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The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI isn't perfect, but it's still one of the best cars in its segment.

The Volkswagen Jetta has always been considered as one of the best compact sedans of the lot. Even though the car doesn't excel in terms of performance and driving dynamics, that is where the Jetta GLI comes in. Coming with a powerful and smooth 2-liter turbocharged motor mated to a manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Jetta GLI ticks most of the boxes for gearheads out there.

The car is also pretty versatile as it is based on the regular Jetta and hence there's not much to complain about regarding the interior and cargo space. The steering is pretty precise and the ride quality could easily top the charts. The car also comes loaded with all the bells and whistles too. Offered for a base selling price of $30,995, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is here to compete with the likes of the Hyundai Elantra N Line and Subaru WRX.

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The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI comes with the same 2-liter TSI turbocharged inline-4 motor producing 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. This motor comes mated to a 6-speed manual or an optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and the car comes only in the FWD drivetrain configuration. All of these contribute to a 0-60 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 126 mph.

If you are in search of a powerful compact sedan that is capable of those quick overtakes on the city streets and punchy enough at the highway speeds, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is your best bet. The motor has superb torque spread and a downshift is all that is required to close the gap. The engine is pretty refined too.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI comes with a front and rear independent suspension system, unlike the regular Volkswagen Jetta, which gets a torsion beam rear setup. Apart from that, the shocks are tuned to the stiffer side too. These contribute to impeccable driving dynamics and cornering ability, surpassing many of its rivals in the segment.

Take the corner a bit enthusiastically, and you would be pleasantly surprised with the impressive grip on offer. The body roll is very minimal and even with the FWD drivetrain, there is very little understeer. In comparison, the Hyundai Elantra N Line and Subaru WRX didn't feel as planted as the Jetta GLI. The steering also needs a special mention, as it is precise, direct, and offers a great feel and feedback.

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Space has never been an issue with the Jetta and the same is the case with the Jetta GLI as well. Step into the wide and accommodating cabin of this sporty compact sedan to experience the impressive overall packaging of the interior, which many of the rivals fail to do. Even with the identical dimensions of the rivals, the Jetta GLI's cabin felt more spacious.

The front passengers are going to be pretty happy about the headroom and legroom on offer, along with the comfortable seats. There is a wide armrest too. The same is also the case with the rear seat. With 14.1 cu ft of cargo space coupled with many cubbyholes and other storage spaces, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is a very versatile offering.

Similar to the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the 2022 Jetta GLI also managed to disappoint us in terms of the interior quality and the overall fit and finish. Unlike the other offerings from this German manufacturer, the Jetta GLI's interior felt like it was built to a cost, which is quite disappointing, especially when compared to the better interior quality offered by the rivals.

The dashboard did come with harder plastics lower down, and even the touchpoints didn't feel as smooth and soft as the Mazda 3 Turbo or the Hyundai Elantra N Line. There are quite a lot of gloss black elements around the center console, and they are fingerprint magnets. Some of the panels didn't line properly, and the panel gaps are a bit inconsistent too.

This 2022 iteration of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI does come with subtle changes in the form of an updated front and rear-end, making it look a bit more modern and sporty. The most noticeable changes on the front end are in the form of a revised air dam, more contrastive elements, and a honeycomb grille. The rear end gets a dual exhaust and honeycomb design on the lower bumper.

Even with all these changes, it still looks a bit weird from many angles. The front end doesn't provide the Jetta GLI with the road presence it needs, unlike what you get with the Elantra N Line. The side profile doesn't ooze character due to the subtle body lines and bland-looking wheel design. The rear end is nothing to write home about either.

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When it comes to the transmission, we were more than happy with the slick-shifting 6-speed manual which comes as standard with the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI. The throw is short, and the gearbox feels very precise. Even the clutch was quite light, especially when compared to some other offerings from the Volkswagen stable.

However, the same is not the case with the optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is offered for an additional $800. Even though it is supposed to be lightning-quick, we found the downshifts to be quite slow. The transmission felt lazy whenever we mashed the throttle, and that is a bit of a disappointment. However, the manual mode does save the day.

Being a sporty sedan that has got more than enough grunt on offer coupled with a stiffly sprung suspension setup, many would expect the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI to be an uncomfortable daily driver. However, that is not the case here. The 2022 Jetta GLI turned out to be an excellent proposition in terms of ride comfort, similar to the Elantra N Line.

Drive the car slowly through the city streets and the passengers wouldn't complain about the ride quality. Even though the ride quality is a bit on the firmer side, it does filter out most of the undulations and irregularities on the roads with ease. When driving at a faster pace, the stiffer suspension offers an almost magic-carpet-like ride quality, which is not offered by any of the competitors.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI comes with all the safety and driver-assistance features as standard, which was not the case with the outgoing 2021 model. Offered for a base MSRP of $31,990, the 2022 Jetta GLI comes with forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, etc., as standard.

All the basic safety features like ABS, EBD, traction control, stability control, airbags, tire pressure monitoring system, etc., are offered too. Being a German sedan, the exterior build quality is second to none, and people are going to be impressed with the heavy thud when closing the doors. Even though the NHTSA and IIHS haven't completely crash-tested the Jetta GLI, the regular Jetta managed to ace most of the subsections of these crash tests.

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All the infotainment duties of the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI are handled by the 8" MIB3 Composition Media touchscreen infotainment system which offers all the necessary features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, voice recognition, wireless charging, Bluetooth, etc. We were also quite happy with the display quality, touch sensitivity, and uncluttered layout.

There are enough hard buttons and knobs for easy control of the infotainment system. When it comes to the interface, the system offered no lags and everything is positioned where it should be, making it very easy to use. The Beats Audio Pro audio system offered punchy bass and reasonably clear vocals for the price segment.

The braking performance offered by the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI has nothing to complain about as it is sharp, has impressive initial bite, and has top-notch braking progression, all of which are expected from a car with sporty credentials. All the other braking features like ABS, EBD, automated emergency braking, hill hold control, etc are standard too.

Coming with 13.4" front rotors and 11.8" rear rotors, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI also managed to present one of the best 70-0 mph braking distance of 174 feet. The brake pedal had an incredible feel and offered more than adequate feedback too. The nosedive was minimal, and the car never felt unstable under hard braking.

Mohith is our in-house motorcycle mechanic and automotive geek. He loves riding and driving at the limits, and you would frequently notice him on racetracks at the weekends. Mohith is someone who would redline anything that comes with a motor - even our office lawnmower. He often does cross-country road trips in his trusted 300ZX and you could find him riding his CB750 quite often through the streets of Pasadena as well as on the Moore Motorsports racetrack.