Volkswagen doesn’t offer a huge line-up of vehicles, but when they redesign their existing models they do it right. The new 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI is nothing short of that mark. The Jetta hit the market in 1979 and has since undergone several styling, engine and boy changes since then. The most recent Volkswagen Jetta TDI is a beautifully redesigned vehicle that meets even the toughest of emission standards.
The first thing that one will notice about the Jetta is it’s diesel engine. Diesels, in the consumer sector, were all but stamped out in 2006 following strict emission standards, but Volkswagen is bringing it back and many will be happy about it. VW completely redesigned their turbo diesel engine to make it 50 state legal in the US, and while it’s not exactly as powerful as the European version it’s damn close. At 140HP and 240lb-ft of torque it’s got a good amount of “get up and go”. VW is advertising that the little diesel that could goes from 0-60 in 8.2 seconds (not too shabby).
The return of the diesel is likely caused by the fuel prices that the U.S has been struggling with the last few years. While the price of fuel has come down considerably no one is running out to reclaim their Escalade just yet, and they likely won’t be doing it anytime soon. The Jetta TDI aims to bring fuel economy through diesel and it seems to be working. Auto trader gave the TDI a solid road test and found that the Jetta TDI outperforms the traditional 2.0 Jetta significantly in regards to fuel economy. Where the Jetta gets an estimated 21/30, the TDI version is looking at fuel economies closer to 40mpg. Diesel simply has better gas mileage, and always has. While it’s slightly more expensive the cost vs. mpg still puts it firmly in the spot of more economic.
Other than the engine the 2009 looks exactly like the current Jetta model, but that’s not a bad thing. The car has smooth sophisticated lines and comes in a variety of gorgeous color choices, albeit, VW’s take on white has always been my favorite. The interior is nice, Black interior offers a truly sleek experience with everything matching beautifully. In my opinion VW takes a lot more care in their interior than American Car companies and even Japanese car companies. It’s an important consideration since you’ll be spending your time inside the car, not checking it out from the outside.
Handling remains unchanged, with solid capabilities in both manual and automatic options. I’ve been behind the wheel of a Jetta and I must say I liked it a good bit. When I started driving I had a shiny new American car and have pretty much stayed within that realm for each of the new cars I’ve bought. My most recent purchase; the Mazda 3, handles nicely in my opinion, but the Jetta is far superior in the corners, and that’s where it really counts.
The only real drawback is VW’s legacy for producing notoriously hard and expensive to fix vehicles. It’s probably not one you would want to keep past the warranty, but many owners are reporting better reliability in recent years, so perhaps VW has worked out the kinks.
The Jetta TDI is available starting at 21k, while it’s about 4k more expensive than the base model Jetta it’s definitely worth a look. No one really knows the state of our oil prices, so it’s a good investment.
