Volkswagen Values Under $35,000

The cost of living gets higher and higher with little to no reprieve for many Americans. However, Volkswagen, living up to the notion of “The People’s Car,” seems to understand better than many automakers that cars costing less than $35,000 are what buyers need. Whether you are a young professional just graduating college, a middle-aged parent, an empty nester, or living on a fixed income, VW takes pride in knowing they have a number of vehicles for all types of customers. 

Half of the current Volkswagen cars and SUVs produced have a base price under $35,000, with most of them coming in under $30,000. This means that you don’t have to just buy the base model. Instead, you can get higher trim levels with great luxuries and amenities at a price that won’t make you feel like you are stuck paying a mortgage for a car. 

2024 Volkswagen Jetta

The Jetta offers buyers a lot of bang for the buck in the sedan category. With the rare choice of a manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission, the Jetta is a principled vehicle for those wanting a high-quality sedan with lots of space and luxury for the price of just $22,660 with a 6-speed manual or $23,460 with the 8-speed automatic. Both prices include destination and handling fees. In fact, all Jetta trim levels come in well under the $35K figure.

The 2024 Jetta is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4, producing 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. According to the EPA, the Jetta can achieve up to 30 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway when equipped with an automatic transmission. Manual cars can get 29 city and 42 highway. Buyers will love the 14.1 cu.ft. of trunk space plus the folding rear seats. Rear passengers will have plenty of legroom to stretch their legs with 37.4 inches. 

Below are the prices of each trim level, including destination and handling fees. Note that the S and Sport trims come standard with a manual transmission. 

         Trim – MSRP:

• S – $22,660
• Sport – $23,810
• SE – $26,100
• SEL – $30,050

The highest trim, the SEL model, can be optioned with 17” Trenton wheels, base carrier bars to hold bikes and luggage to the roof, a specific bike holder attachment, a bumper guard, MuddyBuddy floor and trunk liners, a Thule roof basket attachment, an Urban Loader roof luggage attachment, and a universal tablet holder for rear seat passengers. The price is still just $34,718. That’s some serious bang for your buck. 

2024 Volkswagen Taos

Like the Jetta, the Taos crossover SUV offers customers a lot for very little. All models come in under $35K, with the base S trim level having a base MSRP of only $25,420 with FWD or $27,670 with 4MOTION AWD. 

The Taos has the same turbo 1.5-liter 4-cylinder found in the Jetta, which also produces 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Regardless of trim level, customers will get 28 mpg city and 36 mpg highway, respectively. Front-wheel drive models have an 8-speed automatic transmission, while 4MOTION all-wheel drive trim levels feature a 7-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission. 

Buyers will appreciate the generous amount of cargo space available in the Taos. With FWD, the Taos has 27.9 cu.ft. of space behind the rear seats and 65.9 cu.ft. with the rear seats folded. AWD Taos models have 24.9 cu.ft. and 60.2 cu.ft. Rear passengers will have plenty of legroom for long drives, with 37.9 inches in the rear seating area.  

Below are the prices of each trim level, including destination and handling fees.

 Trim – MSRP:

• S – $25,420
• SE – $29,590
• SE Black – $31,790
• SEL – $34,940

For customers who want something that rides a little higher than a sedan or needs the ability to open a hatch to slide in furniture, kids’ backpacks, sports equipment, and more, the Taos is the right SUV for the perfect amount of money. 

2024 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Everything that makes the standard Jetta great is what’s great about the Jetta GLI, plus the added bonus of being a sports sedan with lots of luxury and amenities. Instead of the 1.5-liter turbo-4 in the Jetta and Taos, the GLI swaps that out for the same motor that’s in the GTI: a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder producing 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque that’s mated to either a slick-shifting 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch. 

With a standard VAQ electronic limited-slip differential on the front axle, the GLI can send up to 100% of power to either of the front wheels. According to Car and Driver, the GLI can sprint to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds while still returning 26 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, respectively. 

The GLI comes in two unique trim levels, the 40th Anniversary Edition and Autobahn. 

The 40th Anniversary trim features Multimode DCC Adaptive Chassis Control, special Rising Blue Metallic, Pure White, or Pure Gray paint with black accents, unique black-painted wheels, and 40th Anniversary Edition markings throughout the interior and the door sills. Buyers also get a chrome-trimmed key fob. The GLI 40th Anniversary comes in at $29,310 with the manual and $30,110 when you option the 7-speed DSG. 

Autobahn models offer the same Multimode DCC and add Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro with a 10.25” digital instrument gauge cluster display, wireless charger, BeatsAudio system, leather seats, power-tilt steering wheel, panoramic roof, and more for $33,010 with a manual and $33,810 when equipped with the DSG. 

There is no reason to buy any other sporting car for the money… or is there?

2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI 

2024 is the last year buyers will be able to get a brand-new GTI, according to Volkswagen. And what a brilliant car that you can get. Where the GLI is great, the GTI is greater, and some will say it could be the greatest hot hatch that’s ever lived. It redefined the segment when it debuted 50 years ago. 

As previously mentioned, the GTI and GLI share the 2.0-liter motor, but it comes a little hotter in the GTI, making 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque that’s combined with either a slick-shifting 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch. During testing by Car and Driver, the hot hatch has a lead over the GLI to 60 in just 5.7 seconds. 

The GLI also shares the VAQ electronic limited-slip differential with the GTI that can send up to 100% of the vehicle’s power to either front wheels for maximum grip and performance in all sorts of situations and conditions. Even though it is a sports hatchback, it still returns excellent fuel economy with the ability to get 23 mpg in the city and 34 mpg highway on the highway. 

Even though the Golf GTI isn’t a crossover, it still has similar cargo space with 19.9 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the rear seats and 34.5 when those seats are folded. 

The S and 380S trims are the only models under $35,000, but they offer a lot of equipment as base trim levels. Both offer automatic LED headlights, LED daytime running lights with LED fog lights, VW Digital Cockpit Pro, 4 USB-C ports, heated front seats, and more. The 380S adds Multimode DCC, Travel Assist and Lane Assist, as well as 19”-inch wheels. 

S models only come equipped with the fast-shifting 7-speed DSG and have a base MSRP of $33,190, while 380S models are only offered with a 6-speed manual and are priced from $33,910. 

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

Last but certainly not least is the under-$35K flagship, the Tiguan SUV. Two of its four trim levels come in under this article’s budget for customers needing something a bit bigger than a Taos without stepping up to the more expensive and larger Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. 

Front-wheel drive trim levels feature standard three rows of seats for up to seven passengers. Three-row models have 12 cu.ft. behind the last row, 33 cu.ft. with the third row folded, and 65.3 cu.ft. with all rear seats folded down. All-wheel drive models come standard with two rows, while the third is optional. With two rows and AWD, the Tiguan has 37.6 cu.ft. behind the second row and 73.4 cu.ft. when the rear seats are folded. 

All Tiguan models feature a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that puts out 184 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive models get an EPA-estimated 24 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, and 4MOTION all-wheel drive models will get 22 city and 29 highway. 

The two trim levels coming in under $35,000 are the S and SE. The S models come in at $30,305 with FWD and $31,805 with 4MOTION AWD, while the SE FWD has a base price of $33,005, and 4MOTION models start from $34,505. 

At Bud Brown Volkswagen, we take great pride in providing the best sales and service experience possible. With dozens of new and used vehicles, our fantastic and friendly sales team and finance department will work hard to ensure you get the best possible price. Our superb service department will work tirelessly to keep your vehicle in the best possible condition to keep you and your family safe.

We look forward to serving you soon.