedan.

Test Drive Jetta SE with 1.8 TSI

I leased my 2014 Jetta SE with Connectivity in November 2013. I was a long time Toyota Customer and was always happy. I was previously in a 2011 Toyota Camry, but wanted to reduce payment & insurance cost. I also wanted increase gas mileage without sac. room. Toy. gave a high lease price for 2014 Corolla.This caused me to look elsewhere.After test driving much of the compact segment,this Jetta Blew me away.I leased during the "sign then drive event" so I was able to get into to this vehicle which was a much higher equipped vehicle then all others I test drove.(IE.Cruze,Corolla.)For a lower lease price. The 170 HP TSI and 6 spd.Trans. are fantastic!Great Gas mileage 2.You'll Love it!-SE&above

Lots of vroom

I like the car but find the electric assist steering annoying and not in keeping with the relatively sporty feel of the car otherwise. Front seats comfortabke and lots of adjustment for somone greater than 6'2", Rear room is great, lots of room for 6"+ individuals and a huge trunk but at the expense of rear visibility. My girlfriend is short and she can't see anything out the back window. Stereo is OK but meet iPhone to hook up to it. Still haven't figured out how to use the trip counter. Ride is good. Performance is good, great fuel economy and I never feel short of power. I can get over 40 mpg highway if I'm careful...although I am trusting the VW computer for that and we know how the tdi's were fixed... So its a great car with nagging suspissions that the manufacturer is cheating on the mileage and/or emissions...I understand I could just calculate mileage for myself but shouldn't have to, shame on VW. Would not have bought it if I had known company is dishonest.

REPAIRS GALORE

I bought this car brand new and have maintained it properly, following all of the recommendations. Lasted me about 90k miles and then suddenly the car has trouble shifting into and out of gears. I take it in and spend $1k on repairs. Within hours of leaving the dealership, the car will not start. They offer to scan it again for free, but only if I drive it to the dealership an hour away. Don't buy this car!

A Perfect Sedan For Most Consumers At A Very Good Price

To start with, and in full disclosure I rated my new 2014 Jetta S with the 6-speed automatic with many 5 stars as I feel the professional test drivers who put out review video's and write professional reviews for a living are not really representing the average American on what they are truly looking for in a car. Who really wants or needs a 300 horsepower four door sedan that does 0-60 in five seconds. Look to a Corvette for that. Who really wants and needs soft leather on the dash and full interior. Look to a Lexus for that. Volkswagen should not be overlooked for several reasons including build quality, safety, handling, and tons of interior room to name a few. Did I mention value.

Vw 2014 jetta

I bought it brand new it has 12000 miles now start leaking after 2000 miles and has electronic problems not recommend to any person pooring car

DO NOT BUY THIS PILE OF METAL JUNK!!!

I bought my 2014 Jetta SE in April 2014, it's was first brought in to the service dept. only a couple months old for the Airbag light. It took the dealership two weeks to figure out the problem. I'm still concerned that if the car is in an accident that the airbag system will work. The next time I brought it in, was last week. I had been complaining that every so often the ABS, Traction Control and Check Engine light keep coming on. The idiots in the service dept told me to turn the car off and restart it. The second time this happened I called yelling and screaming and they finally told me to bring it in.

Lots of get up and go!

Peppy little car, handles very well. Mileage is great! But gas tank only holds 12.5 gallons! I bought it to run around town in and have never had a problem with it! Just hit 60k miles! Maintenance is easy, just replaced brakes, pads, and tires!

VW NIGHMARE

This whole experience with VW has been a NIGHTMARE! I was complaining about fuel consumption of the car (14 mpg on 2 liter engine) since September. I took the car to the dealerships 4 times! 3 times - to Royal, and 1 - to Serramonte. They both REJECTED not only to fix the issue but even to test the car properly!! Royal told me that I have to pay for the test myself! WHY? The car IS on WARRANTY! When my car was at Royal they gave me a rental car which I paid for twice more than they have reimbursed. Serramonte just declined giving me a spare car or reimbursing any taxi expenses! None of them fixed anything!

Awesome car

I love this car. It drives great and it's fuel efficient.

It is a really good car

Great car if you have the money to fix it

Fun little car greats for a teens first car. Zippy. Handles well. Super safe. Only issue is the maintenance is very high. If you make a lot of money to fix these kinds of cars they aren’t bad just know your going to spend 10s of thousands on maintenance

No VW ever again for me.

Overall this car is not mechanically sound. Recalls are a nightmare. VW has a problem with recalls. They said my model was not on the recall list even though other models that same year has the same problem. Body very prone to door dings. Heated seats stopped working within a year and are 500 bucks to replace. Brakes squeaked since the first day I drove it off the lot brand new and the VW “expert” technicians said that’s normal. And I’m talking about squeak. Sounded like metal to metal. Don’t let good looks fool you. Terribly made cars.

I love this car

I bought this car new in 2014. It's beautiful and drives really well. At first it didn't seem peppy, but I got over that and learned how to get performance out of it.

Great car, maintenance is weird

I bought my car at 21,000 miles, I now have 225,000 miles. I have done all service myself. Changed struts, serpentine belt, filters all on time, oil change evert 6,000 miles, car is great but changing headlight bulbs every 3 months. Alternator went out at 200,000 miles. Well worth the money!

My Awesome Jetta!

Fatiguing to drive long distances

Seats are and well shaped and comfortable for about 15 minutes, then you realize they are too hard and fatigue and soreness begins to set in. Road noise is prominent so between the noise and hard seats, the car is not one you look forward to driving long distances. The 2013 Corolla is considerably better for longer trips. I have not driven the resigned 2014 Corolla to see if it is still comfortable on long trips. Another undesirable feature of the Jetta is that the effort required to activate the power windows is very high. I've never experienced that in an American or Asian car.

Dont Buy It

Since Edmunds site crashed and lost my last review this will be brief.

Great Car

A very efficient reliable sedan. Efficient with fuel and size is small enough, very practical with the 4 doors, large space in trunk.