The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 17 of 54 complaints (31%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 552 in 2019 to 54 in 2020.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 54
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $1,850–$2,200
- Combined MPG
- 28–34
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | vs. 2020 Compact Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,900–2,300 | 1,850–2,200 | 1,850–2,200 | 1,850–2,200 | 1,800–1,900 | |
| Combined MPG | 27–33 | 28–34 | 28–34 | 28–34 | 33–35 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 24–28 / 33–40 | 25–30 / 32–40 | 25–30 / 32–40 | 24–30 / 33–41 | 29–31 / 40–43 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 271–326 | 262–321 | 262–319 | 260–319 | 256–268 | |
| Complaints filed | 32 | 552 | 54 | 71 | 43 | |
| Recalls issued | 3 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 1 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 0 | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?
Electrical: 17 of 54 NHTSA complaints (31%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta get?
EPA rates it 28–34 MPG combined across 4 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Volkswagen Jetta?
EPA estimates $1,850–$2,200 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (4)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Manual 6-spd | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Compact Cars | 25 mpg (low) | 33 mpg | 28 mpg (low) | $2,200 (high) | 319 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (AM-S7) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Compact Cars | 25 mpg (low) | 32 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | $2,200 (high) | 315 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 1.4L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Compact Cars | 30 mpg (high) | 40 mpg (high) | 34 mpg (high) | $1,850 (low) | 263 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Manual 6-spd | 4 | 1.4L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Compact Cars | 30 mpg (high) | 40 mpg (high) | 34 mpg (high) | $1,850 (low) | 262 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (6)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments.
- Consequence
- Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence
- An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jetta and Jetta GLI vehicles. The air bag control module was welded in the incorrect position.
- Consequence
- Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CK.
SEATS
- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
- Consequence
- In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
- Defect
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling one 2020 Jetta vehicle. The front brake caliper bolts may come loose.
- Consequence
- If a brake caliper bolt comes loose, it may affect the vehicle's brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace all four front brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47Q2.