Overview & Reviews

Fully redesigned last model year, the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta features only minor changes. The SEL and TDI trim levels now offer a Fender audio system, while last year's Sport package for the SEL has been discontinued.

• Fuel-efficient diesel model.
• Well-equipped
• Spacious interior and trunk
• Smart electronics interface

• Lackluster interior materials
• Sluggish throttle with automatic
• Numb steering
• Wheezy base engine.

User Reviews:

Showing 51 through 60 of 69.00

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  This car is a LEMON. Stay away!! - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By dirtmcgirt718 - February 15 - 10:45 am

  I got it used with 7k miles on it. After I ran the odometer up to 65k miles, I ran into the same intercooler problem other people have. The intercooler traps moisture in cold weather, and after the temperature rises, it sucks water into the engine, and the lights on the dashboard go haywire. The electronics are also horrible. Ive burned out countless lightbulbs, and apparently, after less than 3 years, and 65k total miles, my wiring harness has a short and needs replacement. VW refuses to believe theres anything wrong with the car, but clearly, Ive read about similar problems before.

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  Excellent Car - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By robertj9 - January 14 - 4:27 am

  I had been looking for a car since December 2011. I did a lot comparison between Honda, Nissan, Subaru and Hyundai. But overall the Jetta won, it is the best quality vs. price car that I found. I was looking a good price for a sedan with leather interiors, sunroof, responsive engine, and space. The reviews about the quality of the interior it may be for the one that does not have the vinyl interior. Because I really like the interior of this car and the space is more than enough. The trunk is huge. The engine is responsive. The MPG is not impressive though.

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  Catch a Star... - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By MTHOM - January 7 - 8:27 pm

  Diesels produce great torque, seemingly indifferent to payload, notably maintaining cruising speeds on Californias I-5 Grapevine mountain section to within a micron of set point. Consistently maintains high 40s mpg in urban settings, lower 50s at posted legal speeds, including Utah 80mph section of I-80. Smooth riding with the typical firm VW suspension. A very roomy and comfortable cabin, front and back.

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  6 months on and still have build quality issues - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bobgoblin - September 3 - 4:27 am

  If youre not driving on a newly paved road the ride is appalling thanks to the old-timey torsion beam rear axel. Mine was even worse thanks to VW not installing the rear shocks properly. VW claimed thats just how the car road and refused to even look at it. I had to take it to my body shop guy who found the problem. The windsheild cracked at 500 miles when I hit a pothole & I had to get my lawyer involved to fix that since VW initially refused. Constant stalling problem which took VW a month to track down: stuck fuel pressure release valve. Is a 6-speed transmission that came with a 5-speed gearshift: it took a month to convince someone at VW why that was incorrect. etc.

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  First-time Volkswagen owner - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Liz - August 20 - 7:16 pm

  I bought this car certified pre-owned as a leased car someone had turned in. So far, Im very satisfied with it. One issue would be with the engine -- my previous car was a Toyota Corolla and its 2.0L engine seemed to have much more zip than this Jetta, especially going up hills. This Jetta is a manual shift and it is very smooth going from one gear to another and now that I have a new set of tires on it, my gas mileage is much better, in the 33-36 mpg range, rather than 29-31 mpg with my old tires. The interior is appointed nicely -- the controls are easy to read and accessible while driving. There are lots of options for seat adjustment, in both the nearness to the steering wheel but also seat height. Since Im an audiophile, the sound system is important to me and it doesnt disappoint. Those controls are also easy to navigate and program. Another thing Id suggest is for Volkswagen to include a couple USB ports on the lower trim models. Right now, I have an external port plugged into my cigarette lighter (not a problem since Im a non-smoker), but even it seems to integrate well with the sound system. This car is a daily driver for me, but occasionally, I have passengers and they have all commented on the roominess not only in the passenger seat, but in the rear seats. The last suggestion Id have is that there should be a daytime/nighttime function on the drivers side and passenger side mirrors to alleviate glare on all the trim models. Otherwise, as I said, Im relatively happy with this car and I intend to keep it as long as possible.

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  Go test drive one yourself! - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By carloco1 - July 28 - 5:31 pm

  Yes, the 2.0 is under power, I wouldnt buy this car with the automatic. But with the manual transmission works fine. You can get this car to 70 or 80 mph with no problem. Actually, its pretty quiet at 75 mph. In order to pass other vehicles in the highway I have to put the car in 4th or 3rd gear. The Jetta is very roomy, I am six feet tall I can put the seat all the way back and my teenage sons fit in the back seats with out touching the back of my seat. I like this car better than my old 2001 BMW 325I. I am very with this car purchase, I just hope this car turns out to be reliable. I found out all the new Jetta come equipped with four wheel disk brake even thu the reviews say otherwise!

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  From Best to Worst - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bobgoblin - February 19 - 6:01 pm

  I traded my 2001 Passat in for a 2012 Jetta TDI "Premium" in January. While the Passat was honestly the best car I have owned, the Jetta is the worst. The Jetta stalls all the time. It was shipped with a 5-speed gearshift knob, even though it is a 6-speed transmission. The car was supposed to have lumbar support but doesnt . VW said they will correct it since it is not specifically listed on the window sticker. The windshield cracked when i hit a pothole at 2,000 miles and VW is refusing to fix that. I can go on, but wont. After driving VW for 11 years, this Jetta will my last VW purchase.

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  A little German car feeling - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Manuel L. - February 6 - 2:20 am

  I purchased this 2012 as a CPO with 30k miles on it and have 57k now after one year of primarily interstate driving. So far I have only had oil changes every 10k miles and a broken drive belt replaced under warranty. The car required a set of new tires at 52k and brakes are still like new. The interior has a cheap feeling for a German car but thats OK for the price of a Korean car. Leatherette is very durable and comfortable. I chose the 2.5 engine with 6 speed auto transmission because this combination appears to be very reliable. I dont see why people buy the TDI with diesel being more expensive than gas in the United States. In Europe it is the other way around. I wish I had a Jetta with a hatch but actually the sedan is very roomy inside out. Can highly recommend this car so far and plan to drive it up to 100k or until problems appear. MPG is not as good as all the 4 cylinders around but it does feel more like a 6 cylinder.

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  Fun and Fuel Efficient - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tdilover3 - December 26 - 12:55 am

  I have 13,000 miles on my 2012 Jetta. This is my third Jetta and my second TDI. I love this car. It is amazing for the money. I drive 55 miles everyday in mixed driving in this car, and I have fun the entire time. It only costs me $90 a month in fuel to drive this amazing car. It has power for days, the torque is amazing. It handles great and has plenty of space. I have two kids in car seats, no space issues. I love this car and I plan to keep it forever.

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  Jetta Diesel is all for Fun - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tdi_all_fun - September 29 - 2:25 am

  After driving Toyota Camry for 8 years i decided to move on and try something that is fun to drive and at the same time has great mpg. I decided to buy Jetta TDI, i start loving it the moment i test drove it and bought it right away. I bought this in June 2011 and wanted to wait for a while before writing this review so far i have put over 15000 miles and getting 37-38 in 50% city and 50% highway. I drove it on long drive couple of time and noted 46 mpg which is awesome for car with a soul. So far i am happier with my decision to move to diesel. I dont think i am ever moving back to gas ever again.