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The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI sedan will return with a six-speed manual transmission. However, it’s also a dwindling presence in the market. For instance, Volkswagen announced that the iconic Golf GTI would hit the road sans stick shift after the 2024 model year. 

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI sedan retains a manual transmission as the GTI loses the stick

It’s too soon. Don’t do it. Well, that’s how many die-hard enthusiasts reacted to the news that the 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R would pack seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions as their sole gearbox options.

The news isn’t all bad, though. Volkswagen fans can still get one of the brand’s sedans with a six-speed manual transmission. It’s the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, the sportiest variation of the brand’s short-wheelbase sedan. For 2025, the Jetta GLI is a North American-only model and the brand’s last remaining example of a manual-equipped performance car for American car buyers. 

It’s not just a manual transmission, either. The Jetta GLI gets a subtle stylistic upgrade, hinting at its performance demeanor. Inside the Jetta, drivers will note a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen option. However, the GLI carries over the same 2.0L inline four-cylinder engine as the previous iteration. That mill is good for 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Better yet, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, the Jetta GLI could reduce the gap left behind by the stick-shift Golf models. 

A 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI sedan drives on a divided highway.
A 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI | Volkswagen Group

Still, it seems wild that the famed hot hatch would lose its row-your-own appeal. “It’s simply that Golf GTI is a world car and the only market that wants a manual is North America,” Volkswagen of America’s director of public relations Mark Gillies told Road & Track. So, for the foreseeable future, the Volkswagen GLI sedan is the last performance-oriented VW.

Source: Road & Track

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Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).