Bought my first car in April 2020... it is the 2020 GLI S with the 6-speed manual. Awesome, great car. I wanted something with a little bit extra pep to it, as well as good fuel economy, and this car gets great miles to the gallon, as well as smiles per gallon. Absolutely recommend it for anyone looking for cheap fun car!
I’ve got that car in the review.... 10k miles later and I still love it. Can’t beat the price per performance. The color in person is 100% worth it. It’s a great blend of fancy and fast and affordable.
Seems like it checks all the boxes for a young car enthusiast wanting a new car, it’s not super expensive, good gas mileage, offered with manual transmission, pretty fast, and has buttons instead of all of the stuff being in the screen.
I went from a Scatpack charger to this car, I got the S not the autobahn (I don't care for the fancier interior options) and I got mine with the 6 speed (which is a great gearbox for anyone wondering). As the review says, this is the best car in its class and has the potential to keep up with your needs. The Hankooks you get with the care are okay, they can't actually launch it as well as they should. Switch to the Michelin Pilot Sport's and you'll drop you 0-60 time to under 6 seconds. The only thing this review didn't mention that is an outstanding feature on this car are the brakes. They are the same as the set on the Golf-R and there's no Civic, Corolla, 3, Forte or anything else in the segment that can brake the way this car does. If you want a solid fun car that is not actually a compact (it's bigger than the 1998 Honda Accord that is still classified as a midsize by the EPA) and checks a lot of boxes, the GLI is it.
I’m also in a scatpack Charger, I’m looking for something cheaper and more efficient and practical as I’ll be going to college soon. Also realize that you don’t need 485hp real quick when there is no where to use it besides a track. I’m looking into a 4 door sedan that is sedan that is sporty and has a manual transmission and this just might be my go to. Need to go test drive one
My GTI was recently totaled, so I got a 2019 Golf R. I love it, it’s so much quicker and drives like a completely different car because of the AWD system. The GLI is nice too, but i’m no longer a fan of FWD and prefer the look of a hatchback
RIP GTI!! I lost mine too. I've been waiting for Covid 19 to be over for my new one to get here. The dealership has me driving a Tiguan RLINE in the meantime
Agree. BUT I test drove one as I’ve decided it will be the replacement for my 2016 MX-5. I test drove a manual and the DSG. After driving the Mazda for the past 4 years, it completely ruined me on manuals in almost any other car. I’m going with DSG. Nothing can compare to a MX-5 manual. The GLI felt very loose in comparison. Just couldn’t convince myself to like it.
@@Jma311 me too. I’ve been driving stick shift Honda Civic SI for a while I got a bad back so now I’ve been looking for Something similar with a DSG I’m really looking forward to getting this car with my lease is up
I'm getting mine today!! it'll be my first real car that I pay for myself. Kinda scared for the 5-6 yr commitment since I just graduated this yr but im keeping my head up and im excited :)
I have had my 35th Anniversary edition Jetta GLI for almost a year and with 18,000 very enjoyable miles it is the best performance value in the US currently. Being about $2600 less than a GTI at every trim level and of course if you prefer a trunk and a longer wheelbase for better stability at high speeds then this is your best option. No other car offers this much for this low of a price point especially due to no other value competitor other than the Veloster N has a limited slip diff up front. I makes such a huge difference I actually managed to forgive myself for buying a front wheel drive performance car. Zero issues, problems or complaints so far. Highly recommended and yes, I agree with the color choice but of course mine is the Pure Grey also. My IG is the same handle if you want to take a look, she is not really stock anymore.
I have a 2019 S 1.4T I got in January... I wanted a GLI and recently looked at trading mine in and leasing one... I'd get ripped off too much at this point. Maybe by 2022 or 2023.
Honestly I was the same, I had 3 VW leases - Jetta 2.5 4Motion, and 2 Tiguans (older smaller size) 2.0 TSi 4Motion. Then I got into a 2018 BMW X1 and I won't go back to VW. Sure the price point is much higher, but the build, equipment, and ride quality is far superior. I'll be putting myself into another X1 in 2021 when my current lease ends. Same 228 HP with a much better driving experience, now with BMW's ZF dual clutch, it's a no brainer.
@@LongNguyen-lx8if the only thing VW had to yo is make the center cubby not go all the way to floor and run duct to the vent. The vent/bezel is the one shared by the Passat or golf. Same goes with keyless entry with the rear door handles. Run a little extra wires and new handles with sensors. Then program. There is so much VW left on this car for being MQB. Also why is there no lock on the glove box. Lol
@@josephmcclary9667 We had Phoenix-like weather in DC last year. Have a '19 Jetta S w/DAP (Driver's Assistance Pkg). Had AC at full blast. Rear passenger (between my wife and daughter) did just fine. Would rear vents be nice? Sure. But the car cools fine without them. Though I do hold no USB in the rear AND no CD player in any non-GLI trim, except the SEL Premium.
Something to note. You probably will be able to deal more with VW dealerships than with Hyundai or Honda. I picked up my 2019 GLI 35th Anniversary Edition in Gray for 25K out the door in October of last year. That included tax title and license. This was a six speed car which probably helped with the dealing. It also probably helped that I was coming in when they were trying to sell the 2019 models. Overall I don't think I could find a car of its quality and performance for that price.
Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing. Especially right now. There’s no way a 2020 gli manual is going for anything even close to sticker with Covid’s affect on the car market.
Fun fact: the red line on the grille is a VW tradition of reminding you that this car gets its engine from the VW GTI. The GTI also has a red line on every car made since it was introduced.
@@slymeszn You are correct. I had a Mk 3 VR6 GTI...no redline, but it had the awesome VR6 badge and bee stinger antenna. VW's used to be so awesome, now they look like everything else.
I own 2014 jetta gli fully loaded 2yrs ago the timing chain tensioner went out at 65 thousand miles vw fixed it replaced the engine... 3 days ago timing chain tensioner went out again 35 thousand miles on new motor
Thank you for doing such a great review I watched watched many on this car and you nailed it on every aspect thank you for doing such a great job ! I’m a big fan of this car .. without the Autobahn package 30th year anniversary it’s price is much more Competitive at 27,000 28,000 depending on transmission comparing to the Honda civic SI or other competitors with Volkswagen You are getting the best bang for the buck. I have been driving Honda Civic SI for three different generations eighth ninth now my 10th but a M seriously considering when my lease is up switching to this car extremely excited..
I'm Australian, but VW withdrew Jetta from sale here several years ago due lack of demand or so I'm told. My very conservative senior BinLaw has a '16 Jetta, and he'd like to buy the new model in a conservative iteration (he's a Vicar). Thanks for your review.
Just turned 18 Hopefully can get my Jetta Gli Autobahn next year or within a year whenever i get enough money and it depends how quickly my credit score goes up and I’m getting it used more than likely a 2019
I just got my jetta gli a couple weeks ago. And the black leather of the steering and shift knob is fading to white. Idk why it’s happening. Could it be the sun or the hot weather? Smh
Did they fix the stalling problems VW was having with the manual 19 GLI? I was on the market last year but did get one because of the many complaints filed in carcomplaints.com
if you are okay with getting the S, then this for sure. Much better feedback from this than an Accord as a driver, I made the same comparisons just about 2 months ago.
Underpowered, and the Autobahn suspension felt extremely tall and soft. I couldn't believe the 1.4 SE Manual pulled harder on the Highway or generally hard more torque pull at any speed. Skip
In hindsight, probably should have gotten a cheaper car like this GLI. Opted for an SUV because I wanted more room, but I don't go anywhere and my wife has an SUV so... oh well.
Lol yea I was gonna comment the new GLI's have an electronic system.. pretty cool cuz when you floor it you don't get any torque pull in the steering wheel!
0bsolete-X it definitely hits 100 quite easily as the gli, and at stage 1 or stage 2, it leaves a wide range of excellent cars in its rear view pretty easily. These cars are great sleepers for people who say “it’s just a Jetta”
0bsolete-X i have 2020 jetta autobahn, and i tell you, its the best thing that i had bought. Its so fast, a sleeper i must say. U can actually go onto sport mode then do manual mode, 0-120 easy. I usually floor onto the highway and it reaches to 100 and I didn’t even know it. I race couple of cars like a maxima and chevy ss and mini cooper s, beat those. So, its really a bang for your buck.
I like pretty much everything about this car except the bleeping awful grille and headlight design. They ruin the whole car. Otherwise, it's a welcome return to form for a young person's sport sedan. If it made 250-275 hp I wouldn't complain though.
VW always gets away with Tonka Toy plastics and the reviewers choose to ignore it. I am glad he at least touched on it but he still called the car premium feeling....rolls eyes. Now without infotainment upgrades they are way behind in tech also. Then this car is so over priced! He talks about you can't bump up the equipment on rivals.....that's because most of it is standard! You can get something with more tech and just as sporty for about 25K. Anyway.....what ever.
@@winstonwest3612 like nothing. For 30k this car combines tech, size, sporty feel, and some interior niceties without stepping to far into audi a3 or a4 territory. The tech it doesn't have is because its on the GTI and volkswagen doesn't wanna eat into those sales.
Bought my first car in April 2020... it is the 2020 GLI S with the 6-speed manual. Awesome, great car. I wanted something with a little bit extra pep to it, as well as good fuel economy, and this car gets great miles to the gallon, as well as smiles per gallon. Absolutely recommend it for anyone looking for cheap fun car!
I’ve got that car in the review.... 10k miles later and I still love it. Can’t beat the price per performance. The color in person is 100% worth it. It’s a great blend of fancy and fast and affordable.
Seems like it checks all the boxes for a young car enthusiast wanting a new car, it’s not super expensive, good gas mileage, offered with manual transmission, pretty fast, and has buttons instead of all of the stuff being in the screen.
Seriously the perfect sedan. Good handling good acceleration good ride and not too expensive.
I went from a Scatpack charger to this car, I got the S not the autobahn (I don't care for the fancier interior options) and I got mine with the 6 speed (which is a great gearbox for anyone wondering).
As the review says, this is the best car in its class and has the potential to keep up with your needs. The Hankooks you get with the care are okay, they can't actually launch it as well as they should. Switch to the Michelin Pilot Sport's and you'll drop you 0-60 time to under 6 seconds.
The only thing this review didn't mention that is an outstanding feature on this car are the brakes. They are the same as the set on the Golf-R and there's no Civic, Corolla, 3, Forte or anything else in the segment that can brake the way this car does.
If you want a solid fun car that is not actually a compact (it's bigger than the 1998 Honda Accord that is still classified as a midsize by the EPA) and checks a lot of boxes, the GLI is it.
I’m also in a scatpack Charger, I’m looking for something cheaper and more efficient and practical as I’ll be going to college soon. Also realize that you don’t need 485hp real quick when there is no where to use it besides a track. I’m looking into a 4 door sedan that is sedan that is sporty and has a manual transmission and this just might be my go to. Need to go test drive one
J G get the autobahn
My GTI was recently totaled, so I got a 2019 Golf R. I love it, it’s so much quicker and drives like a completely different car because of the AWD system. The GLI is nice too, but i’m no longer a fan of FWD and prefer the look of a hatchback
RIP GTI!! I lost mine too. I've been waiting for Covid 19 to be over for my new one to get here. The dealership has me driving a Tiguan RLINE in the meantime
@Simon
Do they directly compete against each other or are you just being a 💩?
Does everyone here drive like a hoodlum? How is everyone getting their cars totaled?
jeremy phan 😂
Awesome that they offer a 6 speed
Agree. BUT I test drove one as I’ve decided it will be the replacement for my 2016 MX-5. I test drove a manual and the DSG. After driving the Mazda for the past 4 years, it completely ruined me on manuals in almost any other car. I’m going with DSG. Nothing can compare to a MX-5 manual. The GLI felt very loose in comparison. Just couldn’t convince myself to like it.
@@Pilot545 I just needs a short shifter.
I think the DSG is faster than manual. I prefer automatic due to my driving conditions. I'm really looking into buying this.
@@Jma311 me too. I’ve been driving stick shift Honda Civic SI for a while I got a bad back so now I’ve been looking for Something similar with a DSG I’m really looking forward to getting this car with my lease is up
i'm thinking of buying the VW Lavida automatic DSG, you guys know if this is a reliable car and the transmission?
I'm getting mine today!! it'll be my first real car that I pay for myself. Kinda scared for the 5-6 yr commitment since I just graduated this yr but im keeping my head up and im excited :)
I have had my 35th Anniversary edition Jetta GLI for almost a year and with 18,000 very enjoyable miles it is the best performance value in the US currently. Being about $2600 less than a GTI at every trim level and of course if you prefer a trunk and a longer wheelbase for better stability at high speeds then this is your best option. No other car offers this much for this low of a price point especially due to no other value competitor other than the Veloster N has a limited slip diff up front. I makes such a huge difference I actually managed to forgive myself for buying a front wheel drive performance car. Zero issues, problems or complaints so far. Highly recommended and yes, I agree with the color choice but of course mine is the Pure Grey also. My IG is the same handle if you want to take a look, she is not really stock anymore.
Let me know in three thpusand miles how the car holds
You're forgetting about the Mazda 3. I think those are nicer than these.
I have a 2019 S 1.4T I got in January... I wanted a GLI and recently looked at trading mine in and leasing one... I'd get ripped off too much at this point. Maybe by 2022 or 2023.
I have a 2013 Jetta TDI and I swear, I’ll never buy anything that’s not VW. I love my car soo much 😍
Honestly I was the same, I had 3 VW leases - Jetta 2.5 4Motion, and 2 Tiguans (older smaller size) 2.0 TSi 4Motion. Then I got into a 2018 BMW X1 and I won't go back to VW. Sure the price point is much higher, but the build, equipment, and ride quality is far superior. I'll be putting myself into another X1 in 2021 when my current lease ends. Same 228 HP with a much better driving experience, now with BMW's ZF dual clutch, it's a no brainer.
David nice!! I’ll have to keep that in mind!! ☺️
@Autobytel "GLI finally ha the same power as the GTI?" MkV GTI & GLI had same power with TFSI; 200HP/207TQ. Had a 2k6 GTI and 2k7 GLI Fahrenheit.
Great video! I have a 2017 GLI and love it! I may upgrade to this generation in a few years.
Disappointed that they didn't include front and rear parking proximity sensors. If they had it, I would have bought it. Thanks for a good video :)
Damn how bad at parking are u
Needs rear seat vents.
It’s under the seats.
Simon I’m guessing you don’t have kids and live in the Phoenix area.
@@LongNguyen-lx8if the only thing VW had to yo is make the center cubby not go all the way to floor and run duct to the vent. The vent/bezel is the one shared by the Passat or golf. Same goes with keyless entry with the rear door handles. Run a little extra wires and new handles with sensors. Then program. There is so much VW left on this car for being MQB. Also why is there no lock on the glove box. Lol
The 2020 Golf GTI has rear vents on all trims so I’m surprised they haven’t added them on the Jetta GLI, especially on the Autobahn trim level.
@@josephmcclary9667 We had Phoenix-like weather in DC last year. Have a '19 Jetta S w/DAP (Driver's Assistance Pkg). Had AC at full blast. Rear passenger (between my wife and daughter) did just fine. Would rear vents be nice? Sure. But the car cools fine without them. Though I do hold no USB in the rear AND no CD player in any non-GLI trim, except the SEL Premium.
Something to note. You probably will be able to deal more with VW dealerships than with Hyundai or Honda. I picked up my 2019 GLI 35th Anniversary Edition in Gray for 25K out the door in October of last year. That included tax title and license. This was a six speed car which probably helped with the dealing. It also probably helped that I was coming in when they were trying to sell the 2019 models. Overall I don't think I could find a car of its quality and performance for that price.
Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing. Especially right now. There’s no way a 2020 gli manual is going for anything even close to sticker with Covid’s affect on the car market.
Fun fact: the red line on the grille is a VW tradition of reminding you that this car gets its engine from the VW GTI. The GTI also has a red line on every car made since it was introduced.
mk4's don't and most all mk3's don't either
@@slymeszn You are correct. I had a Mk 3 VR6 GTI...no redline, but it had the awesome VR6 badge and bee stinger antenna. VW's used to be so awesome, now they look like everything else.
I own 2014 jetta gli fully loaded 2yrs ago the timing chain tensioner went out at 65 thousand miles vw fixed it replaced the engine... 3 days ago timing chain tensioner went out again 35 thousand miles on new motor
Why did they replace the engine if the timing chain tensioner went out?
Sorry to hear that! But i would get a honda or toyota to avoid such problems.
Driving such a Jetta is fun though!!
😥My only wish is vw jetta💔
Great review, thank you! It's such a shame, Jetta's used to have such an iconic design... now they look like any other Ford or Chevy sedan.
Great presentation 👍
Love my Jetta ♥️
how come you don't have a German accent ? 😎
North American centered. Now, made in Peublo Mexico. The Jetta is not made in Europe.
Waiting for its launch in our India !!
The elantra sport is a sleeper. Very good bolt-ons and tunes for it
Thank you for doing such a great review I watched watched many on this car and you nailed it on every aspect thank you for doing such a great job ! I’m a big fan of this car .. without the Autobahn package 30th year anniversary it’s price is much more Competitive at 27,000 28,000 depending on transmission comparing to the Honda civic SI or other competitors with Volkswagen You are getting the best bang for the buck.
I have been driving Honda Civic SI for three different generations eighth ninth now my 10th but a M seriously considering when my lease is up switching to this car extremely excited..
I'm Australian, but VW withdrew Jetta from sale here several years ago due lack of demand or so I'm told. My very conservative senior BinLaw has a '16 Jetta, and he'd like to buy the new model in a conservative iteration (he's a Vicar). Thanks for your review.
Just turned 18 Hopefully can get my Jetta Gli Autobahn next year or within a year whenever i get enough money and it depends how quickly my credit score goes up and I’m getting it used more than likely a 2019
Beautiful car! A driver's car!
Fully functional air vents on the exterior would increase the performance to 5.9 seconds from 0 miles per hour to 62 miles per hour
Parents are buying, I’m learning to drive, they’re buying it in a 6 speed, they’re letting me work on it, AND it’s gonna be mine when I’m 16!!!!!!
That,s great bro
Work on what? It’s brand new
@@narutolol3199 it’s paid off, I can mod it however I like (if my parents allow)
@@narutolol3199 also I’m doing all fluid changes
@@lucasmurafa4866 u ain’t doin shit
Got one. Love it.
I am so impressed!!!🙌🏽
Ooh, I think I found a new car channel. This guy is HOT.
Well did you become a subscriber? 👍🏻
@@jayparks3051 Yes. 😂
great review
I wish the GLI offered the plaid cloth seating from the GTI.
the GLI actually makes 250hp so it's quite a bit more powerful than a Si
I have the 2020 Jetta r line. It would be nice if I could find a GLI at one of the 7 BW dealerships near me! 😑
Nice looking guy & 🚗 ❤️
He is perfect right ?
I just got my jetta gli a couple weeks ago. And the black leather of the steering and shift knob is fading to white. Idk why it’s happening. Could it be the sun or the hot weather? Smh
This looks so good
Did you do this test drive on PCH? Try it on the 405 to see what it actually feels like as a sedan.
Did they fix the stalling problems VW was having with the manual 19 GLI? I was on the market last year but did get one because of the many complaints filed in carcomplaints.com
Yep! They released a TSB for all cars that solved it. 2020 models aren't affected
Different categories, but this or the Accord Sport 2.0?
Definitely the accord and the camry! This car is so pricy and not good value for money at all $31k!!!
if you are okay with getting the S, then this for sure. Much better feedback from this than an Accord as a driver, I made the same comparisons just about 2 months ago.
They change it for 2020 they did away with the amber lights to LED lights on the tail lights
Great video
It's just me or the VW Jetta USA version looks better than the European model? Even the interior is much cooler I think...
Is GLI equals to VRS?
I wish this model come to Turkey
I wish the presenter would have mentioned his name
Fiat EGEA ?
Make it AWD, and it'd be a perfect sedan.
For the price of this car, it seems like a steal!
Bring to South Africa!!
why would you buy an A3?
If they made it in a hatchback, I'd be all in. Hatchbacks are just more convenient for dog owners and for moving stuff.
GTI?
Fwd is the killler. Get the four motion option VW.
Underpowered, and the Autobahn suspension felt extremely tall and soft. I couldn't believe the 1.4 SE Manual pulled harder on the Highway or generally hard more torque pull at any speed. Skip
yikes, that is low rent interior. But they do have to decontent the Jetta so it does not eat into Audi A3 sales.
Is this faster then the R Line?
R-line is only an appearance package it’s not a performance package
This is a great car for the price. True car you can take this car off the lot for way cheaper than sticker.
In hindsight, probably should have gotten a cheaper car like this GLI. Opted for an SUV because I wanted more room, but I don't go anywhere and my wife has an SUV so... oh well.
How could you not mention the lsd a ery important but often overlooked aspect
He mentioned that
@ about 1:55 seconds when he had the hood open
This is around the same price as I paid for my focus titanium in 2018 and it’s not that great lol wish I got the Jetta
The gray is nice. Do they have it in orange?
Not the Gli, but the regular Jetta yes they do have orange.
Jesus Christ! This car is a mix of a Polo, Golf and Passat with a little bit Octavia.
Very nice car 🥀
görür görmez egea sandım ya la
Benziyor ön tarafı :)
Meu sonho
Price?
$31,960 on this one
mechanical lsd? you sure?
Lol yea I was gonna comment the new GLI's have an electronic system.. pretty cool cuz when you floor it you don't get any torque pull in the steering wheel!
Why can't vw make good looking wheels
The new a6
Top speed 155....nuff said.
It's still slow. If you're buying a Jetta you're never going to go over 100mph anyways.
0bsolete-X it definitely hits 100 quite easily as the gli, and at stage 1 or stage 2, it leaves a wide range of excellent cars in its rear view pretty easily. These cars are great sleepers for people who say “it’s just a Jetta”
0bsolete-X i have 2020 jetta autobahn, and i tell you, its the best thing that i had bought. Its so fast, a sleeper i must say. U can actually go onto sport mode then do manual mode, 0-120 easy. I usually floor onto the highway and it reaches to 100 and I didn’t even know it. I race couple of cars like a maxima and chevy ss and mini cooper s, beat those. So, its really a bang for your buck.
Compared to what?
drewski maybe to a c06 or camaro zl1 its slow comparing to 😂
Robot or Automat ?
I like pretty much everything about this car except the bleeping awful grille and headlight design. They ruin the whole car. Otherwise, it's a welcome return to form for a young person's sport sedan. If it made 250-275 hp I wouldn't complain though.
Martin Tintin I like warranties and durability though.
Why are you lisping? Stop doing that.
What about Kia Forte GT?
MK5 Jetta GLI was much nicer
Yeah, the new vw's look and feel cheap
@@hsvcommodore4111 Nah, not at all.
Yah but 32k for a growing family is a lot ask.
How big a growing family? I've been in sedans. . . Even hatchbacks with the same amount of room as some SUV's
Agreed!! Specially if a corolla or civic is $5-6k cheaper
You know the regular Jetta 1.4 turbo starts at $16,000 you can get that.
Im good with my 2004 1.8t jetta with 240k miles, no way id ever buy a new one, absolute garbage.
Only lease, otherwise get the Civic Si.
SI is junk.
Good for a lease! But for this price $31k u can get a camry or accord better and more reliable. Also DSG is not reliable
Hf she is so hot,how much a car like this would cost,a new one
Google
atleast 28k
You call this a review? How much did VW pay you? wow.
A4 rear copier. lazy designers
Passat :D
If you want a car that drives like a Golf GTI, buy a Golf GTI. 👍
VW always gets away with Tonka Toy plastics and the reviewers choose to ignore it. I am glad he at least touched on it but he still called the car premium feeling....rolls eyes. Now without infotainment upgrades they are way behind in tech also. Then this car is so over priced! He talks about you can't bump up the equipment on rivals.....that's because most of it is standard! You can get something with more tech and just as sporty for about 25K. Anyway.....what ever.
More sport like what if you dont mind me asking?
@@winstonwest3612 like nothing. For 30k this car combines tech, size, sporty feel, and some interior niceties without stepping to far into audi a3 or a4 territory. The tech it doesn't have is because its on the GTI and volkswagen doesn't wanna eat into those sales.
Asıın bayraklari🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷 Acing flags.
Made in Mexico, lol.
So? They are in german plants, supervised by germans and quality control from germany. You think Americans work harder? LOL.
Hate the red strip.
Volkswagen residual values are poor if out of warranty. They're great to drive, expensive to own longer term. Recommend leasing or an Mzzda3
Yup. The new Mazda 3 is the nicest car in this segment now.
VW really butchered the Jetta and GLI!! It looks hideous!! I'll keep my 2017!!