2023 Volkswagen Jetta SEL Review

A few generations ago the Volkswagen Jetta took a seismic shift in direction.

The small, compact, premium German sedan transitioned into a large, value-packed family vehicle. Many faithful Jetta fans were aghast at the car’s sudden change in philosophy. But in hindsight, Volkswagen was right. While compact cars like the Chevrolet Cruze, Mitsubishi Lancer, Ford Focus, and Dodge Dart have been put out to pasture, the Jetta soldiers on. In fact, last year it even received a significant update.

So how does a vehicle like the Volkswagen Jetta SEL continue to survive? It’s a simple formula really; offering near mid-size sedan features and sizing, at compact car prices, all while offering a decidedly sophisticated drivetrain.

Aside from the sporty GLI, the top-of-the-line Volkswagen Jetta for 2023 is the SEL trim like the one I am driving. Ok, technically I am driving a Canadian Highline spec vehicle, but the SEL and Highline are virtually identical.

Standard equipment in these cars include leather seating surfaces, heated and ventilated front seats, a power driver’s seat, and heated rear seats. To brighten up one’s day, there’s a large sunroof and adjustable ambient lighting. When the weather takes a frosty turn, there’s the wiper de-icer, remote engine starter, and heated steering wheel.

When it comes to technology, all the usual boxes are once again ticked off. There’s an 8.0-inch color touchscreen infotainment system capable of running both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly. Sound is provided by BeatsAudio. It’s a good system, but to my untrained ears, not as memorable as the old Fender sound systems in Jetta’s of yore.

My favorite tech feature is easily the adjustable digital cockpit. Plenty of cars these days have some form of digital gauge clusters. But usually only the more premium models allow for the various screens and options found in the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta SEL. Want traditional looking dual gauges? No problem. Looking to turn the cluster into a giant navigation map? It can do that. Or maybe it’s a screen full of data one is after.

As expected, all the latest advanced safety systems are present and accounted for. There’s adaptive cruise control, crash mitigation, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, etc.

Now that we’ve covered the size and feature content of the Jetta, let’s move on to pricing. The most basic Jetta starts at a price of $21,750 including destination. Moving up to the SEL and pricing clocks in $29,875 including destination. That’s less than a Honda Civic Touring, but more than a Hyundai Elantra N-Line.

In a refreshing change for Canadian customers, the Jetta is even more of value up north. Starting at $24,745 including destination charges, the fully loaded Highline trim is a mere $31,940 CAD including destination.

Remember us mentioning earlier that the Jetta received a significant update last year? At the heart of that update was a new engine. Gone is the old 1.4-liter unit, replaced by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Granted this isn’t a huge change, but power is up 11 hp to 158 hp total, while torque remains the same 184 lb-ft.

The 1.5-liter can be paired to a six-speed manual transmission in lower trim models, or an eight-speed automatic like found in my test car. With the automatic, the drivetrain in the Jetta feels more premium than plenty of its competitors. Everything operates smoothly with little drama or noise.

The rest of the car drags up a debate. Is it conservative, restrained, or just boring? Let’s start with the exterior styling. Less square than the sixth generation Jetta, the new model introduced five years ago still has a somewhat boxy overall shape, buy with a rounder nose and more chiselled rear. There’s no real personality to the look, but it doesn’t offend eighter. I like the hood creases and roofline but haven’t warmed up to the new grille. The full complement of LED lighting all around does give it some pizzaz.

The ride and handling raise a similar debate. It is comfortable and handles well enough but doesn’t really excel at either task. I can feel the sporty pretensions built into the suspension tuning, but with rather narrow 205/55R17 tires, it lacks the outright grip to make for an entertaining ride. With the option of the sportier GLI in the lineup, I’d like to see the Jetta SEL lean further towards comfort.