The manual transmission is finally a thing of the past at Volkswagen
In fact, for the 2027 model year, the compact sports sedan will no longer offer this option to buyers and will stick with the dual-clutch automatic transmission.
This comes as no surprise at all. Such an outcome was to be expected, especially given the low demand. Here is what a U.S. spokesperson for Volkswagen told TFLcar.com:
“As drivers and car enthusiasts, we also appreciate manual transmissions. That’s why our region has worked to preserve them: we know they matter to a small group of passionate drivers who love the joy of driving and shifting gears manually. Nevertheless, global demand has continued to decline to the point where the market can no longer sustain it. This harsh reality has necessitated difficult choices.”
With the 2026 Jetta GLI, the price is the same ($35,395 plus fees) regardless of whether you choose the six-speed manual transmission or the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. According to our tests, the former accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds, while the latter cuts that time down to 6.6 seconds. That’s a significant difference. As for acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h, we’re looking at 4.8 and 4.5 seconds, respectively.
Otherwise, there don’t appear to be any notable changes to the 2027 Jetta GLI, which will remain available in a single trim level. As a reminder, the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine under the hood produces 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, compared to 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft in the Golf GTI.
If you're still set on a manual transmission, you'll have to look at alternatives like the Honda Civic Si, the Subaru WRX, and the Hyundai Elantra N.
