Volkswagen Jetta II 1.8 16V (129 Hp)

Overall Rating

7.9 / 10

Safety N/A / 5

Not Rated

Engine 4.0 / 5

Value 4.0 / 5

Performance 3.5 / 5

Comfort 3.8 / 5

People\'s Opinion 3.4 / 5

Volkswagen Jetta:

The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche slightly above the firm's Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations, variously as the Atlantic, Vento, Bora, City Jetta, Jetta City, GLI, Jetta, Clasico, and Sagitar.
The Jetta has been offered in two- and four-door saloon / sedan and sometimes as five-door wagon / estate versions. Since the original version in 1980, the car has grown in size and power with each generation. By mid-2011, almost 10 million Jettas have been produced and sold all over the world. As of April 2014, Volkswagen marketed over 14 million, becoming its top selling model....(Read more on Wikipedia)

II Overview:

Volkswagen Jetta (II). With 168 Nm of torque, it offers ample pulling power. It has moderate fuel consumption (~11.3 l/100km). Weighing only 1035 kg, it’s quite light. Front‑wheel drive delivers efficiency and easy handling. Acceleration is relatively slow (0–100 km/h in 9.3 s). The top speed reaches 196 km/h. A four-door car with a separate trunk, ideal for families and daily commuting. Seating for 5 makes it ideal for daily use.

Safety Rating

Not rated

Euro NCAP Year N/A

Adult Occupant N/A

Stars N/A

Expert Note:
The Volkswagen Jetta II was produced before the establishment of Euro NCAP in 1997, and therefore, no official crash test ratings are available. Safety standards of the era were significantly different from modern vehicles.

1.8 16V (129 Hp) Verdict:

Performance Verdict

A high-performance variant, offering strong acceleration and a sporty feel, only slightly less potent than the 139hp version.

Fuel Economy

Fuel consumption is higher due to its performance nature, but still reasonable for a hot sedan of its era.

Best Use Case: Enthusiast driving, spirited highway journeys, and weekend fun.

Community Verdict

This rating is based on comments found on Reddit, scanned using artificial intelligence, and may not accurately reflect reality.

Allowed: 55% Neutral: 9% Issues: 36%

3.4 / 5

Based on AI analysis of 11 discussions

Read What Owners Say

😐 NEUTRAL

I suspect its american thing. They drive a car until it stops and then service and complain. When germans tell you there is a maintenance schedule, there is a schedule on the dot. Keep to it and all is good.

👍 POSITIVE

I have owned multiple VWs including 3 Jettas in the last 25 years All were incredibly reliable. I currently drive a Tiguan and have nothing but positive things to say about it. I love it

👍 POSITIVE

Poor maintenance. That is people describe toyotas as bullet proof. They survive poor maintenance better and have less maintenance issues. But go drive a corolla and them drive a jetta and tell me which brings you joy and which drives like a gokart. Vw all day just maintain it

👍 POSITIVE

My 2003 Jetta TDI ran like a top but anything electrical in it was fucked, especially the door sensors. My 2019 Golf Alltrack with 90,000 miles on the clock sounds and feels like the day I bought it. I love it.

👎 NEGATIVE

I’d like to get out of mine. But I owe more than it’s worth. 2019 Passat Wolfsburg. But I’ve had to replace the engine - leaking oil more than VW could pinpoint. They replaced it under warranty. I’ve also replaced the transmission because it just failed and wouldn’t shift anymore. They found metal in trans fluid and replaced it under warranty. Now I’m gun shy. I have no more warranty left (o

👎 NEGATIVE

I’ve had a higher mileage Passat wagon for 2.5 years now, I’ve put 60,000km on it, currently sits at 260,000km. 2.0T 6MT wagon. I’ve had to put money into the car (which I expected) but other than a new CV that went bad within a week it hasn’t left me stranded, ever. They need more maintenance to run properly than their Japanese or domestic counterparts, however I often say a VW will run broken

👍 POSITIVE

I live in Canada and in my city, the A7 generation of the Jetta is very popular with taxi companies and ride share drivers. They have to be reliable to put in the hours of service that is required for that line of work and all the extremes of the seasons (from bitter cold and windchill of winter to the extreme heat and humidity of summer).

👍 POSITIVE

I tell you I don't trust that jd power reliability crap. You see top 3 Americans brands on top and are all junk.... Dodge, Ford, Chrysler, gmc, Cadillac. Like wtf... I can count on 1 hand this winter I seen a vw Jetta on side of the road or stranded, lil lone causing an accident. People jus don't take care of vehicles is what it is. Jetta been more reliable and next to no rust living in Midwest s

👎 NEGATIVE

Mk5 Jetta owner (2009, 2.5) for 4 years. Got the car at 120K miles, have put 65K miles on it. Besides electrical gremlins (which seem to be a common thing), and the pain of changing out the steering/suspension system myself (all of which would have been covered under "Preventative Maintenance," but the previous owner apparently didn't believe in such a thing), I've had no issues. No major drivetr

👎 NEGATIVE

ID.4, by far. That said, EVs are a cheat code for reliability. Go from like 2,000 moving parts in the drivetrain down to 20. My MK4 Beetle turbo and Jetta were plagued with electrical gremlins. MK5 GTI had injectors fail at low mileage and had the FSI cam follower issues. They were fun cars though.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Excellent build quality and durability for its era
• Spacious trunk and practical interior for a compact sedan
• Wide range of engines, from economical diesels to sporty 16V petrols
• Comfortable ride quality for daily driving
• Strong aftermarket support and parts availability

Cons:

• Outdated safety features compared to modern vehicles
• Some lower-spec engines are underpowered and sluggish
• Basic interior design on entry-level trims
• Potential for rust on older, unmaintained examples
• Automatic transmissions significantly hinder performance and economy

Specifications:

Specifications are compared to those of the previous generation(I: 1982 - 1983).

General:
Brand:	Volkswagen
Model:	Jetta
Generation:	II
Modification (Engine):	1.8 16V (129 Hp)
Start of production:	1983
End of production:	1987
Powertrain Architecture:	Internal Combustion engine
Body type:	Sedan
Seats:	5
Doors:	4

Engine:
Power:	129 Hp @ 5800 rpm. Same horsepower
Power per litre:	72.4 Hp/l [worst than previous generation]
Torque:	168 Nm @ 4250 rpm.
Engine Model/Code:	PL More details about the engine PL
Engine displacement:	1781
Number of cylinders:	4
Engine configuration:	Inline
Number of valves per cylinder:	4
Fuel injection system:	Multi-port manifold injection
Engine aspiration:	Naturally aspirated engine
Valvetrain:	DOHC
Engine oil capacity:	4 l
Coolant:	6.5 l
Engine layout:	Front, Transverse
Cylinder Bore:	81 mm mm
Piston Stroke:	86.4 mm mm
Compression ratio:	10:1

Performance:
Fuel Type:	Petrol (Gasoline)
Fuel consumption (economy) - urban:	11.3 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (economy) - extra urban:	7.1 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (economy) - combined:	9.1 l/100 km
Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h:	9.3 sec
Acceleration 0 - 62 mph:	9.3 sec
Maximum speed:	196 km/h
Weight-to-power ratio:	8 kg/Hp, 124.6 Hp/tonne
Weight-to-torque ratio:	6.2 kg/Nm, 162.3 Nm/tonne
Acceleration 0 - 60 mph:	8.8 sec

Space:
Kerb Weight:	1035
Max. weight:	1495
Max load:	460
Trunk (boot) space - minimum:	575 l
Fuel tank capacity:	55 l

Size:
Length:	4385 mm mm
Width:	1675 mm mm
Height:	1415 mm mm
Wheelbase:	2475 mm mm
Front track:	1425 mm
Rear (Back) track:	1420 mm

Powertrain:
Drivetrain Architecture	The Internal combustion engine (ICE) drives the front wheels of the vehicle.
Drive wheel	Front wheel drive
Number of gears	5
Transmission type	Manual
Front brakes	Ventilated discs [Best for performance and cooling.]
Rear brakes	Disc
Assisting systems	ABS (Anti-lock braking system)
Steering type	Steering rack and pinion
Power steering	Hydraulic Steering
Tires size	185/70 R14
Wheel rims size	14
Front suspension	Spring-loaded rack
Rear suspension	Spring-loaded rack