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2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI priced from $26,890, undercutting GTI

The 228-horsepower sedan is just a little cheaper than the famous hot hatch.

Jake Holmes Reviews Editor
While studying traditional news journalism in college, Jake realized he was smitten by all things automotive and wound up with an internship at Car and Driver. That led to a career writing news, review and feature stories about all things automotive at Automobile Magazine, most recently at Motor1. When he's not driving, fixing or talking about cars, he's most often found on a bicycle.
Jake Holmes
2 min read
jetta-gli-gallery-promo

More horsepower than before, and now more affordable.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

newest version of the Jetta GLI is priced from $26,890, and that's not only $1,825 cheaper than the outgoing 2017 GLI, it's also $1,600 less than the entry price of a 2019 S. All that despite the fact that the Jetta GLI has the same power, brakes, and differential as the GTI.

The aforementioned price is for a Jetta GLI S with a six-speed manual transmission, while opting for a seven-speed dual-clutch will bump the cost up to $27,690. Still, despite representing a discount versus the GTI, don't think the 2019 Jetta GLI is lacking for features. Performance-wise, it has a 228-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo engine, electronically controlled limited-slip differential, multi-link rear suspension and upgraded brakes with 13.4-inch front rotors.

2019 VW Jetta GLI

This 35th Anniversary model gets some extra visual tweaks.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Other standard features include 18-inch wheels, LED head- and taillights, push-button start, dual-zone climate control, a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto , automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. That's actually a better spec than the GTI S, which lacks LED headlights, push-button start and automatic emergency braking.

Buyers can also opt for the 2019 VW Jetta GLI Autobahn, which is $30,090 with a manual transmission or $30,890 with the dual-clutch. Compared with the S, it adds goodies like a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, a 400-watt BeatsAudio sound system, leather seats, cooled front seats and an 8-inch touchscreen.

For this year only, Volkswagen will additionally offer the GLI in a 35th Anniversary Edition. Specific add-ons include dark-gray wheels with red accents, a black roof, black mirrors, various 35th Anniversary badges inside and out and adaptive dampers. It's $26,890 with the six-speed manual and $28,690 with the dual-clutch transmission. All versions of the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI reach dealers in the spring.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI gets sporty looks to match its 228 hp

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