Sitting atop the successful Volkswagen Jetta sedan line is the 2012 Jetta GLI. For your money, you get a sporty, German-engineered sedan fitted with a deluxe interior and packing sharp reflexes. Loaded with premium features––like a standard touch-screen audio system, high-performance turbocharged engine, and sporty rear suspension––the 2012 Jetta GLI offers an exclusive blend of space, performance and value.
There are three versions of the Jetta GLI (MSRP starting at $23,745): GLI, GLI Autobahn and GLI Autobahn with Navigation. Every GLI model is powered by a TSI
® 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that’s turbocharged to the tune of 200 hp and 207 lb/ft of torque. Maximum torque is available from a low 1,700 rpm, making the Jetta GLI quick and responsive. Expect up to 22 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment, and the fast-acting six-speed DSG
® automatic gearbox with Tiptronic
® and Sport Mode is available. DSG
®-equipped Jetta GLI models are fitted with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, giving drivers a level of control over the rev-matched downshifts and lightning-quick upshifts that was
previously unavailable. The XDS
® cross differential system is also part of the standard Jetta GLI bag of performance-enhancing tricks, and four-wheel disk brakes with red painted calipers deliver safe, sure stops time after time.
The 2012 Jetta GLI starts with 17-inch alloy wheels, comfortable, sport-bolstered seats, a six-speaker Touchscreen Premium VIII sound system with Media Device Interface (MDI), iPod cable and auxiliary input jack, Bluetooth and six-way adjustable front seats. The Jetta GLI Autobahn adds to the standard equipment with 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, Climatronic® two-zone climate control, heated front seats upholstered in handsome, durable V-Tex leatherette and a Fender® Premium Audio System featuring proprietary Panasonic® speaker technology. The Jetta GLI Autobahn with Navigation adds even more premium equipment including the RNS-315 Navigation System, keyless access and push button starting.
Where other Jetta models use a beam-type rear axle, the Jetta GLI indulges your performance-driving enthusiasm with a fully independent multi-link rear axle design. The sport tuning of the Jetta suspension enhances handling, and the 2012 Jetta GLI is significantly lighter than earlier models, making the car even more nimble.
High performance isn’t limited to the mechanicals. The Jetta GLI Autobahn and Autobahn with Navigation deliver a crisp auditory experience thanks to the unique Fender® audio system that is standard on those models. With its exclusive Panasonic speaker design, the Fender audio system is crisp and clear with reduced distortion and improved sound delivery.
More spacious than earlier Jetta models thanks to a 2.9-inch length increase, and featuring a best-in-class 15.5 cubic feet of cargo space, the Jetta GLI is an ideal place to hang out and listen to that fantastic audio system. Folding, 60/40-split rear seats offer more than three feet of legroom, also best-in-class numbers. There’s a performance theme that runs throughout the cleanly designed cabin with aluminum accents, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and red stitching on the sport bucket seats. Cloth or V-Tex leatherette upholstery is available, and the Jetta GLI is designed for easy operation with clear, intuitively located controls on a center console that inclines toward the driver.
All this sporty goodness comes wrapped in bodywork that’s sleek and classically handsome. The styling is somewhat more aggressive than other Jetta models, featuring a different front fascia and smoked lenses for the headlamps.
A 2012 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “Top Safety Pick,” the Jetta offers standard occupant protection features that include an Intelligent Crash Response System that shuts off power to the fuel pump and turns on hazard lights, Electronic Stability Control and Anti-lock Brakes with Hydraulic Brake Assist.
The 2012 Jetta GLI delivers high-octane thrills, excellent fuel economy and space for five and all their stuff. That’s called a complete package, and the 2012 Jetta GLI delivers it, quickly.
