Toyota Yaris vs. Volkswagen Jetta Review

Utility
Neither the Toyota Yaris nor the Jetta has a marked advantage with respect to seating capacity.

Performance
In terms of horsepower, the Volkswagen Jetta packs quite a punch and will knock the Toyota Yaris down a few rungs. However, remember that high horsepower engines often command higher insurance premiums. Both the Toyota Yaris and the Volkswagen Jetta are likely to feel somewhat sluggish because of their high horsepower-to-weight ratio.

Dimensions
Both the Yaris and the Volkswagen Jetta are likely to feel slightly slow because of their high horsepower-to-weight ratio. Your wallet will hurt more every time you fill up the Volkswagen Jetta than the Toyota Yaris because of its larger tank. The Toyota Yaris and the Volkswagen Jetta compete for the same parking spaces.

Cost
The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs approximately the same to get the Toyota Yaris to the dealership as the Volkswagen Jetta. The Toyota is tremendously less expensive than the Volkswagen Jetta when it comes to MSRP. The Toyota Yaris will save you a bundle at the pump every year compared to the Jetta.

Handling
Really small tires, like the ones on the Toyota Yaris, might provide better handling in deep snow but can also provide poor traction. With its tighter turning radius, the Toyota is quite certainly more maneuverable than the Volkswagen Jetta, something to consider if you do a lot of city driving; however, keep in mind that a vehicle with a tight turning circle may feel a bit twitchy on the highway.

Drivetrain
The Toyota Yaris's engine is tremendously smaller than the Volkswagen Jetta's. Note that smaller engines can be stressed more; on the flip side, smaller engines typically get better gas mileage. The Jetta packs quite a punch compared to the Toyota Yaris regarding torque, which is the force that lets you accelerate quickly. Torque equals pickup, and the Volkswagen Jetta will have picked up and gone by the time the Yaris finally gets moving.

Comfort
While the front cabin in the Toyota Yaris offers a bit more head room than the Volkswagen Jetta, there frankly isn't much of a difference. While the rear of the Volkswagen provides a bit more head- and leg-room than the Toyota Yaris, there honestly isn't much of a difference.

Overview
The basic after-sale protection that comes with the Toyota Yaris isn't quite as generous as the Volkswagen Jetta's.

Other
The Volkswagen Jetta produces fewer smog-forming pollutants per 15,000 miles than the Toyota Yaris.