How safe is the Volkswagen Jetta?

Drivers of the 2019–2020 Volkswagen Jetta died at a rate of 47 per million registered vehicle years, 21% higher than the average of 38 for all vehicles. That makes it riskier than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 90th of 127 vehicles, safer than 29% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.

This is the most recent IIHS data for this model, covering 2019–2020 models. It doesn't appear in the newer 2023 study, often because it was redesigned or discontinued.

29Safety score (out of 100)

90thof 127 vehicles, all classes

47Driver deaths per million vehicle years (range 24–69)

Where the Volkswagen Jetta sits among all 127 vehicles

Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 38

The rate is based on a moderate amount of data, so treat small differences from nearby vehicles with caution.

Vehicles ranked near the Volkswagen Jetta

These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.

Rank	Vehicle	Type	Deaths*	Score
87	Subaru Impreza sedanCar · Small	Car	46	32
88	Honda AccordCar · Midsize	Car	46	30
89	Hyundai TucsonSUV · Small	SUV	47	30
90	Volkswagen JettaCar · Midsize	Car	47	29
91	Dodge Grand CaravanWagon / minivan · Very large	Wagon / minivan	48	29
92	Toyota CamryCar · Midsize	Car	48	28
93	Honda CivicCar · Small	Car	49	27

How it compares with other cars

Among the 30 cars ranked, the Volkswagen Jetta is 9th. The safest cars are below. See all cars.

Cars rank	Vehicle	Type	Deaths*	Score
1	Chevrolet BoltCar · Small	Car	8	83
2	Toyota Camry hybridCar · Midsize	Car	19	68
3	Toyota Prius PrimeCar · Small	Car	23	60
4	Ford Fusion hybridCar · Midsize	Car	25	53
5	Subaru WRXCar · Small	Car	38	40
9	Volkswagen JettaCar · Midsize	Car	47	29

Common questions

Is the Volkswagen Jetta a safe vehicle?

By real-world driver deaths, the Volkswagen Jetta is riskier than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 47 per million registered vehicle years is 21% higher than the average, and it ranks 90th of 127 vehicles across all classes.

How does the Volkswagen Jetta compare with other cars?

It ranks 9th of 30 cars. The safest is the Chevrolet Bolt, with a rate of 8.

Why is this different from the Volkswagen Jetta's crash-test rating?

Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.

* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.