Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Today Volkswagen of America has unveiled the 2016 Jetta GLI.The higher performance sedan that is very similar to the Golf GTI gets a facelift. The big question is if these changes are only skin deep or if there is more substance to them?

For 2016 the VW Jetta gets the before mention refresh which aims to help make it more appealing to a market looking for a sporty sedan. It won’t be competing with cars like the BMW M3, but it aims to give you somewhat of a similar feel. Of course if does so in a lower priced market.

To find out more about the VW Jetta GLI, including specs, click past the jump (or scroll down if you came directly to the full article).

Under the hood is the same 210 horsepower turbocharged four cylinder that is used in the Golf GTI. The Jetta GLI also gets a sports tuned suspension to help with the handling in the corners. This is all pretty much the same as the 2015 model, so nothing to see here.

The refresh does add a more aggressive front facia that features the return of the red line found on the GTI. It also has a new rear bumper that integrates with the diffuser and shows off the chrome-tipped exhaust pipes. Standard for 2016 models are 18-inch Mallory design aluminum-alloy wheels that can wear standard all-season tires or optional summer performance tires.

It offers things that we’ve come to expect in newer cars, such as dual climate control and and a rearview camera. One new standard feature is Volkswagen’s Automatic Post-Collision Braking system.

This builds on the premise that a collision is rarely a single, instantaneous action, but rather a series of events that follow the initial impact—the most significant of which can cause additional collisions. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking system addresses this by applying the brakes when a primary collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus helping reduce residual kinetic energy and, in turn, the chance of additional damage.

Beyond the more aggressive look and a few small new features there isn’t a lot new under the skin of the 2016 Jetta GLI. We think it will be a good car for someone that would like a fun to drive sedan, but if you are thinking of trading in a 2015 to get a 2016, we would recommend waiting until a bigger refresh happens.