Like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, but wish it had a trunk in place of a liftgate at the back? That’d be the Jetta GLI. And the latest word has it that the new model will debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit come January.

The news comes from Autoblog.com.ar (via of Motor1), which spoke to José Carlos Pavone – head of design for Volkswagen do Brasil – at the launch of the new Jetta in South America, where it’s known as the Vento.

“I estimate that Vento GLI could be presented in January, during the Detroit Show,” Pavone told the Argentinian website. “The sports version was specifically designed for the tastes of the North American market,” and will have its own unique five-spoke alloys and a black roof.

More to the point, the new Jetta GLI is expected to borrow its 2.0-liter turbo four directly from the Golf GTI, where it produces 220 horsepower (164 kW) and 258 lb-ft (349 Nm) of torque. That’d bring the little sports sedan more in line with the hot hatch, instead of trailing behind it in power and performance as it has in the past.

That’d put it in a better position to take on the likes of the Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Elantra Sport, and Subaru WRX in the market for compact performance sedans, and give VW a more compelling offering for those who like their performance in a three-box shape. And if the report proves accurate, we can anticipate the new Jetta GLI’s debut in just a few months from now.

Caught in Argentina, this version has 230 hp and several features from the Golf GTI.

With the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta already among us, we are very much looking forward to the sportier GLI variant. Not that 147 horsepower (110 kilowatts) in the base model is boring, but there's always room for more power. The new generation of VW's much-loved sedan has not yet received a power upgrade, but that should change at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit come January. The Motor1.com team in Brazil found the new model in neighboring Argentina before VW wants you to see it.

These images published by our friends at Argentina Autoblog show the Volkswagen Jetta GLI in the airport covered by plastic sheets for protection. An astute reader named Luis. R. A. sent the photos to the site, getting up close to the new car to show us details of the interior and of the rear, where GLI logos can be easily seen on both the base of the steering wheel and the trunk lid – equal to that of Golf GTI.

Like all other Jetta versions, the GLI will be built in Mexico for all of North and South America. The best part is that it will feature the 2.0 TSI turbocharged engine from the Golf GTI, producing 230 hp (172 kW) which goes through a DSG dual clutch automatic gearbox, or a standard-issue six-speed manual. It will also be the only version of the sedan in this generation to have multilink suspension in the rear; the other Jetta configurations will continue to use a torsion beam setup.

In an interview with Argentina Autoblog, José Carlos Pavone, Volkswagen's chief of design for South America, said that the Jetta GLI will have a more aggressive and sportier design than the R-Line. This can be seen on five-spoke alloy wheels with red lines similar to those of the Golf GTI, not to mention the black roof. We can't wait for its arrival.

In spring 2018, we learned that the new-and-improved Volkswagen Jetta GLI would be arriving within the year, and now we have confirmation that VW is sticking to its word. The GLI, the performance-oriented variant of the Jetta, will debut in late winter 2019 at the Chicago Auto Show.

When it wasn't talking about its huge onslaught of incoming electric vehicles, Volkswagen had its attention throughout 2018 pointed on the launch of the 2019 Jetta, the start of the seventh generation of the compact family sedan. After debuting the Mark 7 Jetta at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, the nameplate has popped up throughout the year for a variety of reasons. VW made a special Jetta for the the European Experience car show, it brought out numerous custom Jettas for SEMA (the H&R Special Springs R-Line is pictured), and it built a Bonneville Jetta intended for a speed record. It's no coincidence all of these builds try to brush off the economical character of the four-door and lean into its sporting side.

The buildup culminates with the upcoming launch of the Jetta GLI, which a VW representative confirmed will debut at the Chicago Auto Show, Feb. 9-18. The unveiling will take place in the press days before the show goes live.

From previous reporting, we believe the GLI will be properly hotted-up. Based on past conversations, VW has indicated the GLI will adopt a multi-link independent rear suspension, leaving the torsion-beam setup for the lower-trim Jettas. Under the hood will be a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mill that we expect will be the same tuned engine found in the GTI, which has 220 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel. That should link to either a six-speed manual transmission or the seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic.

If VW is truly bringing GTI characteristics to the Jetta, then the GLI should offer a much more fun experience than can be found in the current lineup. We'll let you know official numbers and information as it comes in the next two months.

Volkswagen has always closely associated the Jetta GLI sedan with the Golf GTI hot hatch, but the supposed siblings were most recently more like distant cousins, as the outgoing sixth-generation Jetta used completely different underpinnings than the MQB-based seventh-generation GTI. Now that the new 2019 Jetta has migrated to MQB, its GLI variant can once again legitimately claim to be a GTI with a trunk, and it has the standard and optional performance extras to back up that assertion.

For starters, the GLI has the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder as the GTI, with the same 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque—increases of 18 horsepower and 41 lb-ft over the last GLI. It mates with a standard six-speed manual or an optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with automatic cars adding stop-start functionality. A mechanical limited-slip differential is newly standard, and adaptive dampers are newly optional. The braking system is shared with the GTI, with 13.4-inch front rotors.

There are plenty of visual links between the GLI and GTI, too, as has long been the case. With a suspension setup that's lowered 0.6 inch over the standard Jetta, the GLI looks leaner and meaner than that mainstream sedan, and it has a black grille with red accent lines to mirror the GTI. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard, and red brake calipers peek out from underneath them. The front and rear bumpers look more aggressive, and dual exhaust tips round out the look. Inside, the black-and-red theme continues with red accent stitching for the black seats. A fair amount of stuff comes standard, including dual-zone automatic climate control, blind-spot monitoring, keyless entry and push-button start, and LED headlights and taillights. A panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled front seats, and a digital gauge cluster are optional.

A 35th Anniversary Edition will be part of the lineup to start; it has black wheels with a red stripe, a black roof, black mirror caps, and special badging and comes standard with the aforementioned adaptive dampers. Two lesser trim levels will exist, too—a base S trim and an Autobahn—and the GLI should start in the high-$20,000 range when it goes on sale this spring.

Over in Europe, Volkswagen is about to expand its “R” portfolio to include the recently teased T-Roc R, which will serve as a crossover alternative to the Golf R. While the T-Roc is not available in the United States, Volkswagen of America could still diversify its R lineup by adding an entirely different R model. Speaking with Motor Trend at the ongoing 2019 Chicago Auto Show, VoA’s vice president of sales and marketing, Derrick Hatami, did not exclude the possibility of a Jetta R.

When asked by our colleagues at MT whether there’s going to be an R version of the latest Jetta, Hatami answer was: “Never say never.” He went on to mention VW has plans to make the Jetta a serious sports car offering in the same vein as the Golf GTI and R hot hatches even though that could cannibalize some of the sales. Looking at the bigger picture, Hatami argues performance Jetta versions could lure in more buyers compared to Golf GTI/R fans, so in the end, it would be a wise move for VoA to spice up its compact sedan.

It’s obviously too early to talk about any technical specifications, especially since the Jetta R hasn’t been green-lighted so far, but we can easily imagine the amped-up sedan with standard all-wheel drive and around 300 horsepower. It would be a significant step up from the recently launched 228-hp, front-wheel-drive Jetta GLI pictured here, which represents a mélange of the Golf GTI and R by getting the former’s engine and the latter’s brakes.

In related news, Hatami announced a new model is set to hit the U.S. market in the years to come. Arriving in 2021, the yet-unnamed compact crossover will slot underneath the Tiguan, although that’s all we know for the time being. The reveal confirms a report published late October 2018 about VoA’s intentions of introducing a new high-riding model to take on the Toyota C-HR, Jeep Renegade, and Honda HR-V, among others. The model in question won’t be an American equivalent of the T-Roc since the stylish crossover sold in Europe is too small for the U.S., according to VW.

The new compact crossover – which Hatami said won’t be based on the Tiguan –is expected to be built at the company’s plant in Mexico or in the U.S.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a bona fide automotive legend. When it was introduced in 1976, it single-handedly created the "hot hatch" segment as we know it today. The GTI's four-door cousin, the Jetta GLI, first arrived in America in 1984, not long after we had received a GTI of our own.

Since then, the Jetta GLI has always stood in the shadow of the GTI, despite the fact that the base Jetta has outsold the Golf in America nearly every year since it was introduced. The focus has always remained on the GTI, due in part to the fact that hatchbacks are far more popular in Europe than sedans.

Now, Jetta fans finally have a chance to claim bragging rights over the GTI. According to Motor Trend, the new GLI, just released at the Chicago Auto Show last week, is set to be a substantially better value than the GTI.

In sharp contrast to the previous generation GLI, the new model will receive all of the upgrades found on its GTI sibling, making both models effectively equal. One benefit to the GLI is that the Jetta's sedan shape is slightly more slippery than the GTI's hatchback body style.

According to VW Product Developer Adam Reinhardt, the GLI's price may tip the scale for some people compared to the GTI. Despite being on the same platform, with the same running gea and similar equipment, the GLI might be a better deal.

While no pricing has been announced, Reinhardt teased us by saying "we actually come up with calculations that show that the GLI offers more equipment for comparable, if not even a little bit better money, than GTI."

For sedan fans, that's exciting news. The new GLI will offer a 228-horsepower turbo four-cylinder, a limited-slip differential, and Golf R front brakes – just like the GTI.

Volkswagen Reveals 2019 Jetta GLI Pricing: It's Cheaper Than a Golf GTI!

It shares performance features with its hatchback cousin but costs less.

• On sale this spring, the 2019 Jetta GLI will undercut the Golf GTI's price by $1600.
• Performance equipment shared with the hatchback GTI includes brakes, powertrain, and limited-slip differential.
• A special 35th Anniversary Edition model will come with an adaptive suspension.

Volkswagen's revived Jetta GLI sedan made a splash when it debuted at the Chicago auto show earlier this month, and now we know how much it will cost when it goes on sale this spring. Despite sharing performance parts with the famed Golf GTI, the base GLI will start $1600 cheaper than a similarly equipped GTI.

The Jetta GLI lineup will consist of three trims: S, 35th Anniversary, and Autobahn. All three are powered by a 228-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine that drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The GLI's front brakes and torque-sensing limited-slip differential are both shared with the GTI and the even hotter Golf R. Volkswagen says the midrange 35th Anniversary model also will come with an adaptive suspension.

The GLI S comes with a ton of features and promises to be the best value of the lineup. With a price of $26,890, it comes with:

• 18-inch aluminum wheels
• LED headlamps, taillamps, and daytime running lamps
• Leather-wrapped sport steering wheel and shift knob
• Cloth sport seats with heat for the front occupants
• Ambient lighting with 10 color choices
• Keyless entry with push-button start
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability
• Forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert

Adding the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission ups the price of the GLI S to $27,690. Next up is the GLI 35th Anniversary Edition, which costs $27,890 with the manual and $28,690 with the automatic and comes standard with:

• 18-inch wheels finished in dark-gray paint with red accents
• Black roof, mirror caps, and rear spoiler
• Fender badges, doorsill protectors, seat tags, and floor mats with the 35th Anniversary Edition logo
• Adaptive suspension

The top-of-the-line GLI Autobahn costs $30,090 with the manual and $30,890 with the automatic. It also comes with a ton of extras, including:

• Panoramic sunroof
• Reconfigurable digital gauge display
• Nine-speaker Beats premium stereo system
• Leather seats with heat and ventilation for the front occupants and power adjustments for the driver
• Remote start
• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment with SiriusXM satellite radio

The Jetta GLI should arrive at U.S. Volkswagen dealerships in just a few short months and, like all Volkswagens, will come with fully transferrable six-year/72,000-mile limited and powertrain warranties.

First Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Think of Volkswagen's newest Jetta GLI as a Golf GTI with a trunk

The Tail of the Dragon is a gnarly stretch of Highway 129 out here, curling up and down a mountain with 318 curves over some 18 kilometres. There are motorcycle parts nailed to some of the trees, from those who misjudged the hairpins. But my ride, the new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, made its way through without breaking a sweat.

Both the Jetta and GLI were absent in Canada for 2018. They return all-new this year, now based on the automaker’s global modular platform architecture known as MQB. The Golf and its higher-performance GTI variant have used the underpinnings for a few years, but now that they’re siblings again under the skin, the GLI borrows the GTI’s engine, suspension, and larger brakes, and swaps out the regular Jetta’s torsion-beam rear suspension for a multi-link setup. Think of it as a GTI with a trunk.

In place of the regular Jetta’s 1.4-litre engine, the GLI uses a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder that makes 228 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or a quick-shifting, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Front-wheel drive is the default; there’s no all-wheel-drive available.

It comes pretty much fully-loaded, at $31,695 for the stickshift and $33,095 for the automatic. In honour of the 35 years the GLI’s been around, there’s a 35thAnniversary edition available that adds special badges, black accents, and unique wheels for an additional $750. The only available option, on either the regular or 35th model, is a $995 package that adds adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, emergency braking, and automatic high-beam headlights. In comparison, a regular Jetta starts at $20,995, while a GTI begins at $30,845.

A fire-breathing monster this is not, and it would be nice to have some extra grunt under the hood when many four-bangers are cranking out much more. But that said, I’m rather taken with it. It’s a gentleman’s (or gentlewoman’s) sporty-style sedan. It’s about linear acceleration, rather than a neck snap when you hit the throttle. It feels tight, but the ride isn’t feel-every-bump firm. The variable-ratio steering is responsive, well-weighted and smooth without a hint of twitchiness, and it tightens up when you select the Sport drive mode over the comfort-biased Normal or efficiency-minded Eco.

The Dragon can be a wicked beast. You’ll get a half-dozen simple bends that have you thinking you’ve got it mastered, and then you discover the next one rubs up beside the trees, slithering you around a tight blind corner and then boomerangs you into a skin-tight hairpin — hence the parts hanging off the trees. The GLI takes it all with graceful poise, adding good balance and flat cornering. If anything, it’s too silky for those who like their sporty rides to be primal and challenging, but that’s not this car’s audience.

I drove both the automatic, which itself accounted for some 60 per cent of the last-generation Jetta GLI’s sales, and the stick shift. Rowing your own gears in this car is the way to go, with a shifter that snicks effortlessly into each gear.

The automatic can be a bit more persnickety. If you drive it hard, it behaves just as you’d expect: The shifts are quick and with a satisfying burrrrp of rev-matching on downshifts. But with a more moderate throttle — basically, your everyday driving — the transmission seems to prize fuel efficiency above all else, even if the drive mode isn’t set to Eco. It moves up into higher gears as soon as possible and then likes to stay there, to the point that it can sometimes feel like it’s lugging the engine. There are paddle shifters to manually switch between the gears, but the transmission could be a little quicker to respond to them.

The GLI’s cabin maintains the Jetta’s handsome, less-is-more styling. There are simple dials and buttons for the climate control, and hard buttons to bring up the various functions of the infotainment touchscreen. The seats are typical of the German automakers: Firm rather than cushy, but that translates into support for your back and legs so you stay comfortable on longer drives. There’s a decent amount of rear-seat legroom, and the seatbacks fold down to increase the capacity of the already generous trunk.

I drove a U.S.-spec trim level that wasn’t as kitted-out as the GLI we get here. In Canada, the GLI will include such standard items as rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitoring, GPS navigation, a premium audio system, a sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and leather upholstery.

Also in keeping with the GLI’s more mature demeanour, the cabin is quiet. There’s a bit more growl to the exhaust in Sport mode, but it’s more like background music — a reminder that there’s a bit more huff to this car, but not knocking you over the head with it.

The GLI won’t appeal to hardcore sports sedan fans; it just isn’t strong and raw enough. But those who want a performance step-up wrapped in a velvet glove will need to try it out. On this gnarly road, it’s a smoothie.