$20,595 AS TESTED

Alas, the era of the infamous 2.slow is over. The lethargic four-banger that took up residence in base Jettas of yore has been replaced with a newer, turbocharged 1.4L mill, and it puts out some decent numbers. A Jetta Trendline from 2015 would put out 115 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque, but 2016’s 1.4 TSI shatters those numbers with 150 horses and 184 lb-ft! This is also the entry level engine, with 1.8L and 2.0L TSIs available for some extra cash. With some extra bang under the hood, some refined styling inside and out, and unheard of standard features for this price segment, all we need is some alloys to come standard. 2017 perhaps?