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 1 through 10 of 69.00

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  Good car for young drivers - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Niels Pace - December 17 - 11:39 pm

  Bought this car used for my children to use. Have had minor reliability issues but easily fixed. The most disappointing is the interior - I was brought up in the era of the Golf Gti and owned several of them, have always loved VWs and their solidity and good finish, inside and out. Unfortunately with this generation of Jetta they screwed up during the manufacture and cut the headlining material too short, so it is overtensioned on the foam moulding and comes away. The car is only 5 years old and roof lining is falling off! Obviously VW are completely uninterested in standing by their product and fixing this.

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  This car saved my life - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By skappler1 - November 26 - 4:51 pm

  I loved my Volkswagen Jetta, bought a new 2012 SE with Convenience and Sunroof. It was a dark, rainy, and foggy night and i was traveling at around 40mph when i failed to see a stop sign and went right through an intersection. My Jetta was hit on the left side causing both driver and passenger side airbags to deploy. The vehicle then struck a tree and spun around once again before coming to a halt in someones front lawn. The car had immediatley shut itself off, activated the hazards and unlocked all the doors. My friend and i both walked away from the incident. The police all had agreed that had i not been in a car as safe as the Jetta, my friend and i could have both been easily killed

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  great car so far - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Eric Koppelson - November 3 - 12:19 pm

  Bought a certified pre-owned 2.5L SE Convenience w/18K miles on it and am very happy with it so far. For the price, I feel this car is a great balance of a sporty but safe family sedan, with a large trunk and roomy backseat, good handling and power (with the 2.5L engine), and decent fuel economy. Its well-styled and comfortable (im 61 and my wife is tall). A few very minor complaints (see below). Was concerned about the lack of independent suspension, but my wife and baby are totally fine even in rough city roads in winter.

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  So far, so good. - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By s4guy2000 - February 16 - 10:09 pm

  I just acquired a 2012 Jetta TDI Premium. We have a 2013 Jetta Sportwagen with all of the options and have put about 9000 trouble free miles on it, so I bought the 2012 sedan as a certified used VW. It has around 50k miles on it and I drive 74 miles round trip everyday. So far the car has been really nice, the tires are terrible and I will be changing these out in a month or two, but I am still getting around 53.8 mpg when I just kind of cruise. I averaged 44.8 mpg on the first tank with faster driving. I like the DSG it feels a little clunky if you are used to traditional manuals, especially when it downshifts when you are slowing down, but it is pretty smooth while upshifting.

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  This car delivers - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By delfin1 - September 18 - 5:31 pm

  I have just over 2,000 miles on a new base model Jetta TDI with a manual, so I cant comment on long term reliability. What I can comment on is the performance of the package, and it exceeds expectations. Were averaging around 43 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Since this is more than promised, it is hard not to be impressed. The seating is comfortable, and while the interior finish materials are not as high quality as some other vehicles, they are certainly good enough for a car that costs less than $23,000.

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  A great all around car - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Howie Atkinson - September 6 - 10:06 pm

  Great car Love the 5 cylinder 2.5 sad to see it gone un the newer models. A great car for my petite Daughter!

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  Its a good car, but I dont plan on keeping it. - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By ne10 - August 19 - 10:46 pm

  My feelings about the Jetta TDI/Premium are mixed. I love the styling, the fuel economy is unbeatable for an ICE, and the low end torque makes it zippy and fun. But VW had to go and kill a lot of the love by leaving the DSG unrefined, not polishing out creaks and rattles, and cheaping out in areas like the MFD and the touch screen software. The car feels like it was well designed in Germany, then dressed down by a bureaucrat on computer and exported to America. That being said, the styling, fuel economy, and options are still far better than the Civic and the Elantra. Is it worth the extra $3000 on the sticker? Maybe. Id say its more of a solid buy as a used or preowned car.

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  TDI Purchased for Gas Mileage - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By jclaeys - June 6 - 6:31 am

  We sold our TDI Jetta with just 2K on it. We could longer deal with the poor execution of the diesel to Jetta experience. Having driven gas powered Mercedes, it was difficult to get used to the difference in the "lack of Luxury". First, it is a stretch to say this car is "clean". You will notice the stench of diesel not only at fillup but when you park it in your garage for the first couple weeks. And dont be surprised if you can smell it in your home also. The vibration at idle and rough start from stop will take getting used to, we didnt. Buy this if all you are looking for is excellent gas mileage, its there..avg. 33-46 mpg! Otherwise, choose wisely. Itll cost you in trade in.

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  If it was put together in Germany... - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By petarvn1 - March 11 - 1:34 am

  Ive got a 2012 jetta with just over 6K miles on it. For the 16 months i have owned it, i have come to conclude that its fast enogh to get you in to trouble, but controlable enogh to get you out of it. Being a new driver, getting a good, safe, reliable car was my parrents priority, so the got me a jetta, natrually. Only problem with it is that its build quality isnt tip-top. My friend has a VW golf (assembled in Wolfsberg, not mexico) and its much better put together. All together, its a good package. Id recomend the 5 speed manual with the 2.5 liter engine. For the $21,000 you pay you get a lot for your money, plus its a very sexy machine!

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  An excellent car, but do your homework - 2012 Volkswagen Jetta
  By calex905 - February 1 - 11:30 am

  This was the most reasonably priced car in this kind of fuel mileage range that did not feel like a toy. True the interior is not flashy, and I am a bit heavy for the standard seat bolsters, and it is not an independent rear suspension, but this little car is a kick to drive. I have 12,000 miles on and I have no complaints. I just got my first 50MPG trip this last weekend. In mixed driving I get 38 on the low side and can always depend on 44 to 45 MPG highway driving with cruise control on 65 or 70 from Fresno to Los Angeles and back. The DSG transmission does take a while to get used to but its a great car. Lots of torque and a huge backseat.