Compare the2023 Audi S5 SportbackVS 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi S5 Sportback have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Jetta GLI doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The S5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the S5 Sportback and Jetta GLI have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The S5 Sportback has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Jetta GLI’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi S5 Sportback has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The S5 Sportback has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The S5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top and Corner View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Jetta GLI only offers a rear monitor.

Both the S5 Sportback and the Jetta GLI have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi S5 Sportback weighs 569 to 652 pounds more than the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the S5 Sportback the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Jetta GLI does not qualify as a “Top Safety Pick.”

The S5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Jetta GLI’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 10 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The S5 Sportback’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 121 more horsepower (349 vs. 228) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 258) than the Jetta GLI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi S5 Sportback is faster than the Volkswagen Jetta GLI (automatics tested):

Regenerative brakes improve the S5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The S5 Sportback has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta GLI (15.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Audi S5 Sportback comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Jetta GLI.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Audi S5 Sportback, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Jetta GLI.

For better stopping power the S5 Sportback’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Jetta GLI:

The S5 Sportback stops much shorter than the Jetta GLI:

For better traction, the S5 Sportback has larger standard tires than the Jetta GLI (255/35R19 vs. 225/45R18). The S5 Sportback’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Jetta GLI (265/30R20 vs. 225/45R18).

The S5 Sportback’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Jetta GLI’s standard 45 series tires. The S5 Sportback’s optional tires have a lower 30 series profile than the Jetta GLI’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S5 Sportback has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Jetta GLI. The S5 Sportback offers optional 20-inch wheels.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S5 Sportback’s wheelbase is 5.6 inches longer than on the Jetta GLI (111.2 inches vs. 105.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the S5 Sportback is 2 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than on the Jetta GLI.

The S5 Sportback’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Jetta GLI’s (58.6% to 41.4%). This gives the S5 Sportback more stable handling and braking.

The S5 Sportback Prestige handles at .95 G’s, while the Jetta GLI Autobahn pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the S5 Sportback Prestige is quieter than the Jetta GLI Autobahn (40 vs. 42 dB).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the S5 Sportback a Mid-size car, while the Jetta GLI is rated a Compact.

The S5 Sportback has .2 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta GLI.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the S5 Sportback’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. The Jetta GLI’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the S5 Sportback. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the S5 Sportback’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The S5 Sportback uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Jetta GLI uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the S5 Sportback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Jetta GLI. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 32% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

The S5 Sportback Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the S5 Sportback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Jetta GLI can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the S5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The S5 Sportback’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Jetta GLI’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

The S5 Sportback’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Jetta GLI has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the S5 Sportback and the Jetta GLI have standard heated front seats. The S5 Sportback Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Jetta GLI.

On extremely cold winter days, the S5 Sportback’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The S5 Sportback has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Jetta GLI.

Both the S5 Sportback and the Jetta GLI offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the S5 Sportback has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The S5 Sportback Prestige’s Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Audi S5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Volkswagen Jetta GLI isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.