2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: Miles and Miles

http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2009/05/2009-volkswagen-jetta-tdi-suspension-walkaround.html

i have a 2008 Jetta wolfsburg its a good car and has an even better engine, i cant speak for the TDI engine, i have a 2.0T w/ a DSG.

Please replace it with the 3rd gen Prius.

thanks for the link to the suspension walk-around pengwin

I agree to replace it with a Prius, whatever you do, please don't get a Mustang or something like that.

Anyways, I've always wondered what the difference between a Jetta Wolfsburg and an 2.5 SE is. What is it?

adavis - For the MY 2009, in a nutshell, the differences boil down to:

- 2.0T I4 (Wolfsburg) or 2.5L I5 (SE)
- 17" Wheels (Wolfsburg) or 16" Wheels (SE)
- Different suspension tuning (sportier on the wolfsburg)
- Standard 6-Speed manual (Wolfsburg) vs. 5-Speed Manual (SE)
- DSG is available on Wolfsburg, not on SE
- Special Wolfsburg badging that makes you feel all warm & fuzzy about your purchase...=)

Seriously, though, any Jetta Wolfsburg addition has usually been a great performance value, this one included. It's quite a bit less than a GLI, but then again, it's also less aggressive and less flashy.

Anyway, back on topic. I can't say enough about how impressive the current Jetta TDI is (both in Sedan and Sportwagen guise). It's deceptively powerful, incredibly practical and fuel-efficient, simple to own and understand (mechanically), and it coddles you with some nice luxury touches - all at a reasonable price. This is, of course, precluded by the fact that they can be somewhat hard to come by (at least the 2009 Sportwagen is), but don't let a small thing like that get in the way! =)

700 mile range?
I am confused here.
The VW web site shows 40\41 MPG highway.
And a 14.5 gal tank.
14.5 x 41 = 594.5 miles -
running the tank dry...

What MPG are you seeing ?????

http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2009/08/2009-volkswagen-jetta-tdi-700-miles-per-tank.html#more

"What you Said" post today???

Rayainsw

Everyone knows the EPA estimates are inaccurate (on the low end). True mileage from every review I've read, both personal reviews and official car mag reviews say it does more like 33 city 45 hwy. Many people get MUCH better than that, but I'd say that's the "normal driving" mileage.

That's still only 653 mi, but that's some serious mileage in a car that is reletively fun to drive and quite comfortable.

Replace it with a 2010 Golf TDI.

Donna, Donna! Request a raise immediately! You're getting so good!

So let me get this straight: a diesel gets good gas mileage.

Did I get every tidbit of this complex, deeply philosophical post??

Kissel, it gets funnier and funnier everytime you say the same idiotic things. Kudos.

Repetition is the lowest form of humor.

Still, I'm not laughing...

FYI... I was poking around the VW dealer a few days ago and noticed that the Jetta SportWagen gets a new front end for 2010 while the sedan keeps the chromed up front.

I went there to check out the SportWagen TDI and they actually had one with a manual, but it was the old front end. The new one is much more appealing.

Diesels really are a fantastic alternative for this interim period we're entering where electric cars (MINI-E, Tesla, etc.) are showing promise, but just aren't a true replacement for the internal combustion engine.

Nice to see that the VW has been a reliable interesting LT car....hard to believe a year went by so fast.

I’ve been burned by two VW products in the past and swore them off forever. The SportWagen TDI is now my forbidden fruit. I’m glad to see a Jetta TDI made it through a year with no major mechanical problems and few, if any, assembly issues.

I test drove a TDI the other day and what struck me was the second or so between pushing the accelerator down and the response from the car. It wasn’t in “sport” mode, I don’t think, so that may make a difference. Was that turbo lag or the DSG doing its thing? Does that happen with the tester? I’ve driven turbo cars before and owned an XR4Ti and never experienced anything like that lag.

Nobody seems to mention this issue in the posts. Is it something you get used to? Was it perhaps unique to the car I was driving? I had considered it a deal breaker, but after reading a bunch of super-positive reviews, I’m starting to wonder if I would just need to get used to the car.

SpeedHoles, it was the DSG lagging. The turbo lag in this car is almost non-existent. You should have put it in "manual mode" while cruising and then romped it a bit to get a feel for the little turbo lag. The DSG really is nice, and I feel the lag from a stop is it's only real fault. If you try and compensate for it by pushing a bit harder on the accelerator, you end up flying away from the light :)

adjat84th, that about sums up what happened. Thanks for the tip. Forbidden fruit: once again lookin' tasty.

My 2009 Jetta TDI consistently gets over 50 mpg on the highway IF I keep my speed at 65 mph. At 55 mph on rural two lane highways I've approached 60 mpg with favorable winds. I have 12K after only 4 months of ownership, travel a lot of highway miles, and the fuel economy seems to be improving. The car loves to go fast so driving for maximum mpgs takes some self control. My combined highway city is about 44 mpg. Certainly isn't a match with the EPA ratings.