2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan TDI

Pros

Great performance, great fuel efficiency

Cons

Speedometer marked in 10 mile increments, hard to determine 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 mph

Purchased As New

I have had my Jetta TDI since the end of July and have almost 8,000 miles, city and highway. We have made several long trips out of state and each time found the storage adequate for our needs.

Great mileage is a blessing, not having to stop every two or three hours to get gas. :)

Would like to have the sportwagon for more room when traveling but really like having the privacy of a trunk (Yes, it is in the back of the vehicle)....read morehide

Pros

Well engineered

Purchased As New

Spins very easily on snow from a stop, hard to get moving, but stability control is a lifesaver driving on slippery roads. Maintenance costs are high. Fun to drive, very solid car.

Pros

fuel economy, fit and finish, luxury touches

Cons

none

Purchased As New

This is my second TDI...I have 7,900 miles and I am very happy...it drives like a German luxury car and it has great "little" touches that are found in more expensive cars. People always comment on the fit and finish of the interior. And I get 40 miles to a gallon! VW has really got a winner in the TDI Jetta....read morehide

Pros

Good looks, fuel economy, comfort

Cons

Lots of road noise (Tires or lack of sound deadening, does not move well from a stop (lethargic)

Purchased As New

Overall car seems ok. I thought that I would be more excited owning this car but consider it as a yawning experience with lack of spark. Not sure if road noise is due to "all weather" tires, or lack of sound insulation. It is difficult to hear on a cell phone when I drive and is very obvious that I am calling from the car.

Car goes nowhere from a stop unless I tromp on the gas pedal. I think the 5 speed trans is the problem with no low end power....read morehide

Pros

Great fuel economy, superb handling; just plain fun to drive

Cons

the odometer button doesn't work; unable to turn off DRL

Purchased As New

I only have 2500 miles on it, but so far I am very impressed. It's a blast to drive, handling like a sports car (I have 17" wheels) moving into turns nimbly and sticking to the road. With the high torque, it's fast off the line and has spirited movement on the road. The engine is a little loud at 60 mph+, but I do mostly suburban/urban driving so it's a small complaint. Going down steep grades, the engine brakes and revs to about 3000 rpm, an annoying trait that causes me to shift to neutral. The only problem so far is the odometer button stuck the first time I pressed it.

The ride is great, taking road imperfections well. Plenty of interior room for four average size adults. I'm 6' 2" and I have plenty of leg room for driving....read morehide

Pros

Fuel Economy - Build Quality - Looks - Don't see many around

Cons

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Purchased As New

I traded a 2008 Scion xB for the Jetta Sportwagen TDI with the six speed manual transmission. I used the Scion for hauling materials for work and the car served well. But the car was vandalized twice and just didn't fit my personality. Not really into the Gangster/tuner thing. Was looking for a car with similar room but more upscale and non polarizing looks. I got much more than that.

First off the standard features, build quality, solid construction, are unequalled at this price (about $25K). But that turbo diesel is the real star on this car. Take off in first gear is a bit grabby when new but after about 600 miles it smoothed out nicely. Torque is plentiful and easily accessible. Panoramic sunroof was not necessary but glad I have it now.

This car gets some attention because there aren't many on the road and it looks good/rich in the platinum gray. Many are surprised that it is a diesel and that it gets mileage in the 40's. This car is one great value.

I did have a couple of issues with the right side power mirror motor going out right away. And the driver's door needed to be adjusted. But VW service took care of it quickly.

I really like this car and I just hope that the reliability will be up to what I am used to with Toyota. VW has made great strides in quality over the last couple of years, and the diesel engine is a winner. The $1,300 government tax credit helps bring down the already reasonable cost as well.

One other interesting side note. With the car running, I put my nose into the tail pipe and took a good wiff through the nose. Absolutely nothing... no smell, taste, oder at all. It was like breathing in air from an air purifier... amazing. I've read that air coming out of the tailpipe is cleaner than the air going in the engine.

So if you do buy one of these... suicide by sitting in your garage with the car running may take a while....read morehide

Pros

Excellent fuel economy and performance, fairly reliable

Cons

Poor dealer support, no customer service or interest in customer concerns

Purchased As New

Love the car, the fuel economy and performance for a diesel its wonderful, however the lack of what seemed to be basic features such as no latch to open trunk and lack of power lumbar setting on passenger side to be strange for a car that costs almost 30K. But what really burned me and why i will never buy another VW again is this: After I bought the car I came in for service about 4 months later and see the same car with power passenger seat feature and the Bluetooth was added as for $275. When I was buying just a few months earlier the Bluetooth was $550 (ridiculous on any level) but when I asked about the power back support on passenger side I was told initially not available on TDI, but here I see it. The dealer has no explanation and it is not a listed feature on the sticker. So if VW makes undocumented additions to a car in the same model year it seems fraudulent and unfair to me. I called VW about this and they basically told me I'm SOL. They obviously have no interest in keeping customers who just bought into the brand happy. For this kind of dough I think I?ll buy a new GM/volt or BMW diesel, next time I got better customer response from them when I had reasonable concerns about a vehicle that was just purchased.
BTW did I mention I paid 3K over sticker just so I could get this car (over 30K)!!!...read morehide

Pros

Great Value, solid, quality, fuel mileage, quiet, trunk space

Cons

Doors are lightweight, computer display is just OK

Purchased As New

My first foreign car at 52 years old. This thing is smooth, quiet and powerful. Have not had a good chance to see what the best mileage is yet. For the price, why buy a hybrid and deal with batteries, staooping and starting, etc. I am very very impressed with this car and hope to own it for years to come. Trunk is great, interior quality impressive. The mileage computer is confusing and my computer in my 07 Malibu is simpler and more user friendly....read morehide

Pros

Very good fuel economy

Cons

See review

Purchased As New

An excellent and reliable vehicle. However, the seats are too hard. Would prefer a more comfortable and softer seat. I am also disappointed that you cannot open the trunk lid without the use of the remote opener or pressing the open button from within the vehicle itself. The option to open the lid with a key would have been very desirable. Compared to my 1998 TDI, this TDI has excellent power and acceleration but at a cost of less MPG....read morehide

Pros

Great fuel economy, sporty, handles great, quick with manual, easy to shift

Cons

expensive, no $ incentives from Volkswagen

Purchased As New

Bought ours in June. Finding that the fuel mileage is wonderful. Comfortable for both of us. Cleans easy, drives easy, everything tight on this car. It is sporty and quick. I work in the Diesel industry and I find this engine very quiet. The manual I found quicker than the automatic. So far I am very happy with the results, our choice to buy this car and all the research I did. The next test will be winter driving. I hope it is much better than my Monte Carlo. That was terrible in the snow....read morehide