The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is refreshed this year.  And I like what The People’s Car people have done!

For sure the compact sedan always delivers on stylish good looks and performance.  Furthermore, they always manage to do it at a great price point.

But even with that in mind, it feels like VW has leveled up its game for this refresh.  Perhaps you’ll agree as we unpack this review.

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2022 VW Jetta GLI Top-3:

So the front grill and rear bumper are the most noticeable areas of the 2022 GLI’s refreshment.

And both are enhancements that play perfectly to the target market of Jetta driving enthusiasts.  And the cover picture of this article tells the story on the front.  But the back is a bit more subtle as you’ll notice below.

Sporty rear lower valance

Spot the honeycomb lower valance across the rear bumper?  Nice touch!

Volkswagen also notes larger exhaust pipes on the ’22 GLI but I don’t think that’s quite as noticeable.  Other exterior changes include new wheel design options and a Black appearance package.

Additionally refreshed areas are inside the Jetta GLI.  Including a newly designed steering wheel wrapped in leather.  And red accent stitching.

2022 VW Jetta GLI Autobahn

For the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI it’s super simple.  Because the German carmaker gives you only one option.

So if you want to go with the enthusiasts Jetta for this model year, then you’re getting the Autobahn trim.

And the ’22 Autobahn GLI trim is well equipped and the starting manufacturers suggested retail price is $31,295.

Also, when it comes to your engine and transmission options your decision-making is simple.

Because the 2022 VW Jetta GLI Autobahn comes with one engine.  However, here in the United States, we have the option of transmissions.

First, the engine is a spirited 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder.  It’s a 16-valve turbocharged inter-cooled, TSI.

And available here in the US for 2022 the GLI Autobahn is available in both automatic and manual transmission!  (Exciting because in VW’s European home only manual is available.)

However, GLI is a blast to drive especially at its price point.

This is due in large part to the well-balanced 228 horsepower engine that puts out 258 pound-feet of torque.

Aside from manual and automatic, there is a slight difference in the transmissions.

The automatic, which I test drove and you see pictured throughout this article is a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic.  Notable here is that paddle shifters come with the single-trimmed GLI for 2022.  And this automatic trans/paddle-shifter combo provides ample driving enjoyment.

However, if you want to take your driving enthusiasm to the next level, you can opt for manual transmission.  And it’s a six-speed.  (My guess is that getting your hands on a manual transmission will probably require a special order.)

Near identical MPG will be delivered for the 2022 VW Jetta GLI regardless of your transmission.

If you opt for the manual trans then you’ll get an estimated 26 MPG in the city and 37 on the highway.

Ever-so-slightly adjusted MPG for the GLI automatic transmission is an estimated 26 in the city and 36 on the highway.

The fuel economy for these transmissions is so close that they’re estimated to both deliver 30 MPG for combined city/highway averages.

5-seat compact sport sedan

It’s a compact sedan.  But the GLI is the enthusiasts/sporty version of the Jetta.  And with this year’s refresh the sportiness is taken to the next level!

Undeniably European and Volkswagen is how the 2022 Jetta GLI appears on the road.

Key exterior dimensions are below.

2022 VW Jetta GLI Exterior Dimensions:

*All inches

And the GLI, which stands for Grand Luxury Injection, has a curb weight that differs slightly.

So, it depends on the automatic or manual transmission.  The curb weight for a manual is 3,272 lbs and the automatic is 3,355 lbs.

Also with the 2022 Jetta GLI refresh are the previously mentioned optional wheel designs.  As well as the aforementioned black appearance package – which is precisely what it sounds like. :0)

41.1/37.4″ – front/back legroom

Inside the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is all the fit and finish finery we’ve come to expect in a VW.

And I really love that aspect of VW overall.  But it’s especially felt, noticed, and appreciated on their highly equipped rides like the GLI.

Everything is solid to the touch and feel.  All the joints of the panels come together cleanly.  The vehicle just has an overall sense of solidness and above all quality.

Moreover, though, this year’s refresh highlights that even a bit more with the newly designed gear shifter and steering wheel.  Both are newly wrapped in leather.

2022 VW Jetta GLI Interior Metrics:

*All front/back inches

14.1 cu ft cargo space with backseats up

Interior Volume

*All cubic feet

Unquestionably the leading technology favorite in the ’22 GLI is Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit.

Because it replaces all traditional dashboard analog instrumentation with a digital monitor.  Meanwhile, that monitor can be configured in numerous different ways.

7-speed automatic trans w/ paddle shifters

So you can highlight MPH, RPM, navigation, and other driving metrics to your liking.  Additionally, you can save the profiles you configure.  And this way you have it at the ready for whoever or whatever driving conditions lay ahead.

Plus all the latest safety tech is packed into the 2022 VW Jetta GLI.  Because again, there’s just the one trim Autobahn.  So it gets all the cool content.

So back to Top-3.  There’s plenty to choose from but when I have to pick just three – here you go:

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Even with a steady push toward EVs, the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas continues to impress with new upgrades.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that the European carmaker was rolling out its very first 7-passenger Atlas.  But the ’22 Atlas marks the 5th model year for the first-generation midsize crossover SUV.

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And to be clear, the Atlas is more crossover than SUV, albeit a highly capable one.  Moreover, it’s a big midsize.  Big inside anyway.  So big that the 3rd-row backseat is adequate for normal-size adults.

Conversely, most midsize SUVs that offer third-row seating are only equipped to squeeze kids and very small adults in the back row.

But that’s not the case with Atlas.  And that is why Interior Space heads my Top-3 favorites about the vehicle.

2022 Volkswagen Atlas Top-3:

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2022 VW Atlas SE trim

For 2022 Volkswagen Atlas gets a reconfigured model lineup.  So no hugely major changes but some cool adjustments.

And when you look at the lineup and the direction Volkswagen is taking it, the edits makes sense.

First, VW’s all-wheel drive known as 4MOTION is now standard on all SEL models.  Along with that comes 20-inch machined wheels.

Then optional with that is a black R-Line package.  Moreover, R-Line is now standard on SEL Premium and includes 21-inch wheels.

Additionally, Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit is standard across all Atlas trims.

Finally, and speaking of trims, VW scales the options down a bit – you now have six to pick from.

So what are the six trim options you ask?  They are as follows:

2022 VW Atlas Trims And MSRPs:

And note that the SEL R-Line Black is listed as late availability.  That’s all Volkswagen is telling us at this point.

And a persistent chip shortage plus supply chain issues have plagued the car business for more than a year now.  So we’ll have to see what the definition of ‘late availability’ winds up being for the SEL R-Line Black.

No matter what trim you select for your 2022 VW Atlas, there are only two engines that you could wind up with.

And both of these motors have been around the VW-sphere for a while.  Both are reliable and quite similar performing – in my opinion.  And I’ve driven both numerous times.

2.0L Inline Turbocharged 4-cylinder – delivering 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

3.6L V6 – delivering 276 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque.

Either engine comes with the same 8-speed automatic transmission.

And in both cases, the V6 or the turbocharged inline 4-cylinder, the transmission is geared effectively to maximize motor performance.

At the same time, the transmission optimizes the fuel economy that Atlas delivers.

So you’re left with the option of 2WD or 4MOTION.  And with the Volkswagen Atlas, 2WD is powered by the front wheels.

My suggestion is to go with 4MOTION.  Because fuel economy isn’t that different.  And your resale value on the vehicle should be higher.

While the initial cost of the vehicle will also be a little higher, the pre-owned crossover SUV market tends to favor all-wheel drive.

When it comes to the MPG that ’22 Atlas provides, you’re in good shape.  Because Atlas, while being a midsize vehicle, is a Volkswagen.

And VW’s are made sturdy – solid.  But in doing so they tend to weigh a bit more than comparable vehicles.

2022 VW Atlas MPG est.:

*All city/combined/highway

So as you can see by the above EPA estimated fuel economy breakdown.  Both the engine and the transmission differences are negligible.

Length 200.7″, wheelbase 117.3″

Aesthetically speaking the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas doesn’t change too much from last year.  However, we’ve not yet seen the SEL R-Line Black.

And that one sounds like it ‘dances-up’ the outside – and probably the inside too – nicely.  Nevertheless, it will be an enhancement on an already great-looking vehicle.

Volkswagen is the non-luxury brand of Audi… or you could say, Audi, is the luxury brand of Volkswagen.  Either way, the Volkswagen Atlas delivers exceptional European styling (and driving performance).

Atlas is without doubt a Volkswagen.  As the carmaker has tweaked its entire internal combustion engine SUV lineup to play the roles of small (Taos), medium (Tiguan), and large x2 (Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas).

2nd-row legroom 37.6″, 3rd-row legroom 33.7″

I like the interior of Atlas since the very first time I drove one back in 2018.  And they’ve been updated since.

But some critics refer to the interior of Atlas as a bit spartan.  From a certain point of view, I can understand that.

However, I think those views are comparing Audi and VW instead of VW and say – Ford Explorer.

So sure, Atlas has a bit less content than an Audi crossover SUV.  But you can’t compare a luxury and non-luxury vehicle in such away.  Not fairly anyway.

And I find Atlas to have everything I’d expect inside.  The cockpit is comfortable and the drive is one in which you feel a command for the road.  And with a very sturdy vehicle under your control.

Moreover, inside the Atlas is where Volkswagen’s legendary fit and finish – attention to detail really shines.  And that’s how all the panels, parts, and joints come together.

And this is especially true of both the form and function of the backseats lying down flat to haul cargo.

Max. cargo volume 96.8 cu-ft

Speaking of VW’s relationship with Audi.  It was Audi that initially had a digitized dashboard replacing the analog instruments we’ve come to know for so long.

So Volkswagen’s digital dashboard interface is referred to as Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit.  And now it’s standard across all Atlas trims as of 2022.

This is a great driving enhancement.  Because replacing the old gauges with a monitor provides for a cleaner display of vehicle monitoring systems.

Plus that display allows for customization and building profiles that can be saved for ease of access whenever the driving need occurs.

7-seat, 3-row 2022 Volkswagen Atlas

And that brings us back to my Top-3 for the 2022 VW Atlas:

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2022 Volkswagen Passat makes its final lap in the United States.

Or, at least that’s what VW is saying at the moment.  Because the Passat has been coming out of VW’s Chattanooga, Tennesee assembly plant.

And the People’s Carmaker is turning its focus to electric vehicles – across the board, including at that plant.

However, to get your hands on a final-year Passat could be a very good thing.  We’ll unpack the reasons here.

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’22 VW Passat SE

My Passat test driver, pictured throughout this review, was an SE trim.  And that’s the base trim.

But new for 2022 is the Limited Edition trim.  And it’s handsome.  Classy, if you will.  Clearly European with more than a hint of Audi about it.

So the ’22 Passat comes in a total of three different trim options.  Here’s each along with their respective starting manufacturers’ suggested retail pricing.

As often is the case with Volkswagen vehicles, Passat comes with the same engine across all trims.

And for 2022 it’s a highly spirited 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder.  That engine generates 174 horsepower with 206 pound-feet of torque.

In line with the single-engine configuration, Volkswagen features the same transmission in Passat.  For 2022 it’s a well-matched 6-speed automatic transmission.

What I find surprising about this powertrain is the fuel economy.  Because Passat delivers EPA-estimated 24 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway.

And my surprise with those figures holds especially true when considering the engine’s performance.  It’s fun to drive yet still delivers great economy from the pump!

MPG 24/36 – city/highway

Perhaps as a parting shot of thanks from Volkswagen.  Or maybe because it’s getting tough to get.  I’m appreciating the Passat more than ever before!

It’s a great-looking sedan.  And that goes for any of the three trims.  So, the SE is the base model yet it doesn’t look like a base model at all.

For instance, compare a base VW Passat to a base Toyota Camary.  On looks alone, everyone would pick the Passat.

But what’s cool about this year’s Passat line-up is that you have the great-looking base SE.  Then there’s the more sporty R-Line.

And it tops off with the luxury appointed Limited Edition.

Sliding inside the Passat we find equally designated interiors.

All of them are spacious, well laid out, and offer exemplary fit and finish details.  But the cool thing about the segmentation of the trims is this.

The SE is a handsome base model.  Then the R-Line is the more sporty midrange.  With accent stitching and R-Line badging inside.

And when you bump up to the Limited Edition you get near-luxury appointments.  Plus the European carmaker even delivers an outgoing nod to its Tennesse home with ‘Chattanooga’ labeled seat tags.

Moreover, the Passat has awesome legroom.  So much so that four adults, considered to be tall, can easily road trip for a few hours at a time, in comfort.

Legroom 42.4″/39.1″ – front/back

For 2022 Passat includes standard remote start and blindspot monitoring plus, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

Infotainment touchscreen with available navigation and lots of driver assistance features are available at your fingertips.

And that includes the available Volkswagen Car-Net so that you can stay connected to your car.  Even when you’re not in it.

So, here’s my overall take on the 2022 Volkswagen Passat.  It’s simple – really.  Because Volkswagen has been making the Passat for a long time.

And the car has always been solid.  While VW has surely planned to discontinue Passat for longer than we’ve known.

They’ve been making certain that was it is, is the best that they can make it.  It’s been around for a while and they (VW) got it right.

So, like any outgoing model from a solid carmaker.  A 2022 Passat in your driveway is likely to mean a headache-free ownership experience.

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The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan has a bolder exterior and enhanced standard technology inside.  So the compact SUV that offers an available third-row of seating is refreshed for this model year.

Both looking at and driving the new Tiguan is impressive.  Because the new model is a major contrast to the very first Tiguan introduced in the United States.

Additionally, Tiguan has become Volkswagen’s best-selling vehicle.  Both here in the United States and globally!  And that makes all kinds of sense as you’ll see as we unpack this review.

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2022 VW Tiguan Top-3:

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’22 VW Tiguan SEL w/ R-Line

The most noticeable 2022 Tiguan update is the bolder new front end.  And it now comes standard with LED headlights.

Moreover, that refreshed front end looks great with the LEDs.  And when you go inside the update that is immediately appreciated is the Digitial Cockpit – now standard across all trims.

109.9″ wheelbase and 186.1″ overall length

Volkswagen provides four primary trim configurations to choose from for Tiguan 2022.

2022 VW Tiguan Trims & MSRPs:

*Starting manufacturers suggested retail prices

The 2022 VW Tiguan I drove is pictured in this review.  And it’s the SEL R-Line trim with 4Motion – what Volkswagen calls its all-wheel drive.

And our thanks as always to our friends at Ontario Volkswagen in the Los Angeles suburb of Ontario California for providing the Tiguan for this review.

As The Peoples carmaker often does, it keeps it simple offering one engine and one transmission in the 2022 Tiguan.

So, after you decide your trim configuration and options, all you need to select is 2WD or AWD/4MOTION.

VW Digital Cockpit Standard

Under the hood, Tiguan includes an impressively quick 184 horsepower 2.0L inline turbocharged 4-cylinder.  And it puts out 221 pound-feet of torque.

Then that engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.  And when you go with the two-wheel-drive option it’s front-wheel drive.  Or, you can opt for Volkswagen’s 4MOTION.  And that’s what my test driver had – it’s quick and nimble.  Great fun to drive.

As you can expect, when you have a single-engine and transmission, the fuel economy range is pretty close.

But when you go with 2WD you get 26 MPG combined.  And that breaks down to 23 in the city and 30 on the highway.

Conversely, with all-wheel-drive, you get a combined 25 MPG.  Broken down that’s 22-city and 29-highway.

Finally, if you go with the R-Line AWD those numbers change slightly.  Combined is 24 MPG with 21-city and 28-highway.

Curb Weight: 3,765/3,856 lbs

So when it comes to the looks of the refreshed 2022 VW Tiguan – that’s where I really take a step back.

Because when Tiguan first hit the US market in 2008… I found it to be lacking in the department of aesthetical appeal.  But fast-forward to now, and there’s a night-and-day difference.  It’s great-looking, especially with its adjusted front-end.

Plus, and it’s difficult to display in an online image, but there’s an available LED lightbar.  It spans the entire grill – headlight to headlight and looks very cool.

No doubt the 2022 Tiguan is a Volkswagen, but it’s sharp.  European sharp and athletic.

1,500 lbs towing capacity

Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit highlights the interior updates of the new Tiguan.  But to be clear the rest of the interior is to be appreciated as well.

Because, if you’re a regular iDriveSoCal reader, listener, or watcher, then you know I’m a big fan of interior engineering.  And VW’s is almost always both tight and right.

Tight from a perspective of how everything fits together and the quality of materials and connecting joints and surfaces.  And right from a perspective of thoughtfulness and attention to detail.

For instance, I love how when you fold the backseats down, they lock into place in the downward position.  This way they won’t cause your load to shift.  I appreciate those little details.

Up to 73.4 cu-ft of cargo space

And the easy option to forget about Tiguan is its optional 3rd row of seating.  For sure, that option isn’t intended for adults.

But if you want to get a compact SUV with a third row of seating – your options are very, very few.  And for families with small kiddos having that third row can be a game-changer.

Starting MSRP $25,995

Back to VW’s Digital Cockpit for a moment.  It’s now standard across all Tiguan trims.  And that’s great because it takes the driving experience to another level.

Replacing the standard analog in-dash instrumentation with a digital screen that’s entirely configurable is the future without a doubt.

Because it allows you to set the instruments to whatever view you like.  But on top of that, you can save a number of profiles for easy access whenever you switch drivers or switch driving styles.  (I love having one for my day-to-day city driving and then another for my road trips.)

Also standard, on all but the base model where it’s available, is Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE.

So, it is VW’s suite of driver assistance tech.  And the overall feature set falls under the categories of safety as well as convenience.

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