2015 Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen vs. 2015 Audi A3

The 2015 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen is one of the most popular wagons on the market today thanks to its powerful and efficient engine options and beautiful design and style. The Audi A3 is also a favorite on the market today, especially among buyers looking for something a bit more upscale. Given their huge base price difference, how do these two vehicles compare? 

Power and Efficiency

The 2015 Jetta Sportwagen is powered by a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder 16-valve turbocharged engine that produces 170 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle is front-wheel drive and is standard paired with a five-speed manual transmission, but you can upgrade to a six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic and Sport Mode. This engine has an EPA fuel economy rating of 25 city and 36 highway mpg. 

The Jetta Sportwagen also offers a more fuel-efficient engine option: a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder 16L turbocharged diesel engine that produces 150 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. This engine has an EPA fuel economy rating of 31 city and 43 highway mpg. 

In comparison, the Audi A3 offers three engine options, including a comparable gas and diesel engine and a higher-powered gas engine. While it may appear that the Audi wins this round, the vehicle can't compare with the Jetta Sportwagen in terms of fuel economy. The Audi's gas engine has an EPA fuel economy rating of 23 city and 33 highway mpg, while the diesel yields the same fuel economy as the Jetta Sportwagen diesel model. 

The biggest difference you'll notice when driving these two cars is in the way they handle. While the Jetta Sportwagen drives like a car and has all of the benefits of one, including great handling and sporty steering, the A3 feels heavier and has less agile steering and handling. 

Interior

The interior of the 2015 Jetta Sportwagen is as comfortable as you would expect from a Volkswagen. There's plenty of room for all of your passengers to spread out, and you have plenty of cargo space for that road trip you have planned. 

The Sportwagen comes equipped with many of the features you're looking for right in the base model, including climatic air conditioning with pollen filter, V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces, a 60/40 split folding rear seat with center armrest, and brushed metallic appearance interior trim. 

You'll also enjoy the touchscreen sound system with 5.8-inch color display with SiriusXM Satellite Radio, HD Radio, MP3 and Windows Media Audio compatible CD player, MDI with iPod cable, and Volkswagen Car-Net, which are all connected to your eight-speaker system. And those are just the standard features! 

The Audi A3 offers automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and an audio system with 10 speakers. While this may seem to push it ahead of the Sportwagen, buyers will have to contend with a steep price tag to get even those basic features since the A3 has a considerably higher base price. 

The Verdict?

Which vehicle you choose is up to you, but you'll be spending a lot more up front and in the long run if you go with the Audi A3. Volkswagen buyers will benefit from huge savings up front and over the life of their vehicle while getting just as many great features. 

Check out the 2105 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen at your local Turnersville Volkswagen dealer, Prestige Volkswagen. Call 888-479-0750 now or schedule a test drive online today.