Key Points
- The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta starts at $25,270, GLI at $35,020 (all prices include $1,275 destination charge).
- Minor standard equipment upgrades.
Updated for the 2025 model year with a light face-lift and interior refresh, the Volkswagen Jetta rolls into 2026 with no major changes. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard, and a moonroof is included on the mid-range SE trim. The uplevel SEL and GLI Autobahn get an eight-speaker sound system, but otherwise, the Jetta carries over.
Related: 2025 Volkswagen Jetta Review: The Merits of Quiet Competence
Release Date and Pricing
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta and Jetta GLI are on sale now. Full line pricing is as follows.
- S: $25,270
- Sport: $26,580
- SE: $28,170
- SEL: $31,270
- GLI Autobahn: $35,020
Trim Levels
Standard equipment on the entry-level Jetta S includes 16-inch aluminum wheels, LED exterior lighting and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Inside are manually adjustable cloth seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, four speakers, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Volkswagen’s IQ.Drive safety suite is standard on every 2026 Jetta. It includes forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and steering assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Jetta Sport is something of a GLI Lite, sporting 17-inch wheels, a black grille and window trim like the GLI, and a brake-based limited-slip differential. It also gets a grille-spanning LED strip, heated front sport seats and stainless-steel pedals. The Sport, SE and SEL all sit 0.6 inch lower than the Jetta S.
Stepping up to the SE trim level adds keyless entry and start, remote start and a panoramic moonroof. Inside, the SE gains synthetic leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, wireless phone charging, voice control, satellite radio and six speakers.
The Jetta does its best impression of a compact luxury sedan with the SEL trim. The SEL features leather upholstery with contrast stitching, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, heated windshield washers and 18-inch wheels. It also includes ambient lighting, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, navigation and eight speakers.
Riding on a more sophisticated rear suspension for improved ride and handling, the GLI also boasts an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, larger brakes (13.4-inch front and 11.8-inch rear rotors versus 11.3 and 10.7 inches, respectively) with red calipers, variable-ratio steering, and a rear diffuser with dual exhaust outlets. It doesn’t have heated rear seats but otherwise mirrors the SEL in luxury content. The SEL and GLI also have standard automatic high beams.
Read More About the Volkswagen Jetta:
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- 2025 Volkswagen Jetta: Refreshed Looks, Affordable Price
- Here Are the 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy Right Now
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Powertrain Specs and MPG
Regular 2026 Jettas are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque. Only available with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, the Jetta returns an EPA-rated 29/40/34 mpg city/highway/combined in the S trim and 29/40/33 mpg for the Sport, SE and SEL trim levels.
The Jetta GLI packs a 228-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder generating 258 pounds-feet of torque. Now that the GTI and Golf R are only available with an automatic transmission, the GLI is the only Volkswagen to offer a manual transmission; buyers have a choice between a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Like the Jetta, the GLI is only available with FWD. With the manual transmission, Volkswagen says the GLI is rated at 26/36/30 mpg city/highway/combined; the dual-clutch automatic returns 26/35/29 mpg (official EPA ratings for the 2026 GLI are not yet available).
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