2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan User Reviews

Pros

Getting about 43 MPG city & highway. Much improved from my old '03

Cons

Sunglass holder is a bit small, drivers side seat has hard plastic molding

I traded in my 2003 with 160K for a 2009 TDI....gave me $6,300 & got a nice price of only a few hundred over DI so this was a deal I could not pass up. Showed up saturday at end of month, knowing what they had, what I wanted & was done in an hour. The mileage was actually a little worse than my 2003 so far (I was getting 46mpg) but with the onboard system that provides your mpg as you are driving, you "learn" how to get better gas mileage. The only con is that when you get into the drivers seat, it has the hard plastic holding (where you can adj the seat) to high so your leg hits up against it getting in. The '03 had about 4 inches of clearance and the seat was more comfortable getting in. The only other thing is the sunglass holder is too small to fit many of the wrap-around sunglasses. Otherswise, completely satisfied....and, oh, by the way, I had the autobanh wrap on my '03 & kept the paint in pristine condition & got it on the '09....read morehide

Pros

Excellent fuel economy, lots of power, safety features, quiet engine, great stereo

Cons

no standard Bluetooth, slight road noise

Fun to drive! The fuel economy is much better than the EPA estimates. So far I am averaging 39+mpg in my daily commute (70%city, 30%highway) and when I go strictly highway I'm averaging 51mpg. And the amazing thing is that it should improve as the engine breaks continues to break in (have 2500 miles so far).

Glad I picked this over a hybrid -- much more power and the trunk size is unbelievable! The Jetta is comfortable during my day-to-day commute and also during road trips. It easily fits four 6-footers with no performance lag. The engine noise is even less than my friend's '08 Passat 2.0T and no one can believe that it's a diesel until they look at the badging.

And did I mention it's fun to drive? The Jetta is both sporty and practical -- what more could you ask for?...read morehide

Pros

Great performance and gas mileage while still having a sporty but classy look.

Cons

None so far...

I recently purchased an 09 and what a deal it has been. Not only did we get a great deal pricewise but the car is a great vehicle. It's sporty yet classy and has a lot of room, more than I expected. It handles superbly and is fun to drive. I would recommend this car to anyone from teenager to senior, it's that great!...read morehide

Pros

Transmission shift is quick and smooth, very quick 2.0T Wolsburg, seats are great.

Cons

Brake pedal vibration on downshifts is a little annoying at first but expected with the ZF.

Bought it a month ago, 2500 miles on it. I had a little problem with the sunroof seal, back to the dealer twice. Really enjoy driving it. I work on road race cars (Indy, Formula Atlantic and Formula Fords) as a hobby, this is as close as you get to a racer in street clothes. The 2.0 turbo engine is a real surprise in the acceleration department, sometimes its scary quick, it pulls hills with ease and will literally put you back in the seat on hard acceleration. Handling and steering amaze me. At times, its like riding on rails after being shot out of a cannon.

I drove a 4 year old Jetta with over 100,000 on it and was surprised at how tight the car still was. Went to local dealer and drove a 2.5 liter but wanted something with a little more zip. They told me they had some Wolsburgs coming in and they would call. The salesman guarnteed me I would like it. I test drove one two blocks and was driving mine home 2 hours later.

What a fun car, love it. Sorry I never bought a VW earlier in life. Still a kid at 60 I guess....read morehide

Pros

Great handeling on modest factory tire, great value, good gas mileage for turbo, very sporty feel

Cons

not 5 star frontal crash, feel some road bumps, no fog lights

This is alot of car for the money and I was hard pressed to find another comparable to this one. The turbo makes this a rocket and although not the best tires from factory it handles very well. Interior is very well done but middle console is small and almost unusable. Rear airconditioning vents are a nice feature for passanger comfort which is a nice feature. This yea it feels more like a German sedan than previous years. Can't say enough for the AUDI engine and transmission for the little Volkswagon........read morehide

Pros

Fun to drive, Value, Trunk space, Safety features, transmission,

Cons

Takes high test fuel, Center console is small, Sunglass holder needs to be larger also

What you get for the price I've seen very few cars better. This car has the true look and feel of real german engineering. Test drive one and you'll know what I'm talking about. It may not get the best gas mileage compared to Honda and Toyota but you would be hard pressed to find a sportier sedan with this much room, comfort and quality as the Jetta. I was pleasantly surprised by the Jetta's all around performance (acceleration, braking and cornering). You step on the pedal and that turbo kicks in and this car just fly's. Tested this car at a track and had it upto 120mph and the Jetta felt like it was doing 60mph. No ratteling, shaking or looseness in the steering wheel it just felt like it wanted to go faster (or maybe that was me). The automatic triptonic transmission is great. It allows you to shift 3 different ways; automatic, manual, and a sport gear for passing. This transmission is smooth even when you put the pedal to the floor. One of VW's bragging rights is that there transmissions shift as fast as racecars. Don't know if it's true but I do know this transmission shifts as smooth as a BMW and better than half the Mercedes I've driven.

The comfort of the Jetta surprised me to. The seats are firm (the leather is soft though) and form to your body very nicely. It has front and rear armrests with cupholders and the front and rear seats can accomodate 4 adults comfortably. As for the trunk, believe me, you have planty of storage space. I can fit my hockey bag with sticks and my tennis bag all in the trunk at the same time. Golf clubs no problem, at least 2 bags. If you like music the soundsystem in the Jetta is excellent. The 6 disc cd changer is great and having the satellite radio already installed into the system is a blessing. Very easy to manage while driving.

If your shopping for a sporty, good looking sedan with plenty of room and comfort it would be well worth your effort to test drive the Jetta and better yet the Jetta Wolfsburg edition (it's the performance Jetta). Since I've had this car my enjoyment of driving has increased two fold. It's nice to see you can still get quality and performance at an affordable price....read morehide

Pros

Great city and highway car, fun to drive, economy better than rated, quiet engine, no smell

Cons

Could look sportier, V-tek interior is acceptable - prefer cloth or leather

Have driven the car approx. 2000 miles city and highway. Cruises effortlessly at 80 and still gets 40+ mpg. Our last two fillups averaged 34.6 and 37.7 combined city and highway, the EPA estimate seems low. Quality seems very good, however, it's too soon to make any real statement. It's also a fun car to drive, it makes its power at low RPM's and at highway speeds is only turning 2500 rpm or so. Last point - the tailpipe still looks new as delivered, no diesel soot, quiet engine, and no diesel smoke and smell....read morehide

Pros

Excellent fuel economy and looks, solid build, great fuel economy so far, loads of torqe

Cons

Should have gotten a Loyal Edition w/ a sunroof, you'll pay MSRP

I drive over 500 miles to and from work (I carpool also) plus miles to dog training and weekend errands. So I need a fuel efficient, comfortable car. I traded in my Toyota Yaris for a Reflex Silver Jetta TDI....my first diesel. I should have gotten the Loyal Edition on pre-order with a sunroof, but I held off until I could drive one. I paid $1500 over MSRP. However, there is a $1300 tax credit available. Talk to your dealer about this and do some research on the IRS website for details. Another perk....carefree maintenance @ your local VW dealer for 3 yrs/36K which ever one comes first.
Solid build, leatherette interior, onboard computer with steering wheel controls (MPG, compass, sound system volume, options for lighting, and other stuff I haven't played with yet). The stock sound system in the TDI is complete with Sirius sat radio, 6 disc changer, iPod adapter and speakers everywhere.
The ride is superb. Doesn't feel like a Japanese economy car. Fuel economy on my first fill up was 38 combined. DSG transmission keeps you nicely tucked in the power band. A six-speed manual might have been more fun, but shifting gets old after a few years. I don't think they're even delivered with a manual right now...maybe in 2009 they will be. Again, check with your dealer.
Seats are very comfortable and easy to clean if you get the leatherette. Loads of room for four...five becomes very tight.
Frontal and side curtain air bags with solid steel cage construction and crumple zones make me feel very safe. A defeatable electronic stabilization program comes standard on the TDI...not sure about the other Jetta trims...check the internet or with your dealer. The retractable key fob remote is pretty cool too.
Feel good about going green...seriously, I doubt a chemical-laden hybrid can match the greenhouse gas emissions of a Jetta TDI.
Don't sweat the quality of this car, it's very solid. Interior appointments are simple yet tasteful. VW has build a reputation around diesel powered vehicles. It's not a smogger either with a four stage exhaust cleanup system guaranteed for 8 yrs/80k.
I can't recommend this car enough....read morehide

Pros

Good fuel economy, GPS comes real standard.

Cons

Ride is smooth, Breaks are excellent.

I love this car. I enjoy riding in it every time. I expect that all who have this type will also enjoy it as it lasts.

Pros

Fuel Economy, seats, safety, engineering

Cons

Engine noise, serviceability, creaks and rattles, VW service is the worst (Burdick Driver's Village)

I get a consistent 29-34 miles per gallon. But fuel economy and comfortable seats can't redeem a car that is nearly impossible to fix. VW service is by far the worst I've ever encountered. My Jetta was out of service for 17 days over 5 service visits because of a headlight switch. The car was damaged while being repaired and required paint and body work that took a week, during which time Burdick VW/Driver's Village of North Syracuse, NY damaged the side airbag sensor, requiring another week (at a different dealer) to repair. Service techs are clearly overwhelmed by a vehicle that is not designed to be quickly or easily worked on. Very high maintenance costs (oil changes, brakes). Every service encounter leads to a second visit for work not done correctly or completely, back-ordered parts, and service loaners that don't exist.

And for 2009, ESP is standard, but the price is up $350 while the basic warranty is shorter by 1 year, from 48mo/50,000miles to 36mo/36000miles. The active head restraints are gone, and materials and features are cheaper or missing altogether throughout the car.

I read that VW is hoping to triple their sales in the U.S. over the next few years. It won't happen. All the cool, hipster ad campaigns can't conceal the fact that VW's corporate attitude assumes that people buying low-priced vehicles should have lowered expectations for an ownership experience. But VWs haven't been cheap cars for years and they break down regularly. Consumer Reports states that an 8 year old Toyota is more reliable than a 2 year old VW. We have both products in my family and there is simply no comparison. Until they get their act together with their horrible dealer service, ranked 2/5 by J.D. Power (only Isuzu is worse), they will continue to be trumped by the Japanese, Koreans, and even the Americans. My first VW, and my last. Can't wait to sell it and get another Toyota....read morehide