- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 33
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 2 reports involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Volkswagen Jetta
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 66
- Complaints citing a crash
- 3
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V038000high
Safety restraint issue
SEATS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Long Wheelbase and Jetta vehicles. Bolts may be missing from the front seat tracks.
Consequence
The seat can move front and back without restriction if bolts are missing, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat tracks and, as necessary, install the bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 18, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72L6.
- 21V492000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 20V716000high
Rear-visibility system issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.
- 22V514000high
Rear-visibility system issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 13.1%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 9 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 13.1% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
29
City
39
Hwy
33
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,850
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 266 g/mi
How this compares
At 33 MPG combined, the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta ranks 8th of 15 compact cars EPA rated for 2021 — exactly the 33 MPG median for that group.
That places it squarely mid-pack for its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $1,850, within $0 of the $1,850 typical for the class — roughly $9,250 over five years.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 266 grams per mile — about 4 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
66 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 66
- Total
- 3
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
Most reported components
- BRAKES25
- OTHER9
- ELECTRICAL7
- FUEL SYSTEM7
- ENGINE6
Serious Concerns
66 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 2 reports involve a death. 1 report involves injuries. 3 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, newest first.
- Recall
A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
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.
- Recall
The seat can move front and back without restriction if bolts are missing, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Recall
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
29
City
39
Hwy
33
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,850
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
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.
- Recall
The seat can move front and back without restriction if bolts are missing, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Recall
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.