Volkswagen Jetta

1984–2026 · Gasoline

The headline figure for this car is 34 MPG, but the EPA rates 2 different versions of it, from 33 to 34 MPG. Which engine and drivetrain you order is worth $33 a year in fuel — a decision made once at the dealership and paid for every week afterwards.

34 mpg Combined ~~EPA rated~~

29 mpg City

40 mpg Highway

$1,850 EPA annual fuel ~~at 15,000 mi~~

Your cost per mile

Every version, 2026

Version	Combined	City	Highway	Fuel	EPA annual
1.5L 4cyl · FWD · Auto S8	34	29	40	Regular	$1,850
1.5L 4cyl · FWD · Auto S8	33	29	40	Regular	$1,900

2 configurations, 33–34 MPG.

Every model year

Year	Combined	City	Highway
1984	35	33	37
1985	34	31	38
1986	34	31	39
1987	22	21	25
1988	23	21	26
1989	34	31	39
1990	34	31	39
1991	34	31	39
1992	33	31	36
1993	21	18	26
1994	21	18	25
1995	22	20	26
1996	38	34	44
1997	37	33	44
1998	37	33	44
1999	37	33	44
2000	24	21	28
2001	22	20	26
2002	22	19	28
2003	33	29	40
2004	24	21	28
2005	22	19	27
2006	33	30	37
2007	22	19	28
2008	25	22	29
2009	24	21	30
2010	25	22	30
2011	27	24	31
2012	27	24	32
2013	27	24	32
2014	32	29	37
2015	35	30	44
2016	29	25	35
2017	32	28	38
2018	32	28	38
2019	34	30	40
2020	28	25	33
2021	34	30	41
2022	34	29	43
2023	34	29	42
2024	34	29	42
2025	33	29	40
2026	34	29	40

Straight from the EPA certification database, one row per model year, showing the best-rated version of each. Trims with identical figures are collapsed.

What owners report

Year	Owners	Average reported	Spread
1984	1	45.0	45–45
1985	2	45.0	44–46
1987	1	23.5	24–24
1988	1	25.0	25–25
1989	3	44.4	40–50
1990	2	46.7	44–49
1991	7	47.5	43–59
1992	3	44.1	43–46
1994	2	24.4	23–26
1995	2	24.6	24–25
1996	2	43.5	44–44
1997	8	40.6	32–51
1998	14	47.1	39–60
1999	5	48.5	43–55
2000	4	29.7	27–33
2001	2	25.7	25–27
2002	1	22.0	22–22
2003	7	39.7	35–46
2004	4	26.9	24–29
2005	1	29.5	29–29
2006	79	42.5	23–55
2007	5	27.1	23–34
2008	7	26.9	23–29
2009	2	29.9	28–32
2010	1	26.6	27–27
2011	4	30.2	27–38
2012	2	26.3	24–29
2013	1	35.9	36–36
2014	7	38.9	33–44
2015	5	41.9	35–47
2016	2	25.0	23–27
2017	5	31.2	21–41
2019	4	35.8	31–42
2021	2	37.9	38–38
2023	2	39.0	33–49

200 owners filed these through the EPA's own My MPG tool. That is a sample, not an average — read them as anecdotes. They are here because they are the only owner-reported figures in public federal data.

How this is worked out

Cost per mile is the fuel price over the combined MPG of the version you pick, at the price and mileage you enter. Where a version requires premium, it is costed at the premium price — that is a real and permanent difference between two cars wearing the same badge.

Every figure comes from the U.S. EPA's public fuel economy data. We add no estimates of our own; a missing number shows as a dash rather than a guess.

Add your numbers

Federal data has at most a handful of owners per car and nothing at all on servicing. If you own one, send what you actually get. It goes on this page with the sample size next to it.