10 Of The Best Years For The Volkswagen Jetta (And Some To Avoid)

When you think of iconic German automobile manufacturers, Volkswagen is easily one of the first names that comes to mind. The company is home to a range of models, but the Jetta, its most affordable option, has found some appeal among lovers of small sedans. This model first surfaced in 1980, and several decades down the line, it has evolved in style and design, drawing a great deal of attention in the American market.

However, this doesn't mean that all its years have been great. When it comes to reliability, while the Jetta is considered an above-average car with decent ownership costs, it has had some hits and misses. If you're going to make a purchase, it'll be helpful to know which years are likely to be worthy investments or constant headaches.

Generally, many of the Jetta's older model years, particularly those released before 2020, tend to be riddled with a lot of problems, attracting hundreds of complaints and several recalls. It's, thus, safe to say that newer Jettas are your best bet for dependable use. However, it's not that straightforward, so we looked at the models down the years, highlighting the best of the crop and the ones to definitely skip over in your next purchase. That said, here are 10 of the best years for the Volkswagen Jetta and some to avoid.

Belonging to its most recent generation, the 2023 Jetta is generally one of the best years of this Volkswagen model you can get. This car comes with a standard 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four engine that produces 158 horsepower and even better performance on the GLI variant, which houses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 228 horsepower.

While this is a simple car, its spacious interior offers great practicality and more comfort than many rival compact sedans. This model also delivers on fuel economy, with real-world performance tests even outdoing its EPA ratings. In terms of features, not much changed for this year compared to the previous year. But you might notice some stylistic changes, and in addition to that, Volkswagen added a remote start ignition for the SE trim. 

Although this year has recorded a few complaints, so far, there has been no recall issued. On J.D. Power, the 2023 Jetta is rated 78/100 overall, but its strongest rating in a specific category was for quality and reliability, where it earned an 81/100. 

Although the 2020 Jetta is not free of complaints or recalls, it is still among the least problematic years available among the Volkswagen Jettas. This car was the second release in the seventh generation, featuring a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine as the standard powertrain. Performance-wise, while this powertrain isn't the most exciting, offering a decent 147 horsepower and 184 pounds of torque, the Jetta does move quicker than you might expect.

For the drivetrain, you get a front-wheel drive coupled with a standard six-speed manual transmission, which is pretty seamless to operate. Most of its trims, nonetheless, offer an eight-speed automatic transmission that bumps up the price point some more. The biggest strengths for this year are also the comfort and ample storage space. This Jetta offers plenty of room for its size, and it hardly feels like a low-cost vehicle when sitting in its well-cushioned seats. However, fuel economy is unimpressive in the real world, despite its 34 mpg combined EPA rating, which places it on the higher end of the segment. 

The 2022 Jetta featured a number of changes and improvements from its predecessors, the most obvious being its exterior. To start with, there were some new color options, including the Rising Blue Metallic, Kings Red Metallic, and Oryx White Metallic. For the interior, there was a new two-tone leather color scheme. Volkswagen also added new wheels along with new designs for the front and rear bumpers.

Unlike older years, the 2022 Jetta also features many modern standard safety features, including rear traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, and pedestrian monitoring. Under its hood, it houses a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four that produces 158 horsepower, but for more competitive performance, the GLI comes with a 2.0-liter turbo-four that generates 228 horsepower. 

This model year has had just one recall, which was triggered by a rearview camera problem that prevented the rearview image from displaying. Apart from this, it has had only a handful of complaints. With a used model going for about $17,000 for the base version, it serves as an affordable everyday companion. 

So far, the best model years of the Jetta highlighted belong to the seventh generation. This is no coincidence as the generation has indeed proved to be the least problematic. However, this doesn't mean you can't find decent options when combing through older years. The 2008 model year is one of these options.

While reliability ratings for the 2008 Jetta are not exactly excellent, if you're searching amongst the fifth generation, it's a car worth considering. J.D. Power rates it 81/100 with 78/100 in quality and reliability and 86/100 in driving experience. It's also ranked fourth among compact cars for 2008.

Standard for this year was a 2.5-liter inline-five engine that was offered in both automatic and manual transmissions. With the manual transmission, you get an estimated fuel economy of  24 mpg combined. However, if you opt for the GLI trim, fuel economy is lower, but performance improves thanks to its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with a five-speed traditional manual transmission. A used model is currently priced between $3,900 and $5,180.  

The sixth generation of the Jetta was also filled with many bad eggs, but Volkswagen seemed to have gotten it right with its final model year, which was released in 2018. The compact sedan also got a slight makeover and a special trim known as the Wolfsburg Edition. 

Three engine options are available for this model, depending on what trim you get. The 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is available on the SEL trim and SE Sport. However, the base level gets a 1.4-liter engine. Riding quality is excellent and generally pleasant to drive in. On top of that, there are some tech features like emergency automatic braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear-cross traffic alerts, but some of these are only accessible on higher trims.

On J.D. Power, the 2018 Jetta has an 86/100 rating for quality and reliability, while the driving experience is at 89/100. NHTSA has recorded only about 23 complaints for this vehicle, which is a remarkably small figure compared to some other Jetta model years. 

Many Volkswagen Jetta years have unfortunately amassed tons of complaints and recalls, and the 2010 model is among the most problematic of them. So far, it has recorded over 800 complaints, as reported by the NHTSA, with a range of issues that concern numerous components. 

One of the most reported defects is a fuel system problem. The high-pressure pump, in particular, is notorious for failure, and this often leads to the car shutting off or stalling while driving, posing a major safety hazard for owners. You're also not unlikely to face transmission problems, where the car gets stuck in a gear or shifts to neutral inadvertently. 

On top of that, the engine has its own share of problems, thanks to the timing chain sensor and the timing chain. These components also tend to fail, rendering the vehicle immobile. This problem has, in fact, led to a class action lawsuit, where class members were entitled to recover up to $2,000 for the cost of repairing the timing chain system, as well as up to $6,500 for engine repairs. 

Like its immediate predecessor, the 2011 model leaves a lot to be desired in terms of reliability. Despite having a good price appeal, this Volkswagen Jetta wasn't anything special when newly released, and several years down the line, it continues to give its owners a headache.

This car shares several problems with the 2010 model, including high-pressure fuel pump failure and a problematic transmission. However, it has gathered even more recalls, with 11 amassed so far, the most recent being in 2020 for brake fluid leaks. This problem was discovered to potentially lead to a crash.

Complaints to the NHTSA are in the hundreds, and many owners highlight different kinds of problems with the electrical system. A common one is that the key tends to get stuck in the ignition and refuses to turn. This makes the car difficult to turn on and off, and in many cases, owners have their cars running longer than necessary. 

The horns and headlights are other components that are susceptible to failure and pose safety issues on the road. Overall, this is one model year that is likely to require more frequent visits to the mechanic than you bargained for.

The 2012 Jetta is another used Volkswagen model you should steer clear of. For this year, not much has changed apart from new packages and some optional features. Engine options included a 2.0-liter inline-four, a 2.5-liter inline-five, and a 2.0-liter turbodiesel inline-four engine, the same as the previous year.

While these engines offer a decent driving experience, they contribute their own share of defects over time. Stalling and idling are a common occurrence with this model year, an issue which, in some cases, appears to be a result of the timing chain failure. Like the 2011 model year, this car also experiences ignition problems, where the key gets stuck, making it difficult to turn off the engine. 

Another problem that has carried on from older years is the high-pressure fuel pump failure, which also adds to the likelihood of stalling or complete shutdown of the vehicle. In its recalls, Volkswagen has sought to address the timing chain issue and fuel leaks, among other issues, but you're still likely to encounter a number of them in your 2012 Jetta. 

Transmission defects appear to be a recurring issue for the 2006 Jetta, accounting for a significant portion of complaints owners have raised over the years. There are several reports of the car jerking violently, dropping out of gear, or refusing to accelerate. This poses a major concern for vehicle owners, not just because of the major safety risk but also because of the high cost of repairs.

Although less expensive to fix, the wiring harness is also a popular source of headaches with the 2006 Jetta. The common complaint is that the harness is too short or faulty. As a result, several components become inoperative, such as the driver's window, side mirrors, fuel door locks, and even the car trunk switch. Volkswagen has not initiated any recall for this issue. However, this model year has been part of some other recalls, including one in 2020 involving a brake fluid leak, which could impact the car's braking function and cause a crash. It was also involved in a timing belt failure recall initiated in 2014.

While most of the seventh generation of the Volkswagen Jetta are known to be safe and generally more reliable than their older counterparts, the 2019 model year sticks out like a sore thumb. In a relatively short time, it has amassed 11 recalls related to various issues and components. 

In December 2018, a recall was initiated due to the tendency of the rear coil spring to fracture, which could cause a loss of control of the vehicle as well as increase the risk of a crash. Almost a year later, it was discovered that the vehicle did not meet regulatory requirements due to some modifications, and Volkswagen initiated a recall to mitigate the risk of fire. Following that, a recall was issued for the undetected loss of pressure in all tires, ignition failure, and a fuel leak from the fuel tank suction. 

While it is expected that these recalls address the defects in the vehicle as much as possible, the 2019 Jetta continues to receive numerous complaints regarding a range of problems, including stalling, ignition problems, and various electrical issues. 

We compiled this list using reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, focusing on the number and severity of complaints and recalls. We also considered ratings from J.D. Power along with professional reviews.