Best Compact SedanVolkswagen · 2024
Jetta
2024 · SE
Resale price
$20,500
5-yr depreciation
39%
Of original value, first five years
Yearly maintenance
$512
Parts and labour beyond oil and tyres
Combined MPG
34
EPA combined city and highway
Trouble-free miles
158,000
Before a first repair above $500
Known issues
DSG mechatronic unit service intervals; sunroof drain leaks.
Where it is made
Final assembly · Puebla, Mexico
Country of origin
Germany
Home market of Volkswagen, the brand that designs and engineers this car.
Parts from Germany
30%
Share of the car's parts content sourced in Germany.
Made in the USA
8%
parts
0%
assembly
Finished outside the US; the figure above is US-sourced parts only.
| Measure | This vehicle | Median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resale price | $20,500 | $20,500 | Even |
| 5-yr depreciation | 39% | 38% | +1% |
| Yearly maintenance | $512 | $396 | +$116 |
| Combined MPG | 34 mpg | 34 mpg | Even |
| Trouble-free miles | 158,000 mi | 165,000 mi | −7,000 mi |
Fun fact · 03
Hyundai Elantra · 2011 — 2016
The rideshare workhorse nobody expected
The fifth-generation Elantra is the proof that a high-mileage car does not have to be a Toyota or a Honda. Rideshare drivers took to its 1.8-litre Nu engine and six-speed automatic precisely because the service intervals are long and the parts are cheap. Several documented cars crossed 500,000 miles in urban service on the original long block, with the first transmission rebuild landing well past 300,000.
What it is
- 1.8-litre Nu inline-four, 148 hp
- Six-speed automatic with manual gate
- 40 mpg highway, 10-year powertrain coverage when new
- Timing chain and coil-on-plug ignition, no distributor