2009 Volkswagen Jetta Review

2009 Volkswagen Jetta - TDI runs quiet, clean.

By: John Stein

Say the words "alternative fuel vehicle" and I tend to envision something running on hydrogen or recycled grease from restaurants - maybe even an electric car - but I do not think of diesels. And I definitely do not picture the Volkswagen Jetta.

My bad, on both points.

Certainly all the big wows recently have deservedly gone to new hybrid and electric vehicles; after all, diesel has been around for a long time. But this new VW turbo-direct-injection (TDI) Jetta is not your father's diesel (thank goodness).

Volkswagen's Jetta TDI is a clean-diesel alternative-fuel sedan that will help drivers get better mileage. Add in the turbo-diesel injection aspect and you have yourself one fun-todrive car that saves money at the pump.

Based primarily on where drivers put in their big miles each day, those with lots of highway miles who run the car at constant speeds will see great results with the 40-mpg Jetta TDI. That's actually an advantage over hybrids, which get big savings on city miles.

My Jetta's city performance was 29 mpg, a pretty acceptable rating in this class, but it shines on the highway and my tester easily reached the 40 mpg rating while I had it.

Initial savings abound with the Volkswagen

Jetta TDI. Buyers of the 2009 Jetta TDI can get a $1,300 federal tax credit because its clean diesel turbo qualifies for an advanced lean burn technology motor vehicle federal tax credit. On top of the mileage savings, take a look at the diesel fuel prices these days compared to regular unleaded. As of press time, they were less.

Outside, the Jetta TDI looks just like the standard Jetta. Adding to the attractive, European-styled exterior were 17-inch alloy wheels ($450) and a sporty lip spoiler ($329). I think these added to the muscular stance of the Jetta even though I'd argue the Jetta has a much more refined feel to it than similar cars in this class.

Inside the cabin of the Jetta TDI, I found ample leg and headroom for front passengers and reasonable legroom for rear passengers. Two adults in the back is the comfort level, though three will fit if you had to do it.

Jetta's cabin is quiet and comfortable.

While there are still remnants of the cheap plastic accessories and surfaces that were criticized in the previous generation, overall this is a cozy cabin that feels more refined than entry level.

If you ever had a run-in with a pre-2000 diesel, or found yourself stuck in traffic next to one on the highway, or had one warming up in your neighbor's driveway, the noise was clearly all diesel - and the smell was, too. This Jetta TDI had absolutely no smell to it from the exhaust and the noise was but a hum.

One thing was for certain: from the minute I touched the throttle on the Jetta TDI it had torque. Drivers who like to feel the car pop to attention when pressing the throttle will love the 236 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. This high torque rating is consistent across 2,500 rpm.

My Jetta featured a 16-valve, 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 140 horsepower at 4,000 rpm. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but my tester featured an upgrade six-speed automatic direct shift gearbox with tiptronic ($1,100) that was responsive and smooth.

Weighing in with a base curb weight of 3,285 pounds, this front-wheel-drive, five-passenger compact sedan does not feel sluggish or slow. It's like a cat ready to pounce on command.

Jetta comes with vehicle stability control, antilock brakes, head curtain airbags, dual front airbags and front-row sideimpact airbags. Rear passenger side airbags are optional.

My VW Jetta TDI tester had a base price of $22,270. Options included a 30-gigabyte hard drive DVD satellite navigation audio system ($1,990) and power tilt/slide sunroof ($1,000). Volkswagen's destination charge is $700. The final out-the-door price on the 2009 tester landed at $28,038.

This VW Jetta with turbo-direct injection is a wonderful option for those considering a smaller sedan that offers outstanding fuel economy and great European styling. Cost puts it in the top half of the class while performance and ride place it in the top third.

2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI

ENGINE : 140-horsepower 16-valve, 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbo

TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic direct shift gearbox with tiptronic

DRIVETRAIN: front-wheel drive

FUEL ECONOMY: 29 city/40 highway

BASE PRICE: $22,270

AS TESTED: $28,038 (including $700 destination)

WEB SITE: www.VW.com

John Stein

John Stein grew up in an extended family that valued the art of going fast. Spending plenty of weekends at U.S. 30 Drag Strip and Sante Fe Speedway, he fondly remembers the screaming machines and the flying mud that made those long-gone racing havens such special memories. With plenty of late nights spent ‘tinkering’ with cars throughout high school, he never anticipated his interest cars and his love for writing might find a common ground. After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1988, John started writing for the weekly Southtown Economist. So, when the Economist went to a daily in 1994, and needed an auto editor, John took the proverbial steering wheel. Featured weekly in the Sun-Times and its 17 suburban publications, as well as ELITE Magazine, John balances being the Automotive Editor for Sun-Time Media with being a husband and dad in Plainfield, Illinois.

2009 Volkswagen Jetta Review

2009 Volkswagen Jetta - TDI runs quiet, clean.

John Stein

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