2025 BMW i4 vs 2025 Volkswagen Jetta
The BMW i4 wins clearly, 90.3 to 58.1, on fuel & range, tech & comfort, performance. The Volkswagen Jetta is ahead on safety.
2025 BMW i4
The 2025 BMW i4 is sold in the U.S. as an electric compact hatchback with 8 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the i4 eDrive40 Gran Coupe (18 …
2025 Volkswagen Jetta
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Jetta, is EPA-rated at 33 …
2025 BMW i4
Clear winThe BMW i4 wins clearly, 90.3 to 58.1, on fuel & range, tech & comfort, performance. The Volkswagen Jetta is ahead on safety.
| Category · weight | 2025 BMW i4overall 90.3 | 2025 Volkswagen Jettaoverall 58.1 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 30.6 | ||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | ||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 71 | 75.5 | ||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | ||||||||||||||
| Space & cargonot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 62.1 | ||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | ||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 59.6 | ||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | ||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Overall | 90.3 | 58.1 | ||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 4 of 7 categories compared
BMW i4: base trim 430i Gran Coupe RWD · Volkswagen Jetta: base trim S FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2025 BMW i4 wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (12 against 32 filed with NHTSA).
- It is rated 116 combined against 33 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It costs $1,400 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($650 against $2,050).
Where the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta answers
- It lists 17 standard driver-assist features against 0.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
36 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | — | $22,995 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | — | twin turbo |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | — | 1,498 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.0L TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder with 48V mild hybrid | 1.5L inline four cylinder, 16V, turbocharged/intercooled, TSI |
| Fuel injection system | — | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | — | 16V |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 255 hp | 158 hp |
| Torque | 295 lb-ft | 184 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | — | 29 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | — | 33 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | — | 39 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission speeds | 8 | 8 |
| Transmission type | 8-speed Steptronic Sport | automatic hybrid |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Overall height | — | 57.7 in |
| Overall length | — | 187 in |
| Overall width | — | 70.8 in |
| Wheelbase | — | 106 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | — | 14.1 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | — | 5 |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | — | 3,012 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | — | 3,012 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | — | strut-type with lower control arms |
| Rear suspension type | — | torsion beam |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | — | electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | — | 35.8 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | — | 287 mm |
| Front brake type | — | vented disc |
| Parking brake type | — | electronic |
| Rear brake diameter | — | 272 mm |
| Rear brake type | — | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | — | 16 in |
| Wheel material | — | alloy |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | — | 205/60 R16 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | — | Car-Net |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
76 features · differences first, then sharedSafety19 differ · 19 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) | — | std |
| Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection (Front Assist) | — | std |
| Dual front & side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags | — | std |
| Dual front & side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags | — | std |
| Lane Assist (Lane Keeping System) | — | std |
| Rearview Camera | — | std |
| 3-point seatbelts with tensioner height adjust | — | std |
| Active Blind Spot Monitor | — | std |
| Automatic Post-Collision Braking System | — | std |
| Dual front & side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags | — | std |
| Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency) | — | std |
| Intelligent Crash Response System | — | std |
| Iq.drive | — | std |
| Iq.drive | — | std |
| Parking Assistant Plus (optional) | opt | — |
| Rear Traffic Alert | — | std |
| Remote 3D View and Remote Inside View (with optional Parking Assistant Plus) | opt | — |
| Travel Assist (semi-automated driving assistance) | — | std |
| Tire pressure monitoring system | — | std |
Infotainment20 differ · 21 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Remote start | std | — |
| BMW Maps cloud-based navigation system with real-time information | std | — |
| Remote door lock/unlock via My BMW App | std | — |
| Vehicle location via My BMW App | std | — |
| 4-speaker sound system | — | std |
| App-Connect | — | std |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto | std | — |
| Bluetooth connectivity | — | std |
| BMW Curved Display (BMW iDrive with QuickSelect, BMW Operating System 8.5) | std | — |
| BMW iDrive Controller | std | — |
| BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant voice control | std | — |
| BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with choice of two graphic styles | std | — |
| BMW Live Cockpit Plus (standard) with BMW Maps navigation | std | — |
| BMW Live Cockpit Professional with full-color BMW Head-Up Display and Augmented View | opt | — |
| BMW Operating System 8.5 with over-the-air update capability | std | — |
| MIB3 Composition Media 8-in touchscreen, USB-C (2 data & charge ports) | — | std |
| Multifunction buttons on steering wheel (illuminated) | std | — |
| My BMW App (iOS and Android) with charging status, remote functions, My Trips/Efficiency Trainer | std | — |
| QR code BMW ID sign-in for personal profile import and key linking | std | — |
| Volkswagen Digital Cockpit (8-inch display) | — | std |
| Car-Net | std | std |
Climate2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Climatronic Touch dual-zone automatic climate control | — | std |
| Digital automatic climate control (touchscreen-operated via BMW Curved Display) | std | — |
Seating6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Heated front seats | std | — |
| Manually adjustable driver's seat | — | std |
| Front comfort seats | — | std |
| Leather seating surfaces | opt | — |
| Rhombus cloth seating surfaces | — | std |
| Sport seats in perforated Sensatec (standard) | std | — |
Interior11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Heated steering wheel | std | — |
| Auto-dimming interior rearview mirror | — | std |
| Center & door armrest stitching | — | std |
| Fineline Light open-pored fine wood trim (new) | opt | — |
| Galvanic finish for gear selector, BMW iDrive Controller, and Start/Stop button (optional) | opt | — |
| Grey Blue Ash open-pored fine wood trim (new) | opt | — |
| Leather gearshift knob/handle | — | std |
| Leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel | — | std |
| M Fine Brushed Aluminum interior trim (new) | opt | — |
| Three-spoke M leather steering wheel with flat-bottom rim and black center stripe (standard on i4 M50 xDrive and M440i; with M Sport Package on others) | opt | — |
| Two-spoke steering wheel with polygonal rim and illuminated multifunction buttons (standard) | std | — |
Exterior12 differ · 15 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Power-folding outside mirrors | std | — |
| 16-inch two-tone machined aluminum-alloy wheels | — | std |
| 19-inch M Aero bi-color wheels (with M Sport Package) | opt | — |
| 20-inch BMW Individual Aero bi-color wheels in double-spoke design (M440i and 430i with M Sport Package) | opt | — |
| Adaptive Full LED Headlights (standard on i4 M50 xDrive and M440i; optional via Shadowline Package on others) | opt | — |
| Body-colored bumpers | — | std |
| Laserlight taillights (with Adaptive Full LED Headlights) | opt | — |
| LED taillights | — | std |
| M high-gloss Shadowline with extended elements (optional) | opt | — |
| M Sport Package (optional) including front apron with large side air intakes, Black high-gloss diffuser element, M leather three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel | opt | — |
| Welcome Light animation (headlights activate within 10 feet of driver/key) | std | — |
| Automatic headlights | — | std |
| Heated side mirrors | std | std |
| LED headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) | std | std |
| Rain-sensing wipers | std | std |
Powertrain2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 48V mild hybrid (MHEV) technology with 48V starter generator (11 hp boost) | std | — |
| 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPBMW i4
Top recalls
- high Electrical System 25V906000 · 1 vehicles
- high Electrical System 25V395000 · 71,286 vehicles
Volkswagen Jetta
Top recalls
- critical Electrical System 26V138000 · 48,165 vehicles
- moderate Electrical System 26V185000 · 75,323 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| BMW i4430i Gran Coupe RWD | Volkswagen JettaS FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — (base trim) | $22,995 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | — 5 trims | $22,995 – $33,215 5 trims |
| Powertrains | BEV | GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | i4 eDrive35 Gran Coupe (18 inch Wheels) | Jetta |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 116 | 33 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $650 | $2,050 |
| EV range | 266 mi | — |
| Basic warranty | — | 4 yr / 50,000 mi |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | 3 yr |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2025 BMW i4 or the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?
The BMW i4 wins clearly, 90.3 to 58.1, on fuel & range, tech & comfort, performance. The Volkswagen Jetta is ahead on safety. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2025 BMW i4 scores 90.3 and the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta 58.1. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2025 BMW i4 or the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?
2025 BMW i4: no NHTSA rating yet, grade B, 2 recalls. 2025 Volkswagen Jetta: 5 NHTSA stars, grade B, 2 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2025 BMW i4 and the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?
Where the 2025 BMW i4 wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (12 against 32 filed with NHTSA), is rated 116 combined against 33 (EPA mpg or MPGe), and costs $1,400 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($650 against $2,050). Where the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta answers: it lists 17 standard driver-assist features against 0.