First impressions matter—especially when they’re with a new car. My initial encounter with the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta Sport didn’t exactly set things off on the right foot.

The scene was dire: I had just landed from an eight-hour flight, it was oppressively hot and raining, and there was no option but to deal with rush hour traffic in order to drive home. This wasn’t my first choice of a leisurely evening in after a long journey.

Despite the car’s name suggesting otherwise, it wasn’t the Jetta GLI, which is more muscular and sporting. The Jetta Sport comes with standard 1.5 L four-cylinder turbo engine—though its Miller cycle variant boosts efficiency significantly with a compression ratio of 11.5:1, generating 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Power delivery was less than impressive during my first test drive; it lacked the sporty modes that might have helped.

Below 2,500 rpm, the throttle response was smooth, but once the revs climbed, the car’s performance was jarring. The combination of gearing and turbocharger created a sudden surge in acceleration, making me look like an inexperienced driver who couldn’t control their vehicle properly under pressure.