Already a Gas Sipper, the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta's Fuel Economy Nears the Head of the Class
The next-generation Jetta, now virtually indistinguishable from other cars when viewed from the side (but unmistakably Volkswagen in its front and rear styling), has plenty of newness on offer, having switched to the company’s MQB platform for the 2019 model year.
Along with a stretch in wheelbase, the new Jetta gains expanded passenger volume and updated features, though not an updated engine. The well-regarded 1.4-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder carries over to the seventh-generation model, making 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, but a brace of new transmissions arrive to bump the compact sedan’s fuel economy to new (gas-powered) heights.
Now that the EPA has posted figures for the 2019 model, we know the new Jetta is good for 30 miles per gallon in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 34 mpg in the combined cycle, both with the new eight-speed automatic and the six-speed manual. Previously, the Jetta was good for 28 city/38 highway/32 combined when paired with a six-speed autobox, and 28 city/40 highway/33 with a five-speed stick.
Having a 40 mpg figure to boast about is a gold mine for the marketing department, as not many automakers field a non-diesel, non-hybrid car that offers such thrift. With VW’s “clean” diesels now a fading memory, squeezing out an extra MPG or two becomes all the more important. Volkswagen can’t be seen as an environmental laggard, future electric car plans be damned.
But how does the new Jetta’s fuel economy stack up against its rivals? Quite favorably, but it’s still not good enough to carry a “class-leading” banner.
As it turns out, the Jetta ties for third. Its MPGs match a number of solely ICE-powered 2018 model year vehicles, including the Toyota Corolla Eco and Ford Focus (when equipped with the optional 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder). While Chevrolet’s Cruze matches the VW’s highway figure, you’d have to fork over plenty of cash for an internal combustion Cruze that beats it in every way, because that car is a diesel. The Hyundai Elantra Eco, a little-talked-about 1.4-liter variant of the already efficient sedan, beats this crop of compacts in combined fuel economy (35 mpg) without resorting to electrification or compression ignition.
However, it’s the segment’s best-selling model, the Honda Civic, that holds the compact-class fuel economy crown. When equipped with the 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four and continuously variable automatic, the Civic earns a 36 mpg combined rating. Truly, the car that has everything.
Still, mileage figures aren’t price, and the Jetta — marked for a window sticker reduction for 2019 — offers its top fuel economy to entry-level buyers. No need to upgrade to a higher trim, optional engine, or pricier transmission to see that extra range. The 2019 Jetta should mosey onto U.S. dealer lots in the second quarter of this year.
[Image: Volkswagen of America]
More by Steph Willems
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Tell me more about this “brace of new transmissions”. Extra credit if you can tell us what sort of special dealer-only maintenance zey will require.
At the auto show yesterday, I noticed that the trend of the dorky-looking, trapezoidal “smiley” inside mirrors throughout the entire auto industry (with the exception of GM and Ford) has taken a nonsensical twist in the new Jetta and Atlas: the damn mirror isn’t wide enough, vertically, to see the entire rear window, top to bottom! And as with most new cars with hatch-esque styling, the visibility to the rear isn’t the greatest to begin with! The IP is really nice, however; too bad that the rear axle is back to a torsion-beam! So did VW abandon its DSG experiment? Probably better from a maintenance perspective!