2023 Volkswagen Jetta Lineup Largely Left Alone, Starts at $21,760
By Carl Malek
January 3, 2023
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2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI | Manufacturer image
The Volkswagen Jetta and Jetta GLI enter the 2023 model year virtually unchanged, with the German car giant making minor revisions to the four-door sedans that include the addition of standard remote start to the Jetta’s SE trim and minor cosmetic updates. Unsurprisingly, VW is also raising its base price.
The bulk of the Jetta recipe is carried over from 2022. Most trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque. The lone exception is the GLI, which uses a version of the same turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder found in the Golf GTI hatchback; however, power is slightly less than with the hot hatch, with Jetta GLIs making 228 hp and 258 pounds-feet of torque to the Golf GTI’s 241 hp and 273 pounds-feet. The GLI is also the only one that gets access to the optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; the rest of the Jetta family gets an eight-speed automatic either standard (SE, SEL) or optional (S, Sport, GLI; a six-speed manual comes standard for these trims).
All 2023 Jettas come with front-wheel drive and feature the same standard safety equipment as before, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.
Fuel economy remains a strong suit for the Jetta, with manual-equipped examples offering an EPA-rated 29/42/34 mpg city/highway/combined. The automatic version of the base S gets 31/41/35 mpg, while the Sport, SE and SEL get 29/40/33 mpg. The performance-oriented GLI gets 26/37/30 mpg with the stick shift; automatic-equipped variants lose 1 mpg in freeway driving.
Pricing and Release Date
The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and Jetta GLI are available now. Opting for an automatic transmission adds around $800 depending on the trim. Full pricing is below (all pricing includes the $1,095 destination charge):
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