Technical Details
Volkswagen has finally abandoned manual transmissions in the US market: from the 2027 model year, the Jetta GLI sedan will only be available in the US with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This information was confirmed by company representatives. Thus, the Jetta GLI will become the last Volkswagen model in the US to lose its manual transmission version. It was the ability to manually shift gears that made this sedan valuable to brand fans and car enthusiasts for many years.
Background
Volkswagen noted that they tried to keep the manual transmission as long as possible, despite its low popularity. However, demand for such versions continues to decline worldwide, and producing a separate modification for a small audience of buyers becomes economically impractical.
Industry Impact
Technically, the Jetta GLI will remain the same. The car will still be equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 228 horsepower and 349 Nm of torque. At the same time, Volkswagen will update the regular Jetta versions. The Jetta S and Sport trim levels will receive a new audio system with six speakers, a Composition Media multimedia complex with support for satellite radio and voice control, keyless access, a start button, and an improved system for reminding rear passengers to fasten their seatbelts.