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Your vehicleHome›Volkswagen›Jetta› 2020
Volkswagen · Compact Sedan

2020 Volkswagen Jetta

Gas
Compact Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
69 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 6
Complaints1 crash · 2 injured reported 54
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 34 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2020 Volkswagen Jetta is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Jetta, is EPA-rated at 34 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 54 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Volkswagen Jetta — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Volkswagen Jetta · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
JettaGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo304034$1,950
JettaGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo304034$1,950
JettaGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo253328$2,400
JettaGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo253228$2,400

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42431, 42432, 42125, 42126.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Jetta5–7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Jetta7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Jetta7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower228 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainFWD/Front-Wheel Drive
TransmissionManual/Standard
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: GLI (S, Autobahn), S, R-Line, S, SE, R-Line, SEL). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length185.8 in
Width (body, without mirrors)71.3 in
Height57.5 in
Wheelbase105.9 in
Track, front60.6 in
Track, rear60.6 in
Curb weight2,976–3,225 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan, GLI 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2020 Jetta
Other years The 2027 Jetta Recalls Volkswagen recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 Volkswagen Jetta is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

VW: 20UF/AUDI:20YF
261,257 vehicles 57% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister. Risk A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and re
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V110000 reported Feb 14, 2024 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Electrical System

28H7
62,538 vehicles 64% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments. Risk Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V604000 reported Aug 30, 2023 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Tires

AU:45J7,VW:45J6,45J8
296,044 vehicles 84% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems." Risk An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 22V815000 reported Oct 31, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

69CK
379 vehicles 76% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jetta and Jetta GLI vehicles. The air bag control module was welded in the incorrect position. Risk Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CK.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V492000 reported Jun 30, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Seats

72L1, 72K8, 72K9
5,376 vehicles 98% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly. Risk In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V505000 reported Aug 26, 2020 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

47Q2
1 vehicles 100% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling one 2020 Jetta vehicle. The front brake caliper bolts may come loose. Risk If a brake caliper bolt comes loose, it may affect the vehicle's brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Volkswagen will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace all four front brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47Q2.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V359000 reported Jun 17, 2020 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Fuel System, Gasoline — Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) closed

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which c

Opened Dec 12, 2023 · closed Jul 1, 2024 · action RQ23007 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Jetta

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Jetta →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
54complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

7.8 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 69,334 Jetta built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2020: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2024: 14 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 7

Most-cited components

Electrical System 17
Unspecified 13
Engine 12
Service Brakes 7
Power Train 7
Fuel/Propulsion System 5

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Incident Occurred in May. Was on Reddit and saw someone say to report any issues to NHTSA so that's what I'm doing At the end of the month in May (2023) when starting my car after work that had been sitting in the sun, it turned on but then turned off about 10 seconds later saying "ignition switch off safely stop the vehicle" then it…
Electrical System Oct 4, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11548316
Internal Component on Transmission has failed, Vehicle is Available for inspection (Niello Volkswagen has already confirmed). The vehicle shakes when shifting which could potentially cause an accident. Yes, Niello Volkswagen confirmed the issue. Dealer for Manufacturer has confirmed issue.
Power Train Sep 25, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11546501
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the panoramic sunroof shattered without impact. The contact stated that he was cut by shards of falling glass from the sunroof. The contact stated that no medical attention was sought.
Visibility/Wiper at 42,829 miles Dec 23, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11498675
When I was driving my engine randomly increased rpms and i was forced to apply the brake. Regarding my brakes, my brakes make a clicking noise and sometimes have decreased braking performance at times which is a serious safety concern
Service Brakes Apr 20, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11461542
When vehicle goes over 60mph starts to shake really bad and warning not enough power for engine light is on
Engine Jan 3, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11445991
Catastrophic fuel pump failure at 14,000 miles ' both fuel pump and fuel pump module had to be replaced. The vehicle had been maintained properly according to scheduled maintenance standards
Fuel/Propulsion System at 14,000 miles Apr 15, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11408286

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Volkswagen itself: 8 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 8 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 12 per 100,000 built. Every Jetta model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 8k

miles, typically

Half the 15 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 2,000 and 14,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 15 on file: 9 under 10k, 2 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 2 40k–50k, 1 60k–70k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆13%
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆13%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 3 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Volkswagen warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 527
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 503 service bulletins, 17 others, 5 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Structure.

  • V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
    2026-09-17 · Engine
  • Suggested fuel additive
  • 2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
  • V4622022067177_5 Service bulletin
    2026-08-27 · Service Brakes
  • Repair or Replace Information
  • VOS-26-47 Service bulletin
    2026-08-14 · Electrical System
  • This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: Part number 3Q0-959-435N software version number 1307 has incorrect coding.
  • 2026-08-11 · Power Train
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
  • V4015022033347_8 Service bulletin
    2026-08-10 · Power Train
  • Replacement instruction
  • 2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
  • Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
  • V0026012081638_2 Service bulletin
    2026-08-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • Differences between a leak and seepage

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0496
P0496 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment31 bulletins
P0463
P0463 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine20 bulletins
P11A1
P11A1 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A2
P11A2 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A3
P11A3 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A4
P11A4 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A5
P11A5 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A6
P11A6 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A7
P11A7 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A8
P11A8 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11A9
P11A9 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins
P11AA
P11AA on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment19 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta failed the emissions check on 2.6% of first inspections — close to the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).

New York inspections 2.6%

failed emissions

2,558 initial inspections of 2,503 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2020 JettaEvery 2020 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.6%2.2%2,550
Failed the safety inspection1.6%1.6%2,558
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.12%0.19%2,558
Miles driven a year9,6439,980odometer at inspection
Average odometer60,57462,630odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Jetta by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A 0 0 34 mpg2026 B 1 6 34 mpg2025 B 2 30 33 mpg2024 A 0 46 34 mpg2023 A 0 43 35 mpg2022 A 1 43 35 mpg2021 B 4 70 34 mpg2020 this page D 6 54 34 mpg2019 F 11 549 Do not drive2018 B 2 32 33 mpg2017 D 6 160 33 mpg2016 C 4 164 44 mpg

Common questions about the 2020 Jetta

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta. The most serious on file is 24V110000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?

NHTSA gave the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (69/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, the best EPA combined figure is 34 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?

Transport Canada measured it at 185.8 in long, 71.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5 in tall, on a 105.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,976–3,225 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?

Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about electrical system, unspecified, engine. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?

The manufacturer has filed 527 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta failed the emissions check on 2.6% of first inspections — close to the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations4 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates4 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls6NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints54NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins527NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations1NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 Jetta The Jetta model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Volkswagen recall on file All campaigns filed against Volkswagen vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Jetta by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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