Skip to content
Trimslate
SavedHelp

Volkswagen

Jetta

Compact Cars · model years 1990 to 2026

Includes Jetta, Jetta Hybrid and Jetta Wagon as listed by the EPA.

See all 205 Jetta trimsAll Volkswagen cars

The verdict

Best year: 2024. complaints: 0, below this model's typical 20; recalls: 0, below this model's typical 1.

Worst year: 2012. complaints: 525, about 6.7x this model's typical 78; recalls: 8, about 8x this model's typical 1.

Year by year

Year by year summary for the Volkswagen Jetta
YearTrimsMPGHPFuel costRecallsComplaintsInvestigationsTSBsTop complaintsVerdict
19903Diesel, Gas25no data$2,500no datano data0no datano data
19914Diesel, Gas29no data$2,425no datano data0no datano data
19923Diesel, Gas25no data$2,500no datano data0no datano data
19963Diesel, Gas23no data$2,700no datano data0no datano data
19973Diesel, Gas24no data$2,600no datano data0no datano data
19983Diesel, Gas24no data$2,600no datano data0no datano data
19995Diesel, Gas22no data$2,850no datano data0no datano data
20008Diesel, Gas23no data$2,975no datano data0no datano data
200112Diesel, Gas22no data$2,975no datano data0no datano data
200218Diesel, Gas22.5no data$2,850no datano data0no datano data
200314Diesel, Gas23.5no data$2,775no datano data0no datano data
200414Diesel, Gas24no data$2,650no datano data0no datano data
200516Diesel, Gas24no data$2,650no datano data0no datano data
20066Diesel, Gas24.5no data$2,850no datano data0no datano data
20074Gas23no data$2,975no datano data0no datano data
20084Gas24no data$2,850no datano data0no datano data
20096Diesel, Gas25no data$2,600no datano data0no datano data
20106Diesel, Gas26170$2,500004 (1 open)897no data
20116Diesel, Gas27.5140$2,425005 (1 open)1,044no data
20128Diesel, Gas26.5155$2,45085255 (1 open)1,140ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 20%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%, ENGINE 12%
20139Diesel, Gas, Hybrid27128$2,450004 (1 open)1,311no data
20149Diesel, Gas, Hybrid29170$2,45053864 (1 open)1,268ENGINE 20%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17%, POWER TRAIN 13%
20159Diesel, Gas, Hybrid29143$2,25081931910ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17%, ENGINE 15%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12%
20167Gas, Hybrid29170$2,15051601711ENGINE 17%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14%
20175Gas29160$2,150000555no data
20184Gas30150$2,075000556no data
20192Gas34147$1,850115332665POWER TRAIN 21%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 19%, ENGINE 19%
20204Gas31147$2,025001500no data
20212Gas33.5147$1,8754630458SERVICE BRAKES 26%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10%
20222Gas34.5158$1,8251390417SERVICE BRAKES 19%, ENGINE 17%, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15%
20232Gas34.5158$1,825000312no data
20242Gas34158$1,850000223no data
20251Gas33158$1,8002200122POWER TRAIN 19%, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 15%, UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15%
20261Gas34no data$1,750no datano data0no datano data

How the numbers moved

Combined MPG, median1990: 25 to 2026: 34
Owner complaints2010: 0 to 2025: 20
How we score each year

We compare each year of the Volkswagen Jetta to the model's own typical numbers, not to other cars. A year reads solid when its recalls, owner complaints, and federal investigations sit at or below what is typical for this model, mixed when some of those numbers run above typical, and avoid when they run far above it. Deaths, reported fires, and an NHTSA advisory to park outside count against a year no matter what this model's baseline looks like.

A year is scored only when NHTSA has both complaint and recall counts for it. Complaint data often lags for the newest years, so a recent year can read not enough data even while its recall count already shows in the table. When the history is too thin, we say not enough data instead of guessing. Service bulletins are routine maintenance guidance from the manufacturer and do not lower a year's score.

Scores run 0 to 100, higher is better. Recall, complaint, and investigation figures come from NHTSA records. Fuel economy, fuel cost, and horsepower figures come from the EPA, shown as the median across the year's trims.

Information is gathered on a best-effort basis from public sources, may be incomplete or out of date, and is not purchasing or financial advice. Verify with the manufacturer or dealer before buying.