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2025 Volkswagen Jetta

Gas
Compact Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
B
Safety Signal
80 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 2
Complaints4 crash · 2 injured reported 30
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 33 mpg
Starting MSRP5 trims · manufacturer $22,995
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

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 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 30 complaints, most often about the forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $22,995 to $33,215 across 5 trims.

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

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →
TrimPowertrainDriveMSRPHPTorqueMPG combSeatsCargo (2nd row)Wheels
SGasFWD$22,995158 hp184 lb-ft33 mpg514.1 cu-ft16 in
SportGasFWD$24,275158 hp184 lb-ft33 mpg514.1 cu-ft17 in
SEGasFWD$25,775158 hp184 lb-ft33 mpg514.1 cu-ft17 in
SELGasFWD$29,500158 hp184 lb-ft33 mpg514.1 cu-ft18 in
GLI AutobahnGasFWD$33,215228 hp258 lb-ft29 mpg514.1 cu-ft18 in
Warranty basic 4 yr / 50,000 mi · powertrain None yr / — mi · roadside 3 yr

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
JettaGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo293933$2,050
Jetta Sport/SE/SELGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo294033$2,050

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 48172, 48000.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Jetta6 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Jetta Sport/SE/SEL6 / 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.

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The cheapest ownership win

Insurers price the 2025 Jetta very differently, and the gap between the best and worst quote on the same car and driver is usually larger than any option you are weighing on this page.

How to compare cover →

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database
●moderate

Electrical System

90Z5
75,323 vehicles 45% reported repaired built Sep 23, 2024 – Jul 1, 2025
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Jetta and Taos vehicles. The instrument panel may fail to display warning lights or gauges. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays." Risk An instrument panel that does not display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the instrument panel software and replace the instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90Z5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 22, 2026.
NHTSA campaign 26V185000 reported Mar 25, 2026 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Electrical System

97TC
48,165 vehicles 76% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Jetta vehicles. The transmission ground wire may not have been properly connected during assembly, causing an open electrical circuit. Risk An open circuit may draw a higher current and increase the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will inspect and repair transmission ground wire as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97TC. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 13, 2026.
NHTSA campaign 26V138000 reported Mar 11, 2026 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.

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 2025 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.

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 2025 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 2025 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
30complaints filed

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

4.4 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 68,959 Jetta built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2025: 9 · 2026: 21

Most-cited components

Forward Collision Avoidance 11
Unspecified 6
Power Train 6
Fuel/Propulsion System 4
Visibility/Wiper 3
Electrical System 3

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.

I am reporting a recurring safety defect involving the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system in my 2025 Volkswagen Jetta. The ACC system fails suddenly and without warning while driving, including during highway operation.
Forward Collision Avoidance Sep 3, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11761837
I am the owner/operator of a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta S and am submitting this complaint regarding recurring optical distortion in the windshield within my normal driving field of view. The vehicle has undergone four windshield replacement attempts for this same condition, yet the distortion remains present.
Visibility/Wiper Sep 3, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11761784
The brake pads that are being used on Volkswagen are semi metallic and that causes the brakes to make a grinding noise which the dealer says is common on volkswagen. The problem you cannot tell if brakes need replacement. I have had my vehicle in service dept twice for the same problem.
Service Brakes Jul 24, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11752734
There is a noticable whine from the transmission or torque converted between 1000-2000 RPM that does not vary with speed and noticable when lightky pressing gas pedal on 8th geer. This happens only when transmission is waremed up and indicates an issue with 2025 Volkswagen tranmissions.
Power Train Jun 9, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11742974
The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the infotainment screen was darkened and inoperative. There were several different unknown warning lights were illuminated.
Electrical System May 7, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11736290
I am reporting a safety concern involving unintended acceleration in a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta SE (VIN ) Te vehicle has experienced two separate incidents in which it surged forward unexpectedly when shifting from park to drive while my foot depressed the brake pedal.
Fuel/Propulsion System Mar 9, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11723060

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: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 1.5 per 100,000 built. Every Jetta model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

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

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Driver-assist crash reports (1)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
1report filed

1 no injury reported

May 2024 to May 2024 · 1 with an air bag deployment · 1 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: LL_FrontSensoDriveAssisSysteUDS (EV_MFK3ValeoMQB_007058) (1)

Crash partner: Passenger Car 1

Filed by: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

IncidentSystemStruckInjury allegedStateSpeedReport
May 2024Level 2 · LL_FrontSensoDriveAssisSysteUDS (EV_MFK3ValeoMQB_007058)Passenger Carno injury reportedMI73 mph1420-7761

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

Two test vehicles with single occupants each consisting of the driver (vehicle 1 ahead of vehicle 2) were traveling on northbound [redacted]. Vehicle 1 swerved to avoid a collision with vehicle 3 (passenger car) that was stopped in the lane. Vehicle 2 (subject vehicle) decreased speed from 73 mph to 35 mph but collided with the rear end of vehicle 3.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. report 1420-7761 May 2024 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing 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 148
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-23
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 108 service bulletins, 37 others, 2 service campaigns

Most often about: Unknown Or Other, Engine, Electrical System, Service Brakes, Power Train.

  • 2026-09-23 · Unknown Or Other
  • Oil leak from Cylinder Head Cover; Coolant leak from the cylinder head gasket, Low coolant level, Visible coolant leak, or Coolant warning message in instrument cluster; Customer states error for Dynamic Cornering Light in MFI; Customer states no start condition; Customer states no start condition; Customer states wind noise and or water ingress; Customer states there is a leak from the front of t
  • V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
    2026-09-17 · Engine
  • Suggested fuel additive
  • 2026-09-17 · Lane Departure — Assist
  • Heat Sensative Trouble Shooting Explanation.
  • 2026-09-10 · Unknown Or Other
  • Remove Key FOB battery for 20 seconds to restore proper operation.
  • 2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
  • 2026-09-02 · Unknown Or Other
  • Oil leak from Cylinder Head Cover; Coolant leak from the cylinder head gasket, Low coolant level, Visible coolant leak, or Coolant warning message in instrument cluster; Customer states error for Dynamic Cornering Light in MFI; Customer states no start condition; Customer states no start condition; Customer states wind noise and or water ingress; Customer states there is a noise when pressing the
  • V4622022067177_5 Service bulletin
    2026-08-27 · Service Brakes
  • Repair or Replace Information
  • V4619022015173_35 Service bulletin
    2026-08-27 · Service Brakes
  • Brake rotor resurfacing

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
P0442
P0442 on Volkswagen →
A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.Unknown Or Other · Gas cap →8 bulletins
P0456
P0456 on Volkswagen →
A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.Unknown Or Other · Gas cap →8 bulletins
P04F0
P04F0 on Volkswagen →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other8 bulletins
P2080
P2080 on Volkswagen →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other7 bulletins
U04A1
U04A1 on Volkswagen →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other2 bulletins
U04A5
U04A5 on Volkswagen →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other2 bulletins
U04A9
U04A9 on Volkswagen →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other2 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 2025 Volkswagen Jetta failed the safety inspection on 0.51% of first inspections — higher than the 0.36% for every 2025 model-year vehicle inspected.

New York inspections 0.51%

failed the safety inspection

1,573 initial inspections of 1,548 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2025 JettaEvery 2025 vehicleBehind it
Failed the safety inspection0.51%0.36%1,573
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.32%0.16%1,573
Miles driven a year8,4898,354odometer at inspection
Average odometer12,26412,194odometer at inspection

New York does not emissions-test model years this new, so the safety inspection is the record here. 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 2025 vehicle” is every 2025 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).

Common questions about the 2025 Jetta

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $22,995 for the S FWD to $33,215 for the GLI Autobahn FWD, across 5 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V138000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?

NHTSA gave the 2025 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 B (80/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, the best EPA combined figure is 33 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?

Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about forward collision avoidance, unspecified, power train. Of those, 4 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 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?

The EPA smog rating for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is 6 out of 10. 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, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta?

The manufacturer has filed 148 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, most often covering unknown or other, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-23. 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 2025 Volkswagen Jetta do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta failed the safety inspection on 0.51% of first inspections — higher than the 0.36% for every 2025 model-year vehicle inspected. 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.

Which 2025 Volkswagen Jetta trim is the best value?

$10,220 separates the cheapest of the 5 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

Is the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta better than the 2025 BMW 3 Series?

The Volkswagen Jetta edges it, 88.1 to 84.2, on price, fuel & range. The BMW 3 Series is ahead on performance and tech & comfort. Raise the performance weight from 2 to 4 and it flips. We publish a full side-by-side of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta against the 2025 BMW 3 Series — specifications by family, equipment feature by feature, safety record and ownership costs. You can re-weight what matters to you and the verdict recalculates.

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 & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls2NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints30NHTSA 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 bulletins148NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports1NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSAnoneNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWe had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment5 trimsManufacturer press kitTranscribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

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.

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. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API