MODEL REVIEW
Volkswagen Jetta GLI
Volkswagen Jetta GLI
Volkswagen Jetta GLI at a Glance
Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Your weekdays are about making things happen: tackling challenges, achieving goals, and building success. But once five o’clock on Friday arrives, it’s time to shift gears and embrace the freedom of the open road. After all, weekends are for adventure. You only need a sleek, sporty sedan to usher you around Union, Newark, and Elizabeth, NJ, and beyond.

Your search begins with a series of sedans that promise to redefine your commute. Yet, the Toms Volkswagen of Union team knows that only one car can truly reinvent the driving experience. Let us introduce you to the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, a playful sedan that knows how to do the work. Will the VW Jetta GLI live up to your standards? Read on to find out.


STANDARD HORSEPOWER

STANDARD HORSEPOWER

228 HP
STANDARD TRANSMISSION

STANDARD TRANSMISSION

6-speed manual
VAQ LIMITED-SLIP TORQUE DISTRIBUTION

VAQ LIMITED-SLIP TORQUE DISTRIBUTION

Up to 100% to one side
IQ.DRIVE® DRIVER-ASSIST FEATURES

IQ.DRIVE® DRIVER-ASSIST FEATURES

7
PERFORMANCE MONITOR

PERFORMANCE MONITOR

Standard
WIRELESS SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION

WIRELESS SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION

Standard
TWO-TONE EXTERIOR

TWO-TONE EXTERIOR

Available
Smart, Sharp, and Built to Thrill
Explore the categories below to discover more about the features of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI.
DUALITY
Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Designed for your workdays. Engineered for your weekends. This philosophy is at the core of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Its thoughtful design exudes sophistication when parked outside client meetings. Yet, it can deliver adrenaline-pumping thrills on demand—the perfect companion for every side of your journey.

Luxurious Yet Approachable

You may not consider yourself a car enthusiast, but you can appreciate the head-turning design of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. The latest model year features a refreshed exterior design that adds dazzling, angular LED headlights and a split grille design. The lower honeycomb design adds a sophisticated look to the front fascia, while the narrow upper grille is adorned with an illuminated light bar.

How will you choose to style your VW Jetta GLI? Will you pick the dreamy solid Monument Gray that evokes a sense of whimsical possibilities, or will you make your presence known at client meetings with the two-toned Kings Red and Deep Black?

One thing is sure: Black goes with everything. Turn your VW Jetta GLI into a timeless masterpiece with the optional Black Package, which adds a blacked-out grille and exterior accents to elevate your style to icon status.

Sporty Yet Practical

The Volkswagen Jetta GLI stands as your partner in adventure. Its 2.0L turbocharged engine roars to life with each press of the accelerator, humming its promise of a thrilling commute. Get ready to surge down the highway with 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft at your command.

Designed to spark your rebellious side, the VW Jetta GLI features many performance-tuned features to enhance your commute, including:

  • 6-speed manual transmission: Take control and feel more engaged with every commute; this feature helps build the bridge between man, machine, and road.
  • Performance Monitor: Track your driving progress. This virtual pit crew technology provides essential performance stats, like engine power output and G-forces.
  • Red brake calipers: Stop on a dime. These striking brake calipers not only add the perfect contrast to your sedan, but they also offer high-performance stopping power.

Driving Mode Selection lets you customize the handling of your VW Jetta GLI based on your mood. Sport Mode delivers enhanced throttle response, while Eco Mode helps optimize fuel efficiency for longer trips.

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IMMERSION
Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Do you daydream about accelerating through tight curves, the panoramic sunroof tilted open, with your partner riding shotgun with a carefully curated Spotify playlist blaring? The Volkswagen Jetta GLI strives to make this dream your reality with its carefully engineered mechanics and passenger-focused comfort amenities. You’ll find that the thoughtful features make the VW Jetta GLI feel like an extension of your personality.

Precision Meets Passion

When you think of your perfect commute, what does it feel like? Does it include precision handling that responds to your every move? What about a smooth ride that makes the cabin comfortable for you and your lucky passengers? The Volkswagen Jetta GLI is calibrated explicitly for ultimate control.

Features that promise unparalleled accuracy include:

  • Lightweight, sturdy chassis: Built on the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform, the chassis is built from high-strength steel that’s lighter and thinner than other systems. Its low curb weight helps enhance vehicle handling without compromising rigidity and safety.
  • Low-drag design: Designed with a 0.6-inch lower stance than its VW Jetta counterpart, the VW Jetta GLI incorporates stiffer springs and sport-tuned shocks, helping it achieve a 0.31 drag coefficient (Cd).
  • Meticulous attention to detail: Transfer up to 100 percent of torque to either side of the VW Jetta GLI to prevent understeering. The XDS® Cross Differential System actively monitors wheel data, while the advanced VAQ limited-slip front differential lock adjusts torque to ensure the best commute.

These features, coupled with the DDC® adaptive dampening system, deliver the most comfortable and responsive ride by constantly reacting to the road’s surface and your driving habits. The result is a sedan that feels like an extension of you.

Comfort Without Compromise

With the Volkswagen Jetta GLI as your on-road partner, long stretches of road become a canvas for adventure. The cabin features passenger-focused amenities, making it a welcoming environment for all on board. Slip inside and experience elevated comfort courtesy of the side-bolstered performance seats. They support your body’s curves, ensuring you arrive at your destination with minimal driving fatigue.

Heated seats help soothe sore back and shoulder muscles, while ventilation technology aids in rapid cooling after a day spent in the sun. Since everyone has their own idea of comfort, the standard Climatronic® dual-zone automatic climate control system lets front-seat passengers independently set and adjust the temperature to meet their needs.

Nighttime drives just got more fun. The 10-color interior ambient lighting system highlights the meticulous red contrast stitching in the leather seats and other design features. Choose a dynamic red to accompany your high-stakes rides down the highway or a softer blue shade to bring your heart rate down at the end of the day.

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INNOVATION
Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Braun, meet brains. The Volkswagen Jetta GLI is a modern, tech-focused sedan that brings tomorrow’s technology into your commute today. While its animalistic engine helps you cut through the air at precision speeds, the entertainment and convenience features help elevate your ride to another realm.

Smart Connectivity

You know the power of a curated playlist. Your “9/5 Flow” playlist, with its acoustic and lo-fi vibes, helps keep you focused during the hustle, while the “Redline Reverie” playlist and its high-energy anthems serve as the perfect backing track to your weekend road trips. No matter the mood, all your playlists are easily accessed on the 8-inch floating touchscreen display.

Wireless App-Connect brings Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ capabilities to your commute, making it easy to open your favorite music-streaming app and choose the playlist that best matches your mood. If you want to change things up, VW Wi-Fi Hotspot lets you browse new artists’ libraries without using your phone’s data. You can also explore new music recommendations with SiriusXM® with 360L.

No matter how you choose to be entertained, a wireless smartphone charging pad keeps your phone fully charged, ensuring no unexpected interruptions to the music, even on the longest trips.

Driver-Centric Tech

Experience driving confidence like never before. The Volkswagen Jetta GLI keeps you informed and in control with its various driver-centric technology. Strategically positioned behind the steering wheel so it’s always within sight sits the VW Digital Cockpit Pro system, a 10.25-inch customizable display. Crisp, colorful icons display essential driving data, such as speed, driver-assist features, navigation, and more.

Speaking of driver-assist features, the VW Jetta GLI incorporates cameras and sensors to work with your safe driving habits and alert you to hazards you may have missed. Notable features include:

  • Front Assist
  • Rear Traffic Alert
  • Active Cruise Control
  • Travel Assist
  • And more!

Audible and visual alerts are designed to catch your attention early, so you have time for safe, swift action when a hazard is detected. Under certain conditions, these systems may apply gentle brake or steering support to help avoid a collision.

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Volkswagen Jetta GLI vs. The Competition
Volkswagen Jetta GLIHonda Civic Si

The Volkswagen Jetta GLI and the Honda Civic Si are among your top choices for a sleek, sporty sedan. These cars pack the punch you desire while their sophisticated designs impress co-workers and clients alike. In comparing the VW Jetta GLI and the Civic Si, which offers you more of what you crave?

Quick Facts
VW Jetta GLI
vs
Civic Si
228 HPTOTAL HORSEPOWER200 HP
StandardFRONT GRILLE INTEGRATED LIGHT BARNot Offered
4SELECTABLE DRIVE MODES3
Volkswagen Jetta GLIHyundai Elantra N

Vehicles like the Volkswagen Jetta GLI and the Hyundai Elantra N prove that every commute should be fun, regardless of whether you’re running errands or letting loose on the highway. This philosophy is echoed in their thrilling features, but only one can earn its place in your driveway. Which will it be?

Quick Facts
VW Jetta GLI
vs
Elantra N
StandardPANORAMIC SUNROOFNot Offered
StandardVAQ LIMITED-SLIP FRONT DIFFERENTIAL LOCK SYSTEMNot Offered
StandardVENTILATED FRONT SEATSNot Offered
Volkswagen Jetta GLISubaru WRX

When you want to make every commute unforgettable, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI and the Subaru WRX are ready to impress. Sport-tuned and ready for any setting, these cars will reignite your love for the road. It’s time to discover which goes the distance in this quick comparison.*

Quick Facts
VW Jetta GLI
vs
WRX
26 city/36 highway MPG**STANDARD EPA-EST. MPG RATING19 city/26 highway MPG
YesTWO-TONED OPTIONNo
StandardWIRELESS CHARGING PADNot Offered
Make Your Daydreams Reality Today
Volkswagen Jetta GLI

The Volkswagen Jetta GLI delivers its promise to provide a professional and fun-loving commute. If you’re ready to see Union, Newark, and Elizabeth, NJ, from behind the wheel of this reinvented driving experience, contact Toms Volkswagen of Union to schedule a test drive today!

All of the tools you need to move forward with experiencing a new Volkswagen Jetta GLI for yourself are conveniently available right here online.


*Most accurate information used at the time of posting.

**26 city/36 highway mpg (2025 Jetta GLI 2.0L, 6-speed manual transmission). EPA estimates. Your mileage will vary and depends on several factors, including your driving habits and vehicle condition.