The First VW Jetta vs The NEW 2025 Jetta: Has The Volkswagen Gotten Better?

[@ricatiman]

As a lifelong VW enthusiast and owner of multiple VW's - 1 Beetle, 1 Rabbit, 2 Golfs, 1 Wasserboxer Westfalia 4x4, 1 GTi and 1 Jetta GLi ... and I have loved them all...but when I got married and bought a new GLi, I realized it was all the car anyone ever needs... plenty fast enough, roomy, comfortable, reasonably economical, fun to drive, and built by people who understand cars and their drivers.

[@TonyCraig-o5v]

The first generation Jetta style and design, magnificent !

[@timothywood4972]

I LOOOOOVED this first generation Jetta sooooo much. It was such a sporty; handsome, and sexy car. The 3 box shape was just beautiful: perfectly strait lines and Angles. This green example is a beauty…. WOWWWWW! I still love it. It’s beautiful!! It was a poor man’s BMW 320i

[@Calizen]

I honestly love the Jetta refresh it looks like what the Jetta shoulve been when they came out with the re-design.

[@Motown_Guy]

I had an 84 Jetta GLi. Silver with the blue velour interior. So many happy memories bopping around town. 🙂

[@bribri2694]

I also had an 84 GLI that was silver with the blue velour and sunroof. I can still remember the day I bought that car new and how proud I was to own it and drive it!

[@davidstrong8361]

My grandfather’s 1980 Scirocco and my 1985 Golf both got 47mpg on the highway, and 35 combined. Nothing today touches that unless it’s a hybrid. This was a cool comparison. Thanks for letting us live our past a bit.

[@kevincraftsbcs4488]

That is a wonderfully restored Jetta. I couldn't help but notice the fuel injection badge on the trunk. Back then, it was the only car in its class with fuel injection, years ahead of the carbureted competition.

[@charlespowell3142]

We had one of the Jetta's in Germany in 1982 and it was a great car all around. Fantastic packaging with a huge trunk and excellent road manners. It was rare to see in Europe because the Germans generally bought Golf's because hatchbacks were more popular. It had the cooler looking Euro flush headlights as well and manual trans, of course. I love seeing this restored model though.

[@Brandon_501]

This was such a nice video to watch, im 26 so my first car was a ‘16 jetta. Now im in a ‘24 tiguan. That 80’s jetta interior is something i’d much prefer over the black monochrome style of today.

[@highoctaneadventure]

Wow that 1st gen brings back memories. My dad had one for years and it just kept running. It was sold to students and ran even longer. Loved all the buttons and toggles. I remember it being super shaky though. Taming engine vibrations didn’t seem like a thing at all back then.

[@Mallen815]

Just love that mk1 jetta in the video. The green exterior and brown interior equals sexy. Beautiful and elegant German vehicle.

[@davidleroux7045]

Awesome video! I currently own a 6MT 2024 GLI 40th anniversary Canadian edition, and I’m a VW aficionado. In 1988, my parents bought a brand new VW Fox GL. It had a 4 speed manual transmission and I am stunned to see how much of the Mk1 Jetta got directly into the Fox. Seems like they updated to the Mk2 Jetta, took the Mk1, modified it a little bit and named it the Fox. The inside door panels in my parent’s Fox were EXACTLY the same except for the brown colour scheme. The seats were identical, the general shape and dimensions of the body was almost identical, except for the front lights. The dash was a little different, but not that much, and the steering wheel only had two spokes. AM/FM radio was optional. Engine in the Fox was a 1.8 litres 4 cylinder mounted longitudinally. No power steering… No AC. As a little boy, I loved this car. There were not a lot of VWs where I lived. I remember going to the dealer to get the car with my father. I was just 3 years old and still remember how smooth I found it rode when we got home. Boy that Mk1 Jetta reminds me of my childhood… Am I the only modern VW owner missing the La Cucaracha door chime? Wish my GLI 40 had that reminder of the past!

[@CharlesGioia]

The Jetta GLI had the 90 hp engine from the Rabbit GTI. I owned an ‘83 GTI and it was a blast to drive. You could have fun in it all day long and never even brake the speed limit! I wish I still had it today!

[@markbradl8651]

I had an 84 and my friend had an 84 GLI. One of my most very favorite cars.

[@slyguyaction]

I had a 84 RabbitGTi. It wasn't fast but it was spunky, had character and was a blast to drive. Wish I still had it.

[@palebeachbum]

As the saying goes, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

[@djkenny1202]

Kept my 16v 92 GTI.

[@Kevin_Rhodes]

had an '84 GLI for a decade through college and grad school. I *definitely* broke the speed limit with extreme prejudice, all the time. If I could buy a new '84, I would in a heartbeat.

[@martinn4186]

I had a 98 Jetta and you could definitely see the evolution from the 82. Still had the 3 box design and the big windows with very similar shapes but I believe the standard wheels were 14”; I had 15” on my GLX. The following generation was a big change. First car I owned with anti-lock brakes and traction control.

[@hollybirge4087]

Love these old VWs from the 80s. I believe this was also during the era when the radio wasn't wired to the ignition, so when you turned off the car, you had to remember to turn off the radio

[@Splendid_Lad]

This Jetta refresh looks so good! If I was in the market for an economy sedan, the Jetta would be high on my list.

[@WilliePeck]

That 80s beown interior Is a breath of fresh air compared to the black everything of today. My car a 2019 Jetta has the beige seats & door inserts so it's a mix of both but still feels very modern

[@kevinledgister5252]

I had a 2017 Jetta SE with the corn silk interior. People would get in and comment on how nice it looked. The all black interiors were too dour and low rent looking.

[@Spoolingturbski]

It’s funny. My buddy in high school had an old Jetta and I had an old Volvo 740 turbo. We ripped them around the backroads of Marin county and proved they handled better than virtually any newer sedan of the same class. They were both planted missiles

[@JMotorCity]

No one does good sounding door closures than the Germans.

[@angrypenguin956]

It's nice to see a car manufacturer keep improving their sedans. Not everybody wants to drive an SUV or pickup. Good, basic, sensible transportation is still needed. Regarding the radio in the MKI, I remember people swapping the original for an Alpine unit; it was a big trend back then. Most MK I were equipped with manual transmissions like many cars in that category. Small cars back then had a crappy automatic transmission for the most part.

[@meogiee]

I grew up in the back of a 1982 vw jetta diesel my dad bought off showroom floor in 82. I have owned 7 jettas currently 2008. I have owned 82 81 81 and 85 diesel . 1 1985 and 1986 turbo diesel. I 2000 and two 2008. All my early vws had over 200k. My dad has owned 8. And he had a 2010 Tdi. My mom has owned 2 jettas, 85 and 04 and 1 2002 cabriolet. They are good cars.

[@_dmfd]

7:54 Yea, one thing that's crazy with VAG in general is their fuel economy. I've had an Mk7 GLi back in the day, & that thing consistently got 30+mpg with 228hp, I also had a Mk7.5 GTi, & was about the same although a lil less, & my current Audi is the A4 Allroad Prestige & that thing gets 27mpg-30mpg all day with 261hp 273lbs torque. Back when I had the Mk7 GLi, I was in the Jetta/ GLi fb group & guys with the 1.4t (VW changed the displacement in 2022) were getting 40+mpg out of 2019 - 2021 models which is actually insane, that's like hybrid numbers from 5 years ago lol. Whatever witchcraft VW does works tho bc even small displacement engines, those types of mpgs out of a non hybrid is really good

[@Mellowdab1983]

My first car was 91 Golf Wolfsberg Edition, red 4 door, teardrop rims, and a manual sunroof. I loved that car 😂😂

[@SueBobChicVid]

Brings back memories of my 84 GTI. Notice no cup holders!

[@65strad]

My first year selling VW's 1982. First sale 1982 diesel Jetta manual trans. An owner ever since. 2014 Passat bought new 168,457 miles. Still ZERO squeaks or rattle. Most reliable car I've owned in my 67 years

[@146flyer8]

I bought a brand new 1990 Jetta GLI and LOVED that car! It got me a few speeding tickets in college.😂

[@MuffinMagiqo]

My first car was a ‘99 Jetta, omg I LOVED it. Something I like about Volkswagen is how firm and secure their cars feel, not cheap at all. Today I have a ‘24 Taigun, but my mom still have their MK4 and MK5 Sport Jetta’s. We’re from Mexico, so fixing a problem (never had them actually) cheap and quick to do.

[@Maddyswalk]

That dash is reminding me of my 83 GTI.😊

[@cardiffchris]

I loved my 1981 VW Jetta. Very Cool, Desirable car in the early 1980's Half the price of a 320i BMW at the time.

[@hitchedtohorsepower]

My mom bought new a 85 VW Golf with NA diesel and a 5 speed manual. Even in Maryland with what passes for mountains you had to turn off the AC to go up hill. Although it would get 60+ MPG! My brother and sister drove it when they turned 16. I drove it some but since I was born in 83 where my siblings were a fair amount older I got my dad's 87 Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro! Since we live in Nevada near Lake Tahoe being able to drive up a mountain became really important!

[@slyguyaction]

My first car was a 1984 VW RabbitGTi. Absolutely loved that car. Wish I still had it.

[@20smgreen]

This just became my favorite TFLnow video. You can have kids in them or make kids in them........😂😂😂 Much respect for you saying it Tommy.

[@gregholman2930]

Tommy's a never-ending humor was a Riot! He was on his "A" game today, the best vid of the year award goes to Tommy-Boy!

[@glanzera]

I love the color of that old Jetta. Reminds me of the 'Great Falls Green' you could get on the GTI and Alltrack a few years ago.

[@bribri2694]

I would love to find and restore an 84 GLI and find a good video of a restored version like this. I’ve not been able to find much on that.

[@nlpnt]

First generation Jetta looks relatively good for being literally a hatchback with a trunk tacked on, having been developed years after the Rabbit/Golf I was already on the market.

[@seanstampley9739]

Ahhhh!! My very first car, I found used at Pioneer Porsche/Audi, the coolest dealership in town! Loved my Jetta!! It's still gorgeous!

[@tomkato6400]

A friend of mine had a 1984 Jetta like this the one in the video with a 5-speed. Compared to Corollas, Sentras, Civics and Colts from the time, it was really fun to drive and felt really solid. Very few cheap cars had fuel injection in the early ‘80s and this one had it.

[@Stuka87]

We used to have Mk1 Jettas all over the place here. Can't recall the last time I saw one on the road.

[@lego4virgo]

Say, what you want, but the fact that the Jetta is still out here selling, shows that people still like this sedan.

[@GameShark1080]

My first car was a 1998 VW Jetta Wolfsburg edition! And it was an absolute lemon. BUT... I loved it and I wish I was better with cars so I could have kept it going. It was red, crank windows, with a power sunroof, a 6 CD changer in the trunk which incidentally did not work well or at all, pretty sure I lost some CDs in that thing. The body on it was perfect, no rust, and no paint chips. It was glorious!

[@terrencebiggane8648]

I really enjoyed seeing the beautifully restored Jetta. I'm a big fan of the Rabbit/Scirocco/Jetta models from the late1970s/early 80s. I like the new front end design of the latest Jetta - to my eyes it's a big improvement over the previous model.

[@cmcb7230]

That AC killing power is a real thing. Even my 2014 mini cooper clubman w/120hp when new has noticeable power loss when the AC is on.

[@monk3yboy69]

120hp is really nothing ….no offence. So no surprise you feel the AC pull.

[@mwwhatever]

I had a 1992 jetta and yeah, the doors sound great when you close them. The trunk did spontaneously catch on fire, as well as the rear window just exploding one day, but the doors did sound great

[@clasicoscarreteras]

TRUE. That double headlight front is typically US. Here in Europe we had a single larger headlight. A very well cared for '82 Jetta 👏👏👏👏👏. Regarding the current Jetta, unfortunately we no longer have it available in most EU markets. VW only offers us SUVs, useless MiniSUVs, and the "eternal" Golf

[@infernoking7504]

Past the mark 4 jetta vw has just completely fallen off at least the older ones you can fix yourself unlike the new ones.

[@Advancedkid]

this was the GLi iteration with the AM-Stereo / FM Stereo radio Cassette player. The time when manufacturers sold cars with a bit of technology attached instead of a lot of technology with a bit of a car attached..

[@davidhalley9795]

I wanted the first gen so much, especially the gli but was talked into a dasher station wagon for college. It had the same wheel covers. They’re notorious for flying off. It’s a two piece cover. I’d see so many with just the center piece on. Hard to find any first generation jettas

[@7728abbott]

Great idea for a comparison. Thanks!

[@Prepare2Survive]

The MK1 Jetta was very nice. I've owned a 1985 Jetta for 32 years and a 1991 Jetta for 23 years. Some cars from the 80s were built to last. Modern VW long term reliability isn't what they used to be and that's why I've switched to driving Toyotas. Pretty soon I'm going to sell my old VWs. The main reason is because there's just too many bad and distracted drivers on the road now-a-days and I prefer the added safety features of airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and crumple zones in modern cars and the better reliability of Toyota. I have literally decades of memories driving and maintaining the old VWs and I'll always cherish those memories, but it's time for me to move on and away from the MK2 Jettas.

[@Biggja22]

Looks like a nice car. Maybe I'm old but turbos are for diesels and race cars, not for something you expect to last for a long time commuting. I'd take the first Gen

[@HypoLuxa13]

I love to drive VW's. I had a MK IV Wolsfsburg edition Jetta that I loved. But issues with brakes, window regulators, other electrical issues, ignition coil pack failures, bad sunroof seal.... Had to get rid of it before I had even paid it off. I just can't do it again. A new Jetta GLI or GTI are so tempting for what I'm looking for. But I can't do it.

[@lucyfan1976]

Awesome to see. Great little car back in the day for sure

[@cuneyt4313]

It’s funny that VW killed the Jetta and Passat in Europe (where sedans are used more than the US) but not in the US.

[@nsbioy]

And killed the manual GTI/R in the US. This was going to be my next car, but I will now have to keep my ‘17 manual GTI as long as physically possible.

[@pilotblue6535]

The square Mercedes G-Wagon will never sell. Great practical shape.

[@MrJordanwain]

5:54 No way! I had that 1.5L 150bhp in my 2020 Skoda Octavia estate. I didn’t expect to see that in the US

[@damilolaakanni]

Can you compare the Mk3 or Mk4 with the new one as well? Or better still, an evolution of all the generations?

[@gregholman2930]

Beautiful Car, "Classy" is exactly right Tommy-Boy!

[@JasonBoydston]

I always liked the how the early 80's VW's looked. My parents had a 81 Rabbit diesel that got great MPG but I think my ATV has more horsepower.

I'll take the old one!!! I bet the MPG loop test would be closer than you think. You are spoiled with your isolated driving experiences or new cars. This is how it was, and it made for a more connected driving experience.

[@frankdeboer1347]

Although back in those days the automatic dropped probably 5 or more mpg from the manual while adding about 5 seconds to the 0 to 60 run.

[@weetbix2083]

Salaries grow at half the rate of inflation. 1st Gen can be maintained by absolutely anyone on the tiniest budget. Depending on climatic location they could last 40 years. The new one is good for 12 years max and can only be maintained by a qualified technician at great expense. 1st Gen shows how simple and honest life was back in the day.

I had a 1st generation 2 door with. a stick loved that car..well built and fun to drive.. I will give the new Jetta a second look

[@markbradl8651]

That is a beautiful 82 !

[@Hobbytrem]

Straight lines are easier to cast. The type of steel produced in the early 80's didn't allow many curves or bounces. Straight and square lines make cars cheaper to produce.

[@Kevin_Rhodes]

I had an '84 Jetta GLI for a decade. If I could buy a brand-new '84 GLI, I would choose it over a new one.

[@MyHumanWreckage]

I was looking at that first Gen Jetta and a Corolla as a first car. I really wanted the Jetta but my Mom said “We got you a deal on the Corolla”. Shit! I always resented that!

[@baronvonjo1929]

The difference in ground clearance and height is really noticeable. Modern sedans are slammed to the ground and really low for a fake sports car look. Like how many CUVs have offroading trims. Its really no wonder why people moved to CUVs. Modern sedans are all style and no substance. Ive driven a few and its so easy to damage them. Thry just arent made for anything other than pristine flat well funded roads. And if you drive for years and thousands of miles you will come across paths that arent so well paved or flat.

[@dantesinfernopurgatory7826]

Every VW 4-cylinder engine dating back to the acquisition of Audi in the early 1970s is an Audi design based on the original EA-827 in the first generation (Mk1) Jetta.

[@benjochs]

I don’t remember ever seeing the first gen Jetta in the 90s/2000s in the Midwest. Maybe I just didn’t notice it. The early 2000s Jetta though was ubiquitous in the suburbs along with the new beetle. I might like to check out the refreshed Jetta. I don’t think I’ll like the new dash treatment. Reminds me of the extremely busy Camry

[@infernoking7504]

I have a 1998 vw jetta tdi I like it even after 249k miles after about $1000 worth of new parts to replace the worn parts its good now this car still has alot of the oem parts and I just like it well I hate the rear axle needs a independent rear suspension.

[@Alikhantanoli-yf6mo]

I have beautiful 74 and 88 model neat and clean car's

[@kirk8359]

Give me a 2 door 84 GLI with a manual transmission and I'd never have need to buy another car. The 83 and 84's were so solid compared to the USA built GTI.

[@unhandleme]

In the 70s it was kinda just habit to turn off the A/C when ya wanted to make a getaway. Then later, many cars had a throttle position switch that would cut off the compressor when ya got on it.

[@lesnuitssanskimwilde7986]

Very interesting and objective comparison. That said I so damn hate the poor visibility in modern cars.

[@landroverSV]

Best Jetta GLI 1992 GLI 2.0 16V with the Recaro seats 2004 Jetta GLI 24V VR6

[@FlowStateNewOrleans]

Two speakers: stereo. All anyone needs. :) I wonder if it can go over 85. I don't think my 4 cylinder 81 Mustang could even hit 85 by the time I got it in 1988.

[@zizhengluo4029]

Is the rear suspension still a torsion beam for the 2025 Jetta?

[@infernoking7504]

My 1998 vw jetta tdi body and certain parts were made in mexico pretty good quality I was expecting worse it still has issues but not as much as I thought.

[@92Markmcghee]

I'd love to buy this in the UK, shame we don't get it, must be scared for A3 sales...

[@glennkonze4920]

Massive change in seat fabric. Gone are the days of those vinyl that scorched the back legs in summer. V-TEX is so much better, durable and easy to care for. You really don't need leather. He needs to be thanking NSU. The whole three box and front drive cars come from them. Volkswagen was in big trouble as rear engine rear drive were on the way out.

[@monk3yboy69]

Mk 1, 2 , 3 4 and 5 were all really great cars. Jetta 6 was a shocker. Cheap interiors . So inferior to anything before it. This is in the UK. Not sure how it was in US. But it’s died a death this side of the pond.

[@jpfecteaumaine]

Great car. Cool Omega Moonswatch :)

[@camilogomezkeep2324]

This facelift is good. The front looks good. The semi facelift of like two years ago was not good. Too much Planck panels.

[@unhandleme]

Nothing says *classy* like a big triangle of body-color metal on the interior of the rear door. 14:06 I know it’s built to a price (and nicely equipped, at that), but that’s just tacky. The Mk I… now *that’s* classy!

[@Timico1000]

They could at least put a black wrap on it.

[@unhandleme]

@@Timico1000Yes, exactly. I’d like to see the entire interior window frame wrapped in black vinyl. Bothers me on a lot of cars, especially when the frame is so wide, as on this Jetta.

[@Timico1000]

@@unhandleme Same on the european VW Polo. I don't care if it is a budget car, but VWs are not that cheap and so the frames should be blacked out.

[@unhandleme]

@@Timico1000 I was always impressed that VWs had fully-trimmed frames. Now even the GTI is wide bare metal.

[@shazamdeal]

I had the 1982 and still prefer its style better

[@robertcoren7318]

You forgot the less successful vehicles from the end of the beetle era, like the Type 3. It was bigger but still air-cooled. Or the Thing. Both were total rust-buckets. Rabbits were fun to drive but they also often rusted out in 5 years.

[@igormac88]

Found funny how the ac compressor on the og Jetta is almost half the size of the engine itself 😂

[@Coastmac2001]

Engines range from 82Kw & 155Nm to 170Kw & 350Nm

[@GLI_1701]

Volkswagen totally missed an opportunity to make the Jetta GLI a closer competitor to its little brother that GTI

[@jamesfranklin2203]

Did you ever opened a door of a Lancia build in the ‘50s and ‘60s ?

[@bh2155]

The old Jetta looks a lot bettwe the lasr several recent generations of the Jetta it has a very elegant look. It has a Volvo 240 DL look to it

[@Dankcatvacs]

vibration goes away in neutral then its the torque converter

[@gordonn4915]

This is before counter rotating shafts. Secondary balance shake in 4 cylinders is bad.

[@1aikane]

I'm guessing the 1980s one is much more rugged and reliable

[@ffl2609]

1994 Honda Accord cost $21,500 (or ~$45K in today's money). A comparable 2024 Accord costs $32K. Objectively a better car in every way. This is not inflation. It is social media inflation. We are programmed to buy higher end stuff. Reason why higher trims sell before lower trims. Same reason why Apple's "economy verison" of iPhone sell a fraction even if it is good enough for 80-90% of the people.

[@baronvonjo1929]

Wages certainly are not keeping up with that. In going to guess people like higher trim levels because lower trim levels always look a lot lot worse. So much so it's hard to justify. It depends of course. And people on a actual budget buy used. People who want new want to look better and will buy the better product.

[@ffl2609]

@@baronvonjo1929 Averages can be misleading. But for what its worth, national average salary has nearly tripled in the last 30 years.

[@baronvonjo1929]

@@ffl2609 I personally don't really see that in the folks I personally know. You can honestly go all over the place with this type of conversation. Heck it can vary a lot by state and county level. Many folks moving up many stuck in the past. I still think overall buying power and the "health" of the economy is much worse off than years past. People are just obsessed with debt to afford all the basics and nonsense.

[@BillLaBrie]

That’s consumerism.

[@frankdeboer1347]

I'm fighting you on this. The Escort and K-cars of the day were easily competitive with this rabbit with a welded on trunk.

[@LWVH81]

That older VW cannot be both fully restored and all original at the same time. It’s either one or the other.

[@starxdeer]

the jetta has always been the premium commuter car, my mk5 blows the civic and camry of the eras interiors out of the water

[@license2kilttheplaidlad640]

The A1 is pn the wrong springs.

[@palebeachbum]

The new Jetta is handsome and I'm sure it drives wonderfully, but that old Jetta is a lot more appealing to me. If it weren't for advances in modern safety and the fact that roads are now dominated by much faster cars, I'd rather drive that old Jetta. I don't like the digital cluster and capacitive touch climate control buttons, nor do I like how they're engineering out all of the feelings and sounds that make driving a car an engaging and fun experience. I couldn't hear the engine at all in the new car during the test drive. I prefer hearing the engine humming along in the old one.

[@Big.W.]

Still no hybrid?

[@notthewombat]

Actually, the seats in that 2025 Jetta are vinyl...not leather.

[@kevinledgister5252]

On the SEL trim level, the seats have leather seating surfaces. The lower trims are vinyl.