Considering the truly drool-worthy cars in our long-term fleet, you'd think it would be easy to grab the keys to the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.
Not for me, it wasn't.
After almost three months of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I finally nabbed the keys. But I was worried about what I call the Indiana Jones effect.
Let me explain.
When Raiders first came out, my friends raved about it after seeing it multiple times. "It's the best movie EVER," they said. I finally saw it a month later, and it utterly failed to meet expectations. I hated it, in fact, and I've been unable to enjoy any I.J. movie since.
I've heard a lot of good (and some bad) things about our Jetta. Would it suffer a similar fate?
In a word, no.
Engine: Marketing types have been selling us horsepower for decades, but what those of us who aren't racing really need on a day-to-day basis is torque. And this Jetta has it. I was never left wanting for acceleration when jockeying for position with those around me. Add in a well-sorted DSG gearbox and you've got an efficient, yet flexible powertrain. I'd forgotten it was a DSG, in fact, until I tried to reverse out of a significant nose-down parking space. Only then did I notice a bit of surge as the clutch engaged. A minor point, indeed.
Noise: This is the elephant in the room when it comes to diesels. But I took my brother and sister-in-law out to dinner, and they were surprised. "I didn't hear anything," he said after we got home. Sure, the idle quality has a bit of a gargling character, but it never rises above background level. The exhaust note will never be accused of being sporty, but I could easily live with this.
MPG: I can't report what this car is capable of because I didn't go on a long trip and I didn't drive a set pattern. But I did get 38 mpg driving on a mix of LA freeways and surface streets in my local neighborhood with 4 people aboard. Not bad at all.
Brakes: In a reversal of the Indiana Jones effect, it's not as bad as I'd heard. Yeah, it isn't perfect, but there's nothing broken here. I've owned cars like this before: stops just fine, but the pedal feel doesn't rock my world due to the way the manufacturer chose to spec-out the brake booster. Add this one to that list.
Trunk: Compared to any hybrid sedan, the Jetta TDI has a humungous trunk with a low, flat floor because there are no batteries to muck up the space. Only the Prius, a 5-door hatchback, comes close among high mpg achievers.
UIN: You may not be familiar with this acronym, but there are engineers at major carmakers who make a career out of the elimination of Unusual Interior Noises. Despite this, our Jetta has one in the steering column. A "tap-tap, tap-tap-tap" noise intermittently comes from the vicinity of my knees anywhere between 15 and 70 mph. It isn't a creaking sound from the plastic clamshell covering the column, nor is it related to a specific speed, steering input or road surface. And the tapping, when it occurs, seems to follow a repeatable pattern. Frankly, it drives me nuts. We'll get to the bottom of this one-off issue soon. If I wasn't about to drive to Oregon, I'd go in with a screwdriver and have a look myself.
While it'll never be my choice to survive a fall down a sheer cliff and ride-out two Niagara-esque waterfalls in rapid succession on the way to see some aliens, I give the 2009 VW Jetta TDI a big thumbs up. Assuming I can find that noise, that is.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 7,602 miles
vacagrande says:
09:10 AM, 12/22/08
Unrelated, but since I believe it was your kids that were attacked by the long-term Mini, thought this might interest you.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/12/recall-alert--1.html
blueguydotcom says:
10:46 AM, 12/22/08
I got that recall notice. I'd rather suffer the occasional burn, thanks. My mini will retain its exhaust pipes. :)
MS3lvr92 says:
10:53 AM, 12/22/08
good information.... wish I had one of these to tool around town with. Sounds like fun.
blueguydotcom says:
10:54 AM, 12/22/08
FWIW, I drove a TDI a few months back. It's a smooth little car. Lots of room, great torque, decent roadfeel, nice interior - like the rear HVAC. Really, it's a pretty solid little car. That torque makes it livable, and yet there's no real sound from the engine bay unless you have the windows down and pay attention while accelerating.
dougtheeng says:
11:30 AM, 12/22/08
Its "Niagara" not "Niagra".
edubya says:
11:33 AM, 12/22/08
How are the over-six-footers enjoying this car? Seems like a lame question considering I could just go to a dealer and see for myself, but my occupation and the season makes that rather difficult.
actualsize says:
01:52 PM, 12/22/08
No problem. I'm 6-foot 2-inches tall and I have no trouble fitting thanks to a tilt/telescope wheel, a height adjustable seat (that can drop more than I care to drop it) and generous travel for the front seat (which slides back further than I care to slide it.) And this car has a sunroof, too.
greenpony says:
02:34 PM, 12/22/08
"...on the way to way to see..." ?
I should have gotten a diesel. Seems quirky and unique, which suits my personality.
greenpony says:
02:39 PM, 12/22/08
I liked Raiders, by the way. Excellent movie, four stars. I like pretty much everything Spielberg does.
actualsize says:
02:48 PM, 12/22/08
Sorry GP. Only got 5 hours of sleep last night. Coffee time.
jgpingpong says:
07:28 PM, 12/22/08
I am 6'2" and I am swimming in comfort in my GLI. It has a sunroof too. The seats are well shaped, even in the non GLI versions, and there is plenty of headroom and legroom. Width is just right.
In response to the tapping sound, it maybe coming from the gas tank and not the steering column. It is an evap control that occurs normally, but I maybe wrong.
estreka says:
08:30 PM, 12/22/08
Raiders rocked. I'm surprised you didn't like it.
Crystal Skull on the other hand...
blueguydotcom says:
10:37 PM, 12/22/08
crystal skull... the nuclear scene had my wife whispering to me, "This is gonna be ten thousand kinds of suck..."
justin says:
06:35 AM, 12/23/08
The tapping sound is probably behind the dash. On some its actually behind the glovebox. Its some sort of auxiliary fuel pump something blah blah not really sure. I wish I could remember....but its normal from what I understand. Gonna drive me crazy now. IF I am right about the noise you are hearing, period. I suppose it could be something hosed up in the tilt-telescope mechanism?
dgcamero says:
08:40 AM, 12/23/08
@edubya
I'm 6'5" tall and have absolutely no issues whatsoever fitting in the A5 VWs. I usually drive with the seat one click forward of the rearmost position, the steering wheel comes out plenty far, seat raises up and down (and I don't sit on the floor and still have a couple of inches of headroom, even with the sunroof)...despite all of this I can still reach all the controls without stretching. This is the tall person's dream car! I don't fit in a Civic, Corolla, Fit, Sentra, Mazda 3, CTS (with sunroof)...the last one there really upsets me.
bbechtel16 says:
06:19 PM, 12/23/08
'crystal skull... the nuclear scene had my wife whispering to me, "This is gonna be ten thousand kinds of suck..."'
LOL...I think I like your wife. Most women don't have such eloquent vocabulary.
I got my Dad the classic 3 disc box set for Christmas.