I promised myself this year to see what all the hype around EVs is all about. One thing I didn’t expect to do, however, is to drive an all-gas powered car again — but I did. And after driving a Volkswagen Jetta for a week, it certainly piqued my interest in more ways than I had anticipated.
What’s worth pointing out is that it’s the cheapest vehicle I’ve tested this year, which says a lot about EVs and how pricing continues to be the biggest challenge to overcome. The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan starts at $32,715, so it exposes the disparity between ICE (internal combustible engine) and EV cars. Beyond the cost, I’m surprised by how it handles because I’ve become spoiled by the instant acceleration of EVs.
Here’s everything I like and don’t like about the Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan: Specifications
2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan: Driving Summary
I drove a total of 250 miles during my week with the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan, with mostly local driving mixed in with a couple stints of long distance trips on the highway that amounted to about 60 miles each.
Impressively, the Jetta GLI Autobhan with automatic transmission drives very much like the majority of EVs I test thanks in part to its 228 hp turbocharged engine that easily gets to top speed in no time at all — with less of the gear shifting that is still problematic with the hybrids and PHEVs (plug-in electric vehicle) I’ve tested. Meaning, it barely feels like a struggle going from a dead stop to cruising speed.
When it comes to fuel economy, I have to admit it’s not that bad given its all-gas power. It can reach up to 25 mpg city or 35 mpg highway, which is a smidge more than my 15+ year old Corolla. But of course, the VW's performance eclipses Toyota's by a huge margin. With my 250 miles of driving the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan, it achieved an average fuel economy of 33.5 mpg — which I think is pretty good for this kind of car.
- Total miles driven: 250 miles
- Average fuel economy: 33.5 mpg
- Acceleration: It's never a struggle
- Steering: Tight control makes for a fun drive
2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan: What I Like
Outstanding driving performance much like an EV
Considering that it’s a 4-cylinder engine under the hood, I didn’t think it could match the zippy acceleration I get with most EVs — but it does, which is what makes it such a fun drive. Paired with its tight steering, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan easily takes tight curves on the highway with ease.
Other gas-powered cars I’ve tested, like the 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and Mazda CX-90, have a difficult time getting to cruising speed from a complete stop. Yet that’s not a problem for the Jetta Volkswagen GLI Autobhan, especially when I switch it into ‘sport’ driving mode. One of the reasons why I might go with an EV for my next car is because of how quickly they can accelerate, but this one comes very close to matching them.
Decent fuel economy for its performance
I’ve mentioned how much I hate paying for gasoline in my car, but it’s worse when there’s so much volatility in gas prices week over week. With the Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan, I’m really surprised by the average 33.5 mpg fuel economy I got out of it from my week’s worth of driving.
That’s better than the 30 mpg I typically get with my Corolla, but what’s more impressive is that it’s getting this kind of fuel economy from a car with nearly the same driving performance and acceleration I’ve experienced in EVs. Usually the fuel economy is worse on performance cars such as this, but it isn’t.
Pleasant ambient lights
For its price, the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan gets as much love as some luxury EVs with the ambient lights on the inside of the vehicle. Not only can the colors be customized to just about anything, but the amount of light throughout the interior space is just enough to not come out overpowering — like on the Genesis GV60 or Genesis GV70.
The strip lights around the dashboard, in particular, have the right amount of intensity so that they’re not a strain on the eyes during the night. Plus, the ambient lights are a nice touch for a car that costs significantly less than the cheapest EVs.
Heavy bass with Beats Audio sound system
I’ve never driven a car in my life with a Beats Audio sound system, but it’s exactly what the Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan needs. In true fashion, the Beats Audio sound system is heavy on the bass, which I love for a performance vehicle such as this when I’m cruising on the highway. For tracks like Daft Punk’s ‘The Son of Flynn’ song from the Tron Legacy soundtrack, the heavy beats of the song makes it feel like the sound’s going through my body.
Spacious interior cabin space and trunk
Classified as a sports sedan, I didn’t think there’d be a lot of room on the inside — but it surprisingly packs decent space. There’s enough legroom in the back seats to comfortably fit three people, while the trunk’s immense size and depth allowed me to easily stow my electric scooter flat inside of it.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan: What I Don't Like
Low quality backup camera
While it does come with a backup camera that’s helpful for pulling out of my driveway or parking spot, it’s one of the lowest quality cameras I’ve come across in any vehicle I’ve tested this year. The quality looks like it came from a 5+ year old phone, which looks fuzzy and doesn’t have a lot of detail. Making matters worse is the grainy details and heavy noise that distorts the camera’s view when it’s dark out.
Manual passenger, no way to raise it
Did I expect seats that could be electronically adjusted on the Jetta? Not really, but I do appreciate how the driver’s seat at least has it. With the passenger seat, it’s an all-manual affair, but what I don’t like about it is that there’s no way to raise it off the floor. There are adjustments to move the entire seat forward and back, as well as relining the seat, but I just find it weird that I can’t lift it from the floor of the car — so it constantly feels like you’re deep inside of the seat.
Retro looking interior
As much as I love the ambient lighting during the night, I can’t help to overlook the retro looking dashboard with the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan. It screams 80s aesthetics with its climate controls and air vents. While most of the controls on the dashboard are touch sensitive, the Jetta GLI Autobhan could’ve gotten a better looking facelift on the inside to make it more modern.
It’s like watching the end of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" when we see Darth Vader on the bridge of the Devastator with all the clunky, oversized buttons around — and that’s after seeing all the futuristic looking spacecrafts in the rest of the movie, only to go back to a dated design.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan: Bottom Line
EVs are expensive, which is why many people today are still considering buying gas-powered cars. The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobhan is one of the few I’d recommend due in part to its affordable cost and how it handles like an EV thanks to its turbocharged engine. And while I’d be more inclined to spend a little more for a hybrid car, I think its fuel economy holds up very well considering it’s a performance sedan.
