What the Volkswagen Jetta TDI clean-diesel sedan lacks in electronic gizmos it makes up for with a rewarding driving experience and superior mileage.
Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley reviewed the gas-powered Jetta, so I'll focus on the diesel version I drove. While Mike and I agree on a lot, our impressions of the interior differ.
The Jetta sedan has been redesigned for 2011, but the previous generation continues in the station wagon version, the 2011 SportWagen.
Driving
The Jetta TDI I drove had a six-speed manual transmission; a six-speed automatic is optional.
If you opt for the manual transmission, you should know the Jetta TDI has one of the stiffer clutch pedals of any compact car I've driven. I also stalled the Jetta TDI more than once, though not from a standstill. Every stall happened at low speeds when I thought 2nd gear was called for, but the engine bogged and stalled. Once I started keeping it in 1st gear longer, the stalls stopped. As another reviewer put it, you have to make sure you're in the right gear in the Jetta TDI more often than you do in other cars, especially other diesels.
Otherwise, the best way to describe the drivetrain is punchy. The Jetta TDI moves away from lights and passes quickly. There wasn't lag at any point, and it always felt like there was more power on tap.
The Jetta TDI's performance distinguishes it from other compact cars. In order to have any fun in them, some compacts force you to stand on the gas and wait for the engine to get to its top speed, while others give you everything they've got immediately, leaving nothing on tap farther down the road. The Jetta TDI feels different.
That's partly because diesels make more torque than gas engines: There are 236 pounds-feet in the TDI versus 177 pounds-feet in a comparable, top-of-the-line, gas-powered Jetta SEL. You can get higher horsepower figures from the 2.5-liter gasoline engine, but as gearheads say, you drive torque.
The steering is another success, though it does require more effort than most compact cars. The payoff is that it also gives you more feedback and you feel more connected to what the car is doing. I enjoyed it especially because the steering wheel is thick enough that you can get a good grip on it, and it's sculpted in the proper places so it's comfortable to hold. It's my favorite steering in this car class.
Finally, the Jetta's handling is very good. It feels planted to the road, and the suspension and chassis are well-tuned. The Jetta doesn't squat or roll as much as others in this segment do, so it feels level going through turns. The suspension absorbs bumps very well for a small car, and that gives you a sense of security at high speeds. The road doesn't beat up and toss the car around.
This Jetta isn't as light and sprightly as was the previous generation, so if that drew you to the old Jetta the new one might disappoint you. For the record, I never felt the Jetta TDI was too heavy, cumbersome or clumsy.
Diesel Mileage & Characteristics
I've covered the performance aspects of the diesel, but there's more to consider when choosing an engine.
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