Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
The diesel-powered Jetta TDI wagon has gotten most of the attention, but Volkswagen also builds a Jetta wagon equipped with its torquey and fuel-efficient 2.0-liter turbocharged, gasoline four-cylinder. Rated at 200 horsepower, the 2.0T is only available on the top-of-the-line VW Jetta SportWagen SEL. With a six-speed manual gearbox, it has a fuel economy rating of 21 mpg city/31 mpg highway. And all Jetta wagons have 67 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
This particular 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SEL is loaded with options, resulting in a borderline uncomfortable price tag. Fortunately, it's over a second quicker to 60 mph than our long-term VW Jetta TDI sedan, which weighs about the same. With our SEL wagon's port-installed 18-inch wheels and 225/40R18 Goodyear Eagle GT tires, it's hardly shocking that it stops shorter than our Jetta TDI sedan, too. What is surprising is that this SEL wagon is over a mph slower through the slalom than the TDI -- those grippy tires don't work well with the stock suspension tune.
Follow the jump for numbers and comments from our test driver.
Vehicle: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SEL
Odometer: 3,941
Date: 8/18/09
Driver: Chris Walton
Base Price: $26,765
Options: Navigation System ($1,990), 18-inch Black Karthoum Alloy wheels ($1,799 -- port option), Ground Effects Kit ($1,699 -- port option), Panoramic Sunroof ($1,300), Rear Side Airbags ($350)
As-Tested Price: $33,903
Specifications:
Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
Transmission Type: 6-speed manual
Engine Type: Turbocharged inline-4
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 1,948 (121)
Redline (rpm): 6,500
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 200 @ 5,100-6,000
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 207 @ 1,800-5,000
Brake Type (front): 11.3-by-1.0-inch ventilated disc with single-piston sliding caliper
Brake Type (rear): 10.2-by-0.5-inch solid disc with single-piston sliding caliper
Steering System: Electric-assist power rack-and-pinion steering
Suspension Type (front): Independent McPherson struts, coil springs, stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Independent multilink, coil springs, stabilizer bar
Tire Size (front): 225/40ZR18 92W
Tire Size (rear): 225/40ZR18 92W
Tire Brand: Goodyear
Tire Model: Eagle GT
Tire Type: All-season
Wheel Size: 18-by-8 inches
Wheel Material (front/rear): Aluminum alloy
As tested Curb Weight (lb): 3,381
Test Results:
0 - 30 (sec): 2.9 (3.2 traction control on)
0 - 45 (sec): 4.9 (5.3 traction control on)
0 - 60 (sec): 7.7 (8.1 traction control on)
0 - 75 (sec): 10.9 (11.5 traction control on)
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 15.6 @ 89.9 (16.0 @ 88.0 traction control on)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 7.4 (7.8 traction control on)
30 - 0 (ft): 29
60 - 0 (ft): 117
Braking Rating: Good
Slalom (mph): 62.9
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.84
Handling Rating: Poor
Db @ Idle: 39.6
Db @ Full Throttle: 75.6
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 64.5
Acceleration Comments: Launching this car is a bog-or-boil affair. Getting just enough spin without hazing the tires is tricky. Big mid-range torque surge fades as rpm climb. Shifter is a little rubbery, but gates are well defined.
Braking Comments: Moderate effort, good feedback, good fade resistance, and yes, the good rubber works.
Handling Comments: Skidpad: Steering doesn't offer much feel for available grip or where the limit might be. Stability control (ESP) is not defeatable, and it limited throttle and then grabbed brakes. Note: On both clockwise runs, the oil sloshed to one side of the engine, producing a huge white cloud followed by noisy lifters. Slalom: Frankly, I'm a little shocked by the 63-mph average speed, because this wagon felt horrible through the slalom: Big yaw delay, followed by understeer, followed by oversteer, followed by ESP intervention. What a mess.
wasaabi92 says:
06:37 PM, 09/ 8/09
$34k!? Whoa now ... I didn't realize Porsche is controlling VW's options pricing as well.
A far better deal sans body kit and wheels. But then it's still $30k. Hmm...
subytrojan says:
06:37 PM, 09/ 8/09
Looks cool, but reading Chris' handling comments killed it for me. And it's expensive, too.
nkeefe says:
06:53 PM, 09/ 8/09
I'm really surprised that it handles so badly
clarkma5 says:
08:17 PM, 09/ 8/09
18" wheels = suspension travel limiters, combined with non-GTI/GLI suspension tuning...bad times. I wouldn't go over 17" on any MkV car, and probably just stick to a quality set of 16" tires and wheels for the non-sport models.
As for the pricing...that body kit is ridiculously expensive. Frankly the Jetta SEL offers a good deal out of the box without all the goodies...it's a lot of car for the mid $20k range.
blueguydotcom says:
08:45 PM, 09/ 8/09
My god, 09 WRX wagon = AWD, better engine, better handling, far far faster, better built, and only 25k.
cz75 says:
12:07 AM, 09/ 9/09
I'd be more interested were it a diesel. Over $30K for any Jetta is insane.
eclogite says:
04:15 AM, 09/ 9/09
I'm with cz75. I'd be more interested if it were a diesel, too. And Chris' comment "Big yaw delay, followed by understeer, followed by oversteer, followed by ESP intervention. What a mess." really makes me shy away from this car.
jacton says:
05:46 AM, 09/ 9/09
wait until the VW Zealots get a hold of the handling comments...oooo wee!
I have to agree with the above comments; definitely a diesel wagon and $30K for a Jetta is just downright insane. Sounds like VW is trying to move upmarket again.
yellowmiata says:
06:20 AM, 09/ 9/09
IL - this review is very good and a bit scary. Having all of the oil on one side of the engine doesn't lead to long engine life. Good catch and writeup!
mind_ride says:
07:35 AM, 09/ 9/09
Pardon my ignorance, how did you know the cloud was caused by the oil? How can you hear the (valve) lifters?
Under the laws of physics, wouldn't turning to one side slosh the oil in any engine?
tryan says:
08:44 AM, 09/ 9/09
mind_ride is absolutely right and how does oil sloshing to one side produce a white cloud? I'm assuming you're alluding to the notion that it was burning oil (even though burning oil should produce a dark cloud)? If so, that shouldn't happen even with the oil 'sloshing' around, which would then indicate a potential problem with blow-by.
As always, readers need to do their own due diligence with pricing. You would not pay nearly MSRP for this car, even though it's a SportWagen.
Additionally, this specific car (SEL) with all its options is MUCH better equipped than, say, a base BMW 3-Series, whose price easily eclipses the actual price you'd pay for this loaded-to-the-gills Jetta. Also, keep in mind you could easily save $3,500 off the quoted price above if you forego the ridiculous wheels and body kit - two options that offer no benefit to performance and apparently actually negatively affect the capability of the car (in the case of the wheels). The stock SEL with 17" wheels actually handles just like the TDI SportWagen, which has gotten rave reviews.
cz75 says:
10:16 AM, 09/ 9/09
A well designed engine would have an oil pan deep enough and an oil pickup tube far enough down to not have issues when cornering.
As for equipment levels, does the SEL trim have leather or pleather seats? A BMW only has the latter, but even the base engine and suspension put it ahead of a Jetta. The Jetta doesn't have HIDs, even as an option and I expect them for over $30K.
wjtinatl says:
11:39 AM, 09/ 9/09
Yikes! 34k for a Jetta? What happened to the "Peoples Car"? The SEL is overpriced for the content. The 2.0 turbo is a nice engine in a lighter, sporty car, but in the Jetta (particularly with Automatic) the base 5 cylinder is fine. Torquey and reasonably smooth, with a cool growl and runs on regular gas. Previous experience is that, like with houses, you don't want the most expensive one in the subdivision (or model line). Hope VW updates the Passat wagon and markets it better, it's much more car than the Jetta.
desmolicious says:
03:20 PM, 09/ 9/09
I think it's really funny tryng to compare this tarted up Jetta to a base BMW 3.
A few years ago I had a Golf 1.8T, and peeps on the VW sites were doing that stuff too. I was inclined to believe their hype, as I too was a VW owner. Then I drove the BMW, and, yah who was I kidding?! Not remotely close...
church123 says:
09:54 PM, 09/ 9/09
Burning oil in a spark ignition engine produces a bluish-gray smoke.
While the oil will slosh in any car during hard cornering, the problem can be excerbated (especially in transverse drivetrains like the FWD Jetta) when the car has lots of grip and poor body roll. This results in not only high G-forces pushing the oil to one side, but the sump tilting as well.
That said, the smoke problem is probably coming from somewhere in the top end though. This would fit with the increased lifter noise (and yes, oil starved lifters are quite noisy). During high G-cornering the oil is probably backing up into the baffles on the valve cover and through the PCV and breather system. This wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. It is a common occurence on Honda S2000s when they are equipped with race tires. It usually happens on aggressive turn in and in right turns only (the valve cover breather is on the driver's side of the engine). Only a little bit of oil comes through, but it leaves a light smoke trail. It is fixable simply by putting a catch can in the breather system (you're literally talking about a couple cc's of oil).
Since this doesn't seem to happen on other 2.0T cars, it may also be an issue of too much oil in the car (not as rare as it would seem for VW, eh?).
tryan says:
02:56 AM, 09/10/09
Desmo - Why is it so funny? Quite honestly, I have driven many 3-Series cars of all vintages, and while most handled nicely (some were horrible, though), when you consider the average consumer, they're not looking for that quality. All 'joe/jane buyer' wants is the whirling propeller badge, and they're willing to pay dearly for it, even if the equipment levels are not justified.
In that respect, the Mk5 and Mk6 Jetta flat out eclipses the base 3-Series for content value.
Regardless, I would agree that trying to compare your old Mk4 1.8T to a 3-Series is wishful thinking, but I would invite you to drive a Mk5 or even a Mk6 and see how much has changed.
cz75 says:
12:32 PM, 09/10/09
I'm going to assume church123 is Shawn Church.
church123 says:
03:57 PM, 09/10/09
Is my writing style that obvious? :)