2022 Volkswagen Jetta Review

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta receives a multitude of upgrades that should help it be a more compelling pick among other top small sedans including the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte and Mazda 3. Highlights for the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta include revised exterior styling (courtesy of new bumpers and a new grille), a more powerful engine, a simplified trim level structure, and an expanded set of standard tech features.

Last year's Jetta had a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine good for 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. That's a decent output for a small sedan, but it results in unremarkable acceleration. At Edmunds' test track, we clocked a Jetta from 0 to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. For comparison, a new Civic we tested, with its optional turbocharged engine, reached 60 mph a half-second quicker. The 2022 Jetta gets a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine good for 158 hp, and the hope is that it'll quicken the pace a little.

You'll also get more standard technology features on the 2022 Jetta. Now even the base S trim has advanced driver aids such as forward collision mitigation and blind-spot monitoring. A small digital gauge cluster is standard on the S trim too. A few assist features, such as traffic-adaptive cruise control, are still optional for the S, but VW makes them standard starting with the midrange SE trim. Notably, the top-line Jetta SEL now has wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means you can integrate many of your phone's apps onto the touchscreen without having to use a USB cord.

The current-generation Jetta debuted for the 2019 model year and since then we've commented favorably on the Jetta's Audi-like styling and generally sensible demeanor. But it's also not a car that makes you think, "Wow, I've got to have one of those!" Volkswagen seems to have done right with the 2022 Jetta. The changes are unlikely to help vault the Jetta to the top of our small sedan rankings, but they will undoubtedly improve upon the car's core attributes of space, no-nonsense style and technology.

Volkswagen offers the 2022 Jetta in four trim levels: S, Sport, SE and SEL. All models are powered by a new-for-2022 turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, borrowed from the Taos SUV. It produces 158 horsepower (11 more hp than last year) and 184 lb-ft of torque and is only available with front-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the S and Sport trims, while all the others come with an eight-speed automatic. Feature highlights for the Jetta include: