Compare the2024 Volkswagen JettaVS 2024 Kia K5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Jetta has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The K5 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Jetta and the K5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras 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 Volkswagen Jetta is safer than the Kia K5:

	Jetta	K5
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	315	373
Neck Injury Risk	41.6%	50%

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 is safer than the Kia K5:

	Jetta	K5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	110
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	188 lbs.	190 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	56 G’s	75 G’s
Hip Force	554 lbs.	687 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	239	297

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Jetta is safer than the K5:

	Jetta	K5
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Peak Forces	no contact	40 G’s
Neck Tension	245 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.06 in	1.85 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	12 MPH	13 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	156 lbs.
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1049 lbs.	1294 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The Jetta’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the K5’s (7/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Jetta for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the K5.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Jetta has a 140-amp alternator. The K5’s standard 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Jetta third among compact cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The K5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Jetta gets better mileage than the K5:

			MPG
Jetta
FWD	Manual	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/42 hwy
	Auto	S 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	30 city/41 hwy
		SE/SEL 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/40 hwy
K5
	Auto	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
AWD	Auto	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Jetta higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia K5 (5). This means the Jetta produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the K5 every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Volkswagen Jetta as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Kia K5 is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

The Jetta stops shorter than the K5:

	Jetta	K5
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Jetta S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the K5 LXS’ standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Jetta Sport handles at .87 G’s, while the K5 EX pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Volkswagen Jetta may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 500 pounds less than the Kia K5.

The Jetta is 6.6 inches shorter than the K5, making the Jetta easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Jetta uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The K5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Ergonomics

The Jetta’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The K5’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Jetta SE/R-Line/SEL/SEL Premium the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the K5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Jetta’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The K5’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Jetta SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The K5 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Jetta SEL has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The K5 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Both the Jetta and the K5 offer available heated front seats. The Jetta SEL also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the K5.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Volkswagen Jetta and the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance.