Car Review: 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

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If you were going to show your friend the coolest thing about your 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, you’d probably head for the highway and call up the drive mode selector and demonstrate the difference in ride quality across the different drive modes, enabled by the adaptive suspension system.

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The so-called ‘Dynamic Chassic Control’ adaptive damping system allows all four corners of the GLI’s suspension to respond continuously (and in milliseconds) to a live stream of road-surface data that’s correlated with steering, braking, and accelerator inputs. The onboard computer crunches the numbers, then sends signals to the shocks to alter their damping in real time.

In comfort mode, the dampers loosen the grip between the GLI’s body and wheels, allowing it to bound and rebound more softly and gently over the road as bumps, heaves, and dips come and go. In sport mode, that grip between the dampers and the body is tightened, increasing stiffness, reducing roll and suspension travel, and keeping the GLI’s body more tightly sprung against its wheels. Here, handling performance is increased and the driver feels more of the road surface through the ride and the attitude of the GLI’s body over its wheels.

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Toggling through the drive modes also calls up changes to the steering feel, throttle response, and powertrain. Click for sport mode when some twisty backroads or winding on-ramps are in your immediate future, and click again for comfort to feel the GLI exhale, loosen, and relax beneath you for a more easygoing ride.

By swapping out conventional fixed dampers for units that are alive and intelligent, drivers can enjoy more of the GLI’s character and range for more of the time.

I most appreciated this standard technology during a four-hour highway drive very early one morning. Hitting the road under cover of darkness before 5 am, I’d head south from Sudbury, Ontario over a few hundred kilometres of divided two-lane. Many of the northernmost stretches of this route are particularly lumpy and rippled this time of year, thanks to the late-winter freeze-thaw cycle.

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This makes for a busy and often-noisy ride in more hardcore performance machines on fixed springs, but with the ability to release some tension in the GLI’s suspension at the touch of a button, a more comfortable drive is enabled.

To be clear, COMFORT mode doesn’t turn the GLI into a road-going mayonnaise-glob—and you’re still enjoying some spirited feedback from the ride. Still, the ability to deploy this in various stages is

easy to appreciate when kicking off a day at the wheel that begins with a few hours of darkness.

The DCC suspension tech works by controlling the size of an opening within an electronic valve in each damper, manipulating the resistance of the flowing fluid within in real time. It’s one of several key technologies that helps define this high-performing Jetta variant. Still, shoppers set on an AWD-equipped sport sedan do have at least two more compelling alternatives for their dollar. We’ll explore all of that below.

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What is a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and how much does it cost?

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For the starting ask of $35,532 in Canada, you can enjoy this top-performing version of the Volkswagen Jetta. The VW Jetta GLI is a compact sport sedan built with a targeted list of chassis, powertrain, and cosmetic upgrades to help set it apart from more laid-back Jetta variants. The term compact is used loosely, however; this machine is as big as compact cars get.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine generates 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the front wheels. Drivers can choose a six-speed manual (standard kit), or the optional 7-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) ($1,400), fitted to my tester as its sole option. Whether you choose two pedals or three, all GLI models are four-door, five-seat sedans. Stated fuel economy is identical between the two available transmission choices.

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2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI driving impressions

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If you’ve owned one or more recent Jetta models and are thinking of spicing up the driveway with a GLI, you’ll feel right at home in several important regards.

Specifically, I left my GLI test drive impressed with how well the machine’s tuning and hardware works with a key asset of conventional Jettas: a very well-mannered overall drive that punches above its weight.

Even in its sportiest settings, the GLI generally rides smoothly, isolates occupants nicely from the worst abuse hurled their way by the road beneath, remains quiet enough for easygoing conversations during speedy cruising, and delivers a steering feel that’s assertive and encouraging without being nervous or twitchy.

Sure, the deep growl of the jacked-up engine is more powerfully present across more of the rev range, the ride is more sporty and less sedate, and drivers will need to be more careful and patient with the throttle in more situations to avoid setting the front tires ablaze. I noted solid control over highway noise levels with minimal wind noise, virtually no suspension noise, and effective mitigation of most tire noise on most surfaces. My tester was rolling on a set of Continental VikingContact 7 winter tires, on which I’ve previously noted surprisingly low noise levels in other applications.

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The Jetta GLI’s composure stands up well to rough road surfaces, too.

Despite the badly beaten roads and backroads typical of my northern locale, the GLI’s ride exhibits little unwanted noise or harshness, further evidence of a well-calibrated driving experience. Just make sure you’re not using sport mode on surfaces this rough, as the ride quality can become overwhelmingly busy and jarring if you don’t soften the shocks first.

The same sunken manhole covers, potholes, and failed pavement repairs that can cause whacks and clanks from beneath many a sporty ride usually decline to draw much drama from the GLI’s. I found it felt refreshingly solid and durable as performance cars go, not flimsy and delicate. Even when tackling the sort of violent bumps that can cause you to lose the hearing in your left eye, I was rarely compelled to apologize out loud to the car. Those after a lively and entertaining drive that doesn’t crash and smash into most bumps in the road will appreciate the setup.

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This all helps create a foundation for a long-haul cruising partner. Add in the cruise-all-day-sized fuel tank, punchy Beats premium stereo, and high-performing lighting system with on-the-ball automatic high beams, and you’re well backed-up to complete even lengthy drives with ease and confidence, day or night.

Real-life emergency avoidance

During my watch, the GLI’s headlights helped avert at least two collisions with the local coyote population.

On two separate drives in the dark, generous peripheral illumination into the roadside revealed shiny coats and trotting legs running in GLI’s direction from far off to the side of the road. In this way, the wide spread of effective light transmission allowed me plenty of time to give the brake pedal a stab, allowing both forest doggos to pass unscathed.

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The brakes are strong and reliable, shutting the GLI down from speed in quick order with little more than quick flick of your right ankle. With front brakes derived from the previous-generation Golf R, I found no need to involve my leg or calf for a fast stop. The GLI’s brakes feel enthusiastic, precise, and easy to modulate. Even a slight change in pedal pressure is quickly and directly translated into a change in the car’s attitude, and drivers can easily mete out stopping power and weight transfer as required. You can really lean on these brakes, and they perform with the sort of response I expect in a pricier premium rocket-sedan.

As an added bonus, a self-drying function keeps the brake pads and rotors dry, ensuring consistent braking response even while driving on wet roads or standing water.

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That GLI feeling

Steering is heavy and direct in SPORT mode, but the on-centre response is a touch slower and more subdued than I was expecting. It’s steer-with-your-wrists quick, not steer-with-your-fingertips quick — perhaps a touch less playful than some drivers will like. After some time at the wheel, I found the calibration here to be a good match for the GLI’s overall character: it’s more luxury-sport than all-out track car.

I found my tester’s DSG transmission to be the best and worst thing about it, but that all depends on where and how you’re driving. On one hand, its responses can feel vague, inconsistent and lurchy in slow-moving or stop-and-go traffic. Getting the GLI smoothly and gently off the line can require more driver bandwidth than the conventional Jetta driver might be used to, specifically by way of gentle and progressive throttle application that’s required to signal the DSG to make an easy, gentle launch. On heavily sanded pavement, getting my tester off the line without some tire-peeling and sand flinging seemed to require a very delicate touch. The same initial throttle input that’ll get a conventional Jetta out of a traffic light without any fuss can cause an abrupt forward leap in the GLI. Note that use of the comfort or eco drive mode eases this effect.

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Though I can’t manually shift gears as quickly as the DSG, I figure I’d be consistently smoother in traffic with the manual gearbox. I’d probably save the $1,400 and go with the three-pedal setup for my own GLI.

Note that the DSG has both drive and sport settings as well, engaged via the shifter. These are in addition to the settings engaged by the drive mode selector. On your test drive, be sure to work through the various modes for both the car and the transmission and explore the one you like the most. You’ve got to get the GLI dialled in properly before you’ll see it’s best work — otherwise you may notice sub-par throttle response, a transmission that hesitates to downshift, or throttle response that’s either too numb or too aggressive.

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On the plus side, the DSG can also be a total blast to use, and was the source of some of the biggest grins on my test drive.

The DSG picks up on your vibe, reserving its most impressive gearshifts for full-throttle pulls where cogs swap in milliseconds, interrupting the engine’s meaty growl with a brief, clean pause between each gear that audibly separates one from the next. These gulps of silence during upshifts nicely showcase the effect of the DSG transmission on the engine’s soundtrack.

More grins come from the ability to shift in both directions at giggle-inducing speeds with no axle drag. Even clicking for a 2-1 downshift that sends the tachometer for redline is smooth and fast. Though it can feel clumsy in traffic, this gearbox demonstrates its best work when you’re driving hard, and when the engine is spinning fast.

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The hard-working turbocharger gets breathing from very low revs, and full-throttle application results in minimal compressor lag. Rather than waiting a split-moment for anything to happen, punching the pedal to the firewall sees the GLI charge forward all but immediately, before the torque curve fills and power swells en route to the redline. There’s a pleasing, rising-action sensation to the power delivery here, despite various engineering efforts to down-speed the engine with taller gear ratios that capitalize on the low-end torque.

Ultimately, expect a solid low-rev shove into your seat that stays on strong until redline, building in the process.

Front-drive optimized

Two technologies help the GLI manage the application of big torque to the front tires to the benefit of handling and response.

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The first of these is the XDS, basically a brake-controlled electronic differential-lock function that can apply targeted single-wheel braking to help keep wheel spin in check. When required, braking can be applied to a single spinning wheel, forcing power across the axle to the non-spinning wheel which has more grip. This generates an effect like that of a limited-slip differential.

The problem with using the vehicle’s brakes to fight wheel spin is that using the brakes slows the vehicle down. In aggressive driving, this can leave the driver in an argument with their machine, specifically when the throttle is stuffed to the firewall and the brakes are being applied to minimize slip. In a performance car, you want acceleration, not braking, while applying the throttle aggressively, even in a corner. Optimizing traction with braking is effective, but suboptimal — a characteristic challenge with powerful front-drive cars.

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Many of these employ a limited-slip differential as a solution. Enter the second of the GLI’s traction-enhancing technologies: a limited-slip differential with a brain and nervous system called the Vorderachsquersperre, a German word that translates to ‘front differential lock’, commonly abbreviated as VAQ. In a conventional limited-slip differential, a slipping wheel triggers the mechanical bits within the differential to take action, using one of several means to mechanically bind the front wheels together and balance drive power across the axle.

The limitation here is that conventional limited-slip differentials can only react once wheel spin occurs. Also, conventional limited-slip differentials can’t think.

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The VAQ is a clutch-type limited-slip differential with complete electronic control overseen by the GLI’s computer brain. When required, that computer signals the differential to apply hydraulic pressure to its clutches, squeezing or releasing them in fractions of a second to apply more (or less) locking force between the front wheels. These signals (and their timing) are generated continuously as the computer considers throttle position, steering angle, vehicle speed, engine load, and steering inputs in real time.

Not only can the VAQ engage locking action when wheel spin is anticipated (but before it actually occurs), but it can also make precise and continuous adjustments to help maintain an optimum torque balance between the left and right wheels, applying up to a full 100 per cent of available torque to either side — as opposed to a pre-determined ‘best guess’ percentage used by traditional limited-slip differentials. By the way, similar components and principles are used to control the rear axle in AWD-equipped Volkswagens, too.

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Where the XDS relies on single-wheel braking to mitigate wheel spin, the VAQ works mechanically and intelligently to optimize front-wheel traction without using the brakes and slowing the car down. With both the VAQ and XDS systems working in tandem, the GLI becomes is a torque-vectoring monster with the ability to overdrive an outside wheel while braking an inside wheel to help turn the car. The result is more precise and faithful transmission of the driver’s inputs to the road, with significantly reduced need to apply braking to manage traction.

The result, from the driver’s seat, is more traction, more of the time — and especially during aggressive driving or on snow and ice. On snow-covered roads, the VAQ’s ability to vector torque and pre-engage differential lock means that the braking-powered XDS has to be active less often. Put another way, this allows the GLI to spend more time putting power down, rather than firing away at its front brakes and cutting power to maintain wheel spin within a certain limit.

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On anything less grippy than warm, bare pavement, a full-throttle blast in first gear can see significant wheel spin, often reined in slightly with easygoing reactions from the differential and traction control systems. Unless you’re trying to vaporize your front tires, there’s rarely a need to turn the traction control off — it works with (not against) you, and feels that way from the driver’s seat.

Once up into second gear, the traction-enhancing tech really gets into its groove. Now, the traction control light rarely illuminates as the GLI charges ahead, pushing torsos into seatbacks and eagerly speeding away. Other than an occasional tug to one side or the other as the systems sort out the traction situation, acceleration is basically laser-straight. In the cold, wet conditions of my late-winter test drive, plenty of patience with the throttle was still required on corner exit, though in these sub-par conditions, spirited driving in the GLI remained tidy and rewarding. Did I still miss all-wheel drive in these situations? Absolutely.

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Inside the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

On board, the GLI greets its occupants with a world of daring shapes, generous accenting, and a stylish blend of layered stitching and trim to keep the scenery engaging. All interfaces and displays use consistent graphics and are nicely integrated within their surroundings, generating a cohesive look.

Most of the cabin is convincingly upscale and modern, though I wished for less crispy, budget plastic on the lower parts of the forward dash and doors.

Nearby is a handy charging cubby with wireless recharging pad and nearby USB-C ports, as well as a vivid and responsive digital instrument cluster with customizable views. Centre-stage in the dash is a touchscreen infotainment interface, complete with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The head unit uses proximity sensors to display additional on-screen buttons and functions when your hand approaches the screen, and graphics are clean, crisp, and high-resolution. The powerful system may take new users a few minutes to find their way around in, but you’ll be working it like a pro in time.

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At 5’10 and 200 pounds, I noted no issues with space or headroom from my perch, as well as generous rear-seat legroom for someone of my size. Headroom is more than ample in the back too. Though not stretch-out roomy, the rear seat of the GLI will happily accommodate a pair of grown-ups or three kiddos. The trunk is generous, lifts high out of the way, and features a wide and deep opening.

Though a comparably priced crossover has more cargo space and flexibility, your GLI is only a roof rack away from extra cargo space if you need it.

What are the VW Jetta GLI’s competitors?

With a knack for civilized performance thrills that are enjoyable to access on the daily, two cross-shopping exercises came to mind during my test drive of the 2023 Volkswagen GLI. Both are AWD-equipped.

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If you like what you see from the GLI, I’d suggest checking out Mazda3 GT Turbo and the Subaru WRX. You can click through the links to see how these models stack up to the GLI’s relatives.

The Mazda3 GT Turbo’s more subdued styling is free of flashy add-ons, making it the quietest-looking sedan of this trio and a real ‘sleeper’. It also packs a punch, with 250 horsepower and up to 320 lb-ft of torque when feeding its 2.5-litre turbo engine with premium fuel, a major advantage over the VW.

The Mazda has no manual transmission available with its up-level engine, and its six-speed automatic is far less entertaining than the GLI’s DSG. Ditto the engine sound.

The overall drive of the Volkswagen is more engaging, with more pleasing sounds and reflexes. Still, if you’re after an AWD-equipped, fly-under-the-radar sports sedan with some serious punch under the hood, the GT Turbo shouldn’t be overlooked.

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The Subaru WRX boasts a few advantages over the GLI as well. The starting price is lower, AWD is standard, and there’s a horsepower advantage thanks to 271 standard ponies from a flat-four turbo, versus the GLI’s 228. The WRX is the only option on the page that comes with six manually-shifted gears and four driven wheels. Its available CVT transmission has a manual-simulation mode that can swap its gear ratios up and down at lightning speed, if you like.

How efficient is the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI?

The 2023 Volkswagen GLI is rated to consume 7.9 litres of gasoline for every 100 kilometres it drives in combined driving. Premium fuel is required for maximum performance, though you can feed your GLI regular unleaded with no negative consequences.

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For context, that’s the same fuel consumption as a Hyundai Sonata 1.6T, Mazda3 AWD (non-turbo), Kia Soul 2.0L, Hyundai Kona AWD 2.0L, or the Buick Encore GX with 1.3L engine. Remember that in the GLI, your choice of transmission has no effect on fuel consumption.

Assuming you drive your GLI for 25,000 kilometres per year and pay $1.50 for a litre of gas, allow for an annual fuel bill of about $2,960.

The less powerful Honda Civic Si drinks 7.7 L/100 km, or about $80 less per year than the GLI, given the math above. The thirstier Mazda3 GT Turbo with AWD drinks 8.8 L/100 km, for an annual fuel bill of $3,300 — about $340 more than the front-drive GLI. The Subaru WRX uses 10.8 L/100 km with the six-speed stick, making it $4,050 per year on fuel — about $1,090 more than the GLI. With its available CVT, the WRX is thirstier, using 11.2 L/100 km combined and adding a further $150 to the annual fuel bill.