2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review

Name: 2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review
Brand: Volkswagen

Price Range: $14,790 - $24,985

2021 Volkswagen Jetta 1.4T R-Line SULEV Sedan Exterior

+327

The 2021 Jetta is practical and competent. It also looks good. But don't expect to discover any hidden depths. The Jetta isn't exceptional enough on any front to claim the top spot.

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Price & Payment

99 cars

$18,695 avg. price

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Volkswagen Jetta model years

Volkswagen Jetta for Sale

2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

New, more capable infotainment system standard on SEL trim and up
Other minor revisions to standard feature availability
Part of the seventh Jetta generation introduced for 2019

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta S SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Florida.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Florida

$109/mo

$155/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Above Average

#25 out of 46 among Compact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Volkswagen Jetta from 2008-2022.}

$443/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Compact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.15x/yr

vs. 1.01x/yr
for Average Compact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

9.8%

vs. 10.4%
for Average Compact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Volkswagen Jetta Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.0

45 reviews

5(62%)

4(9%)

3(6%)

2(8%)

1(15%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Get the SEL Premium if you can!

Micky from SoCal, 07/13/2021

2021 Volkswagen Jetta SEL Premium SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

This vehicle drives well above its class. Despite the small engine and low HP, it is peppy and smooth, and is eager to go. It’s very refined in its handling, reminding me of the mercedes S my Dad had when I was younger and I did my learners permit training on. No, it isn’t a V8 like that, but driving it feels very similar, which means VW had come a long way. No rattles or squeaks so far. …

Best compact car I owed

Dan, 07/17/2021

2021 Volkswagen Jetta SEL Premium SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

The Jetta SEL Premium is an outstanding compact car. The exterior design is very attractive. The interior is quieter and more luxurious than its competitors. The gas mileage is astounding. I get over 51 miles/gl on the highway and for the first 1,800 miles of mixed city/highway traffic the average is 37.6 miles/gl. The car fully deserves the 'baby-Audi' nickname. VW has a winner here!

Nice Car for the Money

Redblock, 07/02/2021

2021 Volkswagen Jetta R-Line SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

Lots of features, great gas mileage, good Auto transmission unlike some of the competition which offer CVT Transmissions.

Bye bye BMW

Germanaficionado, 11/11/2020

2020 Volkswagen Jetta SEL SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

This car is absolutely amazing. I love that it has all the modern features and then some compared to my 2016 BMW 335i. The acceleration is very quick especially if you venture into manual mode. I typically leave the car in it's sport setting because it feels like it handles much better however if I'm crusing or low on gas I'm for sure in ECO. Speaking of gas the fuel economy is …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, so we've included reviews for other years of the Jetta since its last redesign.

See all 45 reviews of the Volkswagen Jetta

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2021 Jetta Highlights

Trim:

S SULEV

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$18,995
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	34 MPG
Cost to Drive	$109/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	14.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Jetta models:

Blind-Spot Monitor: Alerts you with visual and audible warnings if other vehicles are in your blind spot.
Automatic Post-Collision Braking System: Applies the brakes once the airbags go off to reduce the possibility of further damage during an accident.
Forward Collision Warning: Sounds an alert when a front collision is likely and primes and applies the brakes if necessary.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover13.1%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Acceptable
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review

Price & Payment

2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta S SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Florida.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Volkswagen Jetta Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Get the SEL Premium if you can!

Best compact car I owed

Nice Car for the Money

Bye bye BMW

2021 Jetta Highlights

Safety

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2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review

Price & Payment

2021 Volkswagen Jetta Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta S SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Florida.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Volkswagen Jetta Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Get the SEL Premium if you can!

Best compact car I owed

Nice Car for the Money

Bye bye BMW

2021 Jetta Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 Volkswagen Jetta info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Volkswagen

Research similar vehicles

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta S SULEV 4dr Sedan (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Florida.}