FuelFacts

2008 Volkswagen Jetta MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims

It depends on the trim. Some versions take premium and some take regular — check your exact engine/transmission below.

24–25
MPG combined (20–22 city / 29 hwy)
$2,375–$2,925
est. fuel / year (today's prices, 15k mi)
Varies by trim
gas type

Is the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta good on gas?

At up to 25 MPG combined, the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is about average for a Compact Cars — that class averages about 24.1 MPG across 6,481 EPA-tested versions, so it's middle-of-the-road for its size.

Real-world MPG vs the EPA number

The EPA figures above come from a standardized dynamometer test, not the open road — real-world MPG typically runs a bit lower depending on your driving, climate and terrain. That's true of every car on this site, old or new.

At today's AAA national average price — $3.80/gal for regular gas as of 2026-07-05 — the most efficient trim runs about $2,375/year (roughly $198/month, about $15.83 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 625 gallons a year. We don't estimate a cost-per-fill since exact tank size isn't in the public EPA dataset, but the per-100-mile figure scales to any tank. Current national average gas prices →

2008 Volkswagen Jetta trims & fuel economy

Trim (engine / transmission)FuelMPGFuel/yr (today's price)
2.5L 5-cyl, 5-spd manual, FWDREGULAR24$2,375
2.5L 5-cyl, S6 automatic, FWDREGULAR24$2,375
2.0L 4-cyl, S6 automatic, FWDPREMIUM25$2,808
2.0L 4-cyl, 6-spd manual, FWDPREMIUM24$2,925
Where the EPA lists premium, that’s the fuel the maker specified for the mileage test — many such engines run on regular with slightly less power/MPG. Whether premium is required or just recommended is an owner’s-manual detail the EPA dataset omits, so we don’t guess it.

2008 Volkswagen Jetta specs

What the EPA test-car listings record for this model year — every combination sold is a row in the trims table above.

Engine options2.5L 5-cyl · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Transmission5-spd manual · S6 automatic · 6-spd manual
Drive typeFWD
EPA body classCompact Cars
FuelVaries by trim

Other years of the Volkswagen Jetta

2012 Volkswagen Jetta2011 Volkswagen Jetta2010 Volkswagen Jetta2009 Volkswagen Jetta2007 Volkswagen Jetta2006 Volkswagen Jetta2005 Volkswagen Jetta2004 Volkswagen Jetta

Similar cars (Compact Cars)

2008 Ford Focus2008 Saturn Astra 4DR Hatchback2008 Toyota Camry Solara2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible2008 Suzuki Forenza2008 Suzuki Reno

Cars that take premium · Cheapest cars to fuel · Where fuel grade depends on the trim · Fuel guides

4 trim(s) · EPA FuelEconomy.gov data retrieved 2026-07-24 · fuel prices AAA national average as of 2026-07-05.