We, along with enthusiasts around the country, were deeply disappointed when Volkswagen revealed it was discontinuing the manual GTI. Still, we took some solace in the fact that the company still offered a manual version of the Jetta GLI. That solace turned out to be short-lived, since Volkswagen is dropping that version of the GLI for the 2027 model year.Volkswagen Row, Row, Row No More The report initially came from TFLCar, which first noticed the lack of a manual in an order guide. We reached out to Volkswagen for confirmation, along with a number of questions about why the change is happening, such as whether emissions or take rate were related to the decision. A VW representative gave us the same statement given to TFLCar, which you can read below."As drivers and car enthusiasts, we appreciate manuals too! That’s why our region worked very hard to keep them around—we know it matters to a small but passionate group of drivers who love being fully engaged and rowing their own gears. Even so, global demand continued to narrow to a point where the market can no longer sustain it. As much as it hurts, that reality meant making some tough choices."—VW RepresentativeVolkswagenThat statement is definitely lacking in specific details aside from demand being an issue. VW's sales reports don't offer much additional clarity either, since all Jetta models are lumped together, so GLI sales, let alone manual ones, are a mystery. With that said, the Jetta hasn't done well in the past year or so. Last year, sales dropped from 71,829 to 54,291, a 24.4% reduction.By percentage, it was the second-worst sales dip in VW's whole line, behind the Golf R. This year isn't going much better, with sales down for the first quarter by another 34.9%. If the GLI specifically was seeing similar or worse performance than this, we could see how VW would have trouble justifying offering this powertrain that isn't shared with really anything else anymore. There Could Be A Silver Lining One of our questions the VW representative left unanswered was whether any other powertrain changes may be coming to the GLI. While the GLI stood out for having a manual transmission, it also left the car with a bit of a disadvantage. VW hadn't upped the power of the manual engine combination like it did with the GTI when the hatchback lost its manual option. Changing the engine for just the manual would've required re-certifying it, which would've been prohibitively expensive for such a niche model. So, the GLI has stuck with the 228-horsepower version of the EA888 four-cylinder, even with the dual-clutch option.If there isn't a manual transmission to protect, though, VW could easily upgrade the GLI to the GTI's engine. That powertrain has already been certified in the GTI, so it would be easy to add, and you won't have to worry about hurting manual sales by having the dual-clutch model make more power. It wouldn't be a massive increase, but every bit counts. The GTI makes 241 ponies and 273 pound-feet of torque. Those are increases of 13 hp and 15 lb-ft. With any luck, VW would still be able to keep the base price below that of the GTI, making it a nice option for those with a tight budget. Of course, this is just speculation, and we'll have to wait for VW to release all the specifications for the new model year.
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