Rental Car Review: 2025 Volkswagen Jetta

For years, we have been smitten with the Volkswagen Jetta.
 
Not because one of us happen to be a Volkswagen owner. Rather, it is because it is one of the few affordable cars that put a smile on our faces. And, no, it doesn’t take a GLI to do that.
 
Although we had a few GLIs to work with over the past few years, we needed something refreshing. We needed to present to you a Jetta that most people can afford.
 
That opportunity came when the Volkswagen owner of the two of us had to send his Mk7.5 Golf R in for some warranty and maintenance work. His loaner turned into what you’re seeing here – a 2025 Jetta SE. 

Why would we be a bit excited to work with this affordable Jetta? Here’s some data: In 2024, Volkswagen sold more Jettas than the previous year by a rate of 51.5%. That momentum continued into the first quarter of this year at a clip of 36.5% compared to the same period a year ago. 
 
You can glean a lot of reasons for the rise in Volkswagen Jetta sales. It is not about a slowing down of SUV sales, but rather a combination of people wanting sedans again and the Jetta’s own pricing.
 
A perfect situation, right? Well, yes, we needed proof. We happily took the 2025 Jetta SE loaner to find out for ourselves what made this affordable attractive to consumers. 

Since it is a service loaner, we will call this a Rental Car Review. That means, the Rental…er, Loaner…Car Roulette wheel was good to us this time around.  
 
Just like our previous run with the GLI, the 2025 Jetta receives the same exterior updates for this second facelift in its current generation. The front clip is cleaner with a narrower upper grille and larger lower intake. The rear taillight treatment adds an additional LED unit across the trunk, bridging new units on each side. It looks like they should have done this years ago. 
 
The 17-inch alloy wheels on the SE loaner is one of a bunch of new designs for 2025. It gives it a nicer look overall against the Monument Gray paint job. Being the third trim up on the lineup, this 2025 Jetta is far from plain. 

Inside are some updates to the instrument cluster and infotainment screen housing. The eight-inch Digital Cockpit is simplified with three screen choices. The one with the digital speedometer has the most information, even though you can get it with the other screens. However, it is about how they are presented and the cleanliness of the presentation. 

Granted, the infotainment screen remains at eight inches for the SE model. It really doesn’t need a larger screen. The Composition Media system is functional and works quite well. This is augmented by physical buttons – not haptic touch ones. 
 
The Climate Controls are a mix of touch capacitive and actual knobs. They work just fine. The shifter is light – the latest Volkswagen design. The rest of the functions and controls fall into line of the expectations of a Volkswagen owner.

The SE trim wears CloudTex leatherette upholstery in a two-tone gray motif. It gives the cabin an airier feeling. Front seats offer plenty of bolstering and support, while the rear seats are comfortable. There’s plenty of room in the cabin overall. This is augmented by a 14.1 cubic feet trunk with a “step down” for loading of items. 
 
The reason for wanting to try out the “normal” Jetta is the driveline. The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI engine is a break from the usual 2.0-liter GLI. It is less powerful at 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. This power is channeled through an eight-speed automatic transmission sending power down to the front wheels. 
 
One must consider that this driveline is made more for efficiency than performance. That is not to say that it holds its own where it is needed. Cruising is wonderful with the smaller turbo engine. Acceleration and passing is just fine. The 1.5-liter is sprightly, as expected in a Volkswagen engine. Yet, do not think it would act the same as a GLI. 

The marked difference between the two Jetta powerplants is in fuel economy. We averaged 34.3 MPG in our time with the 1.5-liter turbo SE. 
 
When it comes to driving dynamics, you can count on the Volkswagen Jetta to give you a mix of thrills and chills. That’s, “chills” as in “chillin’ out.” If you regulate the tire pressures, the Jetta can give you a solid ride mixing firmness with compliancy. That all depends on the quality of surfaces you put it on. The suspension does its job by making sure that none of the road’s imperfections transmit into the cabin. Handling is good with solid maneuverability and agility. Keep in mind that you cannot get the Dynamic Chassis Control on the SE model. 
 
Would it be great of “normal” Jettas get some of the goodies found on the GLI? Then again, that would dilute the desire to get a GLI, right?

The steering system gave us solid turns and a quick response. However, on center feel is a bit soft, even with the adaptive cruise control enabled. Braking starts with a good pedal feel transmitting a solid response to the wheels. We recorded equally solid stops in normal and panic situations. 
 
Aside from the aforementioned GLI, there are four trim levels available on the “normal” 2025 Volkswagen Jetta. Pricing starts from $22,495. Our SE model came with a sticker price of $27,571. 
 
Notice those prices. Those are some of the reasons why the Volkswagen Jetta have been enjoying its success over the past year or so. As we look for lower priced vehicles to counter to rising costs of new ones, it is good to know that there are some relative values available to consumers. 

Is there a drawback? Well…tariffs. Currently, every Volkswagen Jetta we get in North America is assembled in Puebla, Mexico. Without having a definitive direction from “on high,” there has been a lot of confusion of whether we will still get fresh inventories from that plant or not. One story has them not coming to our dealerships. Others say nothing. 
 
In order for the Volkswagen Jetta to remain relevant in this economic climate, there must be fresh inventory forthcoming.  You can still get a new Jetta. Make sure they arrived at your dealership lots prior to any imposition of tariffs to take advantage of its relatively low prices. Just some consumer advice to dispel here.
 
Sometimes when you get a service loaner, you fear the worst. Except for the past few ones we dealt with between the V&R Machine and George’s Golf R. The Mazda and Volkswagen stores we send our vehicles to for servicing provided us with the right temporary vehicles while our “fleet” was being tended to. 
 
In all, this 2025 Volkswagen Jetta SE worked quite well for us. 
 
DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Volkswagen of Inver Grove, Inver Grove Heights, MN – our opinions of own. 
 
All photos by Randy Stern