There’s a lot of deceptive camouflage, but the new Jetta has to get bigger to fill the gap left by the Passat.
- Next-generation Volkswagen Jetta spied for the first time
- Proportions will grow to help plug gap left by Passat
- Debut expected late 2024 or early 2025
Spy photographers camping near the Arctic Circle have captured our first look at the next-generation Volkswagen Jetta, and it appears to be getting a much more upmarket look. Not only will the new Jetta look more premium, but it will also be getting bigger, and both of these upgrades are coming because the latest Passat is now a wagon-only proposition.
The Passat sedan’s demise is good news for us because we don’t get it anyway, and the Jetta will become a better, more luxurious car as a result of filling two roles in Europe, but at what cost? With a bigger, better car usually comes a higher price…
Subtle And Smart Camouflage Hides True Design
One of the big changes is the movement of the wing mirrors from the base of the A-pillars to the doors, which now have a chrome strip extending into the front fenders. That’s reminiscent of the Arteon, yet another dying sedan. Perhaps Volkswagen is trying to make the Jetta fill three roles, but a more likely explanation is that this, like the “chrome” around the C-pillar, is fake. Even the headlights and taillights are hiding their true designs. Fake grilles in the front fascia and a black strip over the middle of the full-width DRL aim to confuse us further, but we doubt the final design will be too surprising.
Reveal Expected Later This Year
A variety of gasoline and diesel engines (for Europe) are expected to be offered with the new Jetta. The latest Audi A3 also has a range of combustion offerings, but it gets a 1.5-liter engine that is unlikely to make it to the US as we expect the 2.0-liter turbo-four to carry over. Something similar could happen with the Jetta, or Volkswagen could decide to abandon sedans in America altogether. In China, the Jetta nameplate is strong enough to be its own brand, but in the US, sales numbers have almost halved since 2020. Then again, sedans have seen a resurgence with certain brands of late, and VW would be wise to avoid killing off all its three-box options in America if it still wants to maintain universal appeal.
We expect a reveal late this year or early in 2025.