Compare the2023 Toyota CamryVS 2023 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Camry 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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Camry are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota Camry 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 Camry has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Jetta GLI doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

The Camry XLE/XSE offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Jetta GLI only offers a rear monitor.

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

	Camry	Jetta GLI
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	140	247
Neck Injury Risk	20%	31.7%
Neck Stress	262 lbs.	354 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	58 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	21%	41.6%
Neck Stress	136 lbs.	152 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	141 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 Toyota Camry is safer than the Volkswagen Jetta GLI:

	Camry	Jetta GLI
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	136 lbs.	188 lbs.
Hip Force	296 lbs.	317 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	289	306
Spine Acceleration	48 G’s	56 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	164	239
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	622 lbs.	627 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Camry, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 3.2% less likely to roll over than the Jetta GLI, which received a four-star rating.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Camry its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Jetta GLI last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Camry 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Jetta GLI. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Jetta GLI ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Camry’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Jetta GLI’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Camry’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 58 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 23rd.

Engine

The Camry’s optional 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 73 more horsepower (301 vs. 228) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (267 vs. 258) than the Jetta GLI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Camry
FWD	Auto	LE/SE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/39 hwy
		XLE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/38 hwy
Jetta GLI
FWD	Manual	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/37 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/36 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Camry uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Jetta GLI requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Camry AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta GLI (14.4 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Camry FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta GLI (15.8 vs. 13.2 gallons).

Transmission

The Toyota Camry 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 Toyota Camry, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Jetta GLI.

Brakes and Stopping

The Camry stops much shorter than the Jetta GLI:

	Camry	Jetta GLI
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Camry SE/XLE’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Jetta GLI (235/45R18 vs. 225/45R18).

The Camry XSE/TRD’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Jetta GLI’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Camry XSE/TRD has standard 19-inch wheels. The Jetta GLI’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Camry’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 average track (width between the wheels) on the Camry is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Jetta GLI.

The Camry TRD handles at .94 G’s, while the Jetta GLI Autobahn pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Camry SE is quieter than the Jetta GLI Autobahn:

	Camry	Jetta GLI
At idle	41 dB	42 dB
Full-Throttle	72 dB	77 dB
70 MPH Cruising	68 dB	70 dB

Passenger Space

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

The Camry has 6.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Jetta GLI (100.4 vs. 93.9).

The Camry has .4 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom, 3.3 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta GLI.

The front step up height for the Camry is .8 inches lower than the Jetta GLI (15” vs. 15.8”). The Camry’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Jetta GLI’s (14.5” vs. 16”).

Cargo Capacity

The Camry has a larger trunk than the Jetta GLI (15.1 vs. 14.1 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Camry easier. The Camry’s trunk lift-over height is 26.8 inches, while the Jetta GLI’s liftover is 28.7 inches.

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

Servicing Ease

The Camry 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.

Ergonomics

The Camry XLE/XSE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer 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 Camry the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Jetta GLI can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

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 Camry’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Jetta GLI’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

On extremely cold winter days, the Camry’s optional (except Nightshade/TRD) 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.

Both the Camry and the Jetta GLI offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Camry offers optional 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.

Recommendations

The Toyota Camry has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Camry	Jetta GLI
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	n/a
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	n/a

The Toyota Camry outsold the Volkswagen Jetta by almost 8 to one during 2022.