2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI review from North America

No problems with the car so far.

We have now owned our 2009 Jetta TDI for one month. Our first tested tank of fuel since the break-in period ended netted us 40 mpg. We were averaging 42 mpg in the 2007 Prius we owned before this car.

The 2009 Jetta is a constant surprise. Quiet and fast, you would never know you were driving a diesel. It's lightening quick at takeoff and passing. It has a smooth and firm ride to match its sporting personality. I love the driving position, which was a problem with our Prius. It's loaded with tons of features like a sunroof, heated seats, 10 speaker stereo with satellite radio, and an amazing DSG transmission.

The transmission isn't a regular automatic, but an automated dual clutch manual. Six speeds that shift so quickly and smoothly that without the tachometer you can't detect the shifts. It seems to read your mind and works brilliantly with the torquey engine for optimal driving. The transmission also downshifts automatically when descending long hills to help with braking, which I find incredibly useful.

I love the styling of this model of the Jetta, even though many have compared it to boring compacts. It has generous chrome features and a sporty look. The interior is very solid and well put together - feeling like a much more expensive car. It's substantially roomier than the previous Jetta design and seats four comfortably. The seats are leatherette, but are very comfortable and supportive - our first long trip was not punishing at all.

I was equally impressed with the size of the trunk, which at 16 sq ft is sized similar too many mid and full-size trunks. The Civic's trunk is just over 12 sq ft. This Jetta weighs 3300 lbs, compared to a Corolla which weighs around 2700 lbs - accounting for its planted driving characteristics and solid feel.

We decided to give this TDI a try despite reading about issues with reliability with many VW models. The most recent Golf/Rabbit has been scoring higher marks for reliability and we hope to experience similar results with this model.

I'll update this review periodically with any issues or surprises.