Compare the2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLIVS 2023 Audi A4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Jetta GLI has a standard backup collision prevention system that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The A4 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Jetta GLI has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the A4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Jetta GLI has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the A4.

Both the Jetta GLI and the A4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Jetta GLI is safer than the Audi A4:

	Jetta GLI	A4
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	46/106 lbs.	431/395 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	1 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	308/63 lbs.	324/341 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Jetta GLI is safer than the Audi A4:

	Jetta GLI	A4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	172
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	188 lbs.	219 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	56 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	554 lbs.	777 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	333
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	627 lbs.	666 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Jetta GLI for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A4.

There are over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Jetta GLI’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 15 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

Engine

The Jetta GLI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 27 more horsepower (228 vs. 201) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 236) than the A4 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Jetta GLI gets better mileage than the A4:

			MPG
Jetta GLI
FWD	Manual	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/37 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/36 hwy
A4
AWD	Auto	40 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/33 hwy
		45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Jetta GLI higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi A4 (5). This means the Jetta GLI produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A4 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Jetta GLI’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A4:

	Jetta GLI	A4 40 TFSI	A4 45 TFSI
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.4 inches	13.3 inches

Tires and Wheels

The Jetta GLI’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A4’s standard 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Jetta GLI has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the A4.

Suspension and Handling

The Jetta GLI has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The A4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Jetta GLI handles at .95 G’s, while the A4 Prestige pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Jetta GLI’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the A4’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Passenger Space

The Jetta GLI has .6 inches more front headroom and 1.7 inches more rear legroom than the A4.

Cargo Capacity

The Jetta GLI has a much larger trunk than the A4 (14.1 vs. 12 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Jetta GLI Automatic has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The A4 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The A4’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Jetta GLI’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the A4 Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

Recommendations

The Jetta GLI was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2 of the last 3 years. The A4 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Volkswagen Jetta outsold the Audi A4/S4 by over four to one during the 2021 model year.

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