# Test Drive: 2009 VW Jetta CLEAN DIESEL



## MarcusSDCA (Jan 14, 2004)

Well my friends this is the real Prius killing machine......first I want to say that I did indeed stick my face close to the tailpipe and you HONESTLY can't smell a damned thing coming out of this motor....nothing but hot air. I realize the car was only at idle but still, my current TDI is a stinker. (and yes, I know carbon monoxide is odorless  )

The demo was white with black 'ette interior and a DSG tranny. It was really a clone of the 2006 model but this "Loyalty Edition" comes with a free Package 1 and 2 freebies: a 115V outlet in the rear climate console (back of the front armrest) and steering wheel buttons. I've been told that VW wanted to reward those that waited during the long absence of the Jetta TDI (2006 was last model year) so they are giving them the free Package 1 (sunroof, satellite radio, heated seats, 6-pack CD) After the Loyalty Editions are built (not sure how long they will make them) Buyers will have to pay for package 1 or 2 if they so choose. Package 2 adds leather and climate control for starters.

Acceleration was excellent compared to the 2006....in fact I left some rubber on the road leaving a green light, which is impressive in a VW diesel! I'm not a fan of the DSG since it seemed to have too much lag so I will report again after the 6spd stick test drive. Steering feedback was also quite good...light years ahead of the Prius.

MPGs are apparently going up 10% from the 2006 model...so if this is true you can expect close to 40mpg City and 50 mpg freeway.......so I ask: who would buy a Prius with numbers like this? The Loyalty Edition with manual comes in around $23,000 and gets you a sunroof, butt warmers, ...all unavailable in the "automatic only" Prius. Add the torque and the driving fun factor and it all adds up to a brilliant solution to high fuel costs, air pollution issues, and the need for a fun German driving machine (no BMW of course) at a great price.


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## 645ilubu (Oct 22, 2004)

Funnily enough, I drove one of these today too (as well as a 2008 GTI). 

Loyalty edition, white with black leather. I thought it had the tiptronic automatic, was not aware this was the DSG.

I liked the TDI, only a hint of "dieseling" at idle and at speed all you could hear were the injectors. Smooth delivery of power and had no problems passing from 60 mph to 80 mph. This surprised me. I've never driven a diesel and was always under the impression power was down low and it would "run out of steam" as it got higher in the rpm range. I guess it has a lot to do with the gearing, but the car performed well.


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## trueX5 (Feb 3, 2007)

Funny enough, I was the first American in Canada to start one! I wasn't allowed to drive it though. Silver/Black leatherette, $27k CDN

On Thursday I saw a truck load of them, with special paint touting their diesel engine. Also onboard was the new A4.


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## Asteroid (Aug 17, 2005)

I saw one at the dealer service shop today. It still had the sticker on: 29 city, 40 hwy.
Only 140-hp.


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## Excitmnt94 (Jun 6, 2006)

diesel isnt about HP...its about torque...235 LB/FT.

these are amazing. the real mileage is going to be incredible.


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

I don't know when the clean diesels are going to make it to Australia, but I've got my eye on a Golf GT Sport 2.0 TDI as my first car here. It's a slightly tuned version of the 2.0l motor that puts out 170hp and 260 lb ft of torque and gets about 47 mpg (5l/100km) highway and 36 mpg (6.6l/100km) when coupled with a DSG transmission. (and Oettinger has a chip for it )

From all accounts, the 0 to 60 numbers aren't too spectacular, but 30 to 3 points on your license comes up pretty quick :thumbup:


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## trueX5 (Feb 3, 2007)

Asteroid said:


> I saw one at the dealer service shop today. It still had the sticker on: 29 city, 40 hwy.
> *Only 140-hp*.


That's a pretty solid number....it will feel more like 200+ hp with all that torque.


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## pilotman (Feb 2, 2006)

sounds promising, and I used to be excited about diesels (wanted TDI Passat but settled for gas 2008 model), until the price of fuel skyrocketed.

You ask who would buy a prius? Well, keep in mind Toyota doesn't plan on sitting still, the 2009 (or 2010) Prius is supposed to be larger, better handling, only 22lbs heavier and 10-15% more fuel efficient on regular gas...so, hopefully it will easily achieve 50mpg....

of course, it will probably still handle like an appliance, but if MPG is the name of the game, competition is good...


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## hts (Dec 19, 2001)

i thought they weren't due to go on sale until aug.

:dunno:


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## MarcusSDCA (Jan 14, 2004)

goodkarma said:


> i thought they weren't due to go on sale until aug.
> 
> :dunno:


I thought it was Sept....but one dealer said they already delivered 2 of them in addition to their "not-for-sale" demo. I bet VW will be able to move a lot of these when the word gets out on the clean air and mpgs.....


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## hts (Dec 19, 2001)

MarcusSDCA said:


> I thought it was Sept....but one dealer said they already delivered 2 of them in addition to their "not-for-sale" demo. I bet VW will be able to move a lot of these when the word gets out on the clean air and mpgs.....


maybe. i'm reading that the rated mileage is actually quite a bit of a disappointment (some were hoping over 50 on the hwy and i think epa numbers suggest 40?). let's not forget that diesel is also a buck/gallon more than unleaded in most places, which certainly isn't helping their cause...

"Jetta sedans and SportWagens equipped with the 2.0-liter turbodiesel I-4 and a six-speed manual are EPA rated at 30 mpg city; 41 mpg highway. Opt for a six-speed DSG and the numbers drop to 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway.

*Those figures are approximately forty percent lower than VW's rough estimates*[doh!], although the automaker maintains customers could see results higher than the EPA's numbers in real world driving."


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## MarcusSDCA (Jan 14, 2004)

goodkarma said:


> maybe. i'm reading that the rated mileage is actually quite a bit of a disappointment (some were hoping over 50 on the hwy and i think epa numbers suggest 40?). let's not forget that diesel is also a buck/gallon more than unleaded in most places, which certainly isn't helping their cause...
> 
> "Jetta sedans and SportWagens equipped with the 2.0-liter turbodiesel I-4 and a six-speed manual are EPA rated at 30 mpg city; 41 mpg highway. Opt for a six-speed DSG and the numbers drop to 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway.
> 
> *Those figures are approximately forty percent lower than VW's rough estimates*[doh!], although the automaker maintains customers could see results higher than the EPA's numbers in real world driving."


The real-world numbers will be coming in the next weeks and months. And here in San Diego diesel is now about 25 cents more than premium....and it's slowly trending towards the premium price.


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## Saintor (Dec 14, 2002)

trueX5 said:


> That's a pretty solid number....it will feel more like 200+ hp with all that torque.


No, not at all.

I had one in Germany one month ago. A 140HP Golf 2.0Tdi w/DSG.

Overall fuel consumption on 1525km was a very good 36mpg US.


















It was a 45000$ car (with VAT).


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## Cains10 (Mar 19, 2008)

:thumbup:Our E320 CDI has 370 lb.-ft. of torque. It really is a fast car and still gets 35 MPG on the highway. Really great for a big car. Can't wait for the BMW diesels to get here.


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

Saintor said:


> It was a 45000$ car (with VAT).


It was a bit of a shock to this American to see how expensive cars are outside the US. That Golf I'm looking at should be somewhere around US$39,000 out the door. It's not hard to option up a 320d to where it is double that figure.

(And I forgot the word 'combined' to describe that 6.6l/100km figure in my previous post. No idea on urban cycle figures, but I won't be commuting in the car.)


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## TXE39 (Oct 2, 2003)

Asteroid said:


> I saw one at the dealer service shop today. It still had the sticker on: 29 city, 40 hwy.
> Only 140-hp.


That's a rocket compared to the one in the Rover - 111 HP in a 3 ton SUV. I get lots of nasty stares from people passing me after leaving very slowly from a red light.


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## 645ilubu (Oct 22, 2004)

goodkarma said:


> maybe. i'm reading that the rated mileage is actually quite a bit of a disappointment (some were hoping over 50 on the hwy and i think epa numbers suggest 40?). let's not forget that diesel is also a buck/gallon more than unleaded in most places, which certainly isn't helping their cause...


My thinking is that with the fuel situation going in several directions, diesel engines are the most versatile. Diesel has the option of biodiesel or regular diesel (and biofuel see link).

http://jalopnik.com/394479/sears-tower-or-bust-my-algae+powered-car-adventure

A regular car engine can only run on unleaded (and anything <= 10% ethanol). E85 cars require completely different internals to avoid breakdown from the alcohol.

I've been following algae based diesel and it is very promising. Last week they got certified:

http://jalopnik.com/397266/algae-diesel-passes-final-exam-plans-for-weekend-bender


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## AK (Jan 19, 2002)

I'm curious to know why the EPA's mileage figures for the new Diesel Jettas are so poor? Or maybe another way to phrase the same question, what is it that makes these cars' real world mileage consumption numbers so much better than the EPA estimates?


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## AK (Jan 19, 2002)

MarcusSDCA said:


> so I ask: who would buy a Prius with numbers like this? The Loyalty Edition with manual comes in around $23,000 and gets you a sunroof, butt warmers, ...all unavailable in the "automatic only" Prius. Add the torque and the driving fun factor and it all adds up to a brilliant solution to high fuel costs, air pollution issues, and the need for a fun German driving machine (no BMW of course) at a great price.


Gotta factor in fuel costs. Diesel costs 20% more than regular unleaded. A Diesel that gets 40mpg (the new Jetta) will cost the same in fuel to drive as a petrol-burner that gets 32mpg (Honda Civic). The Prius still seems to be the clear fuel-cost winner, with 40+ mpg on regular unleaded

That being said, I'm sure the Jetta TDI is a far more entertaining car to drive than a Prius. I will follow this car closely over the coming months.


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## sdbrandon (Mar 18, 2006)

AK said:


> Gotta factor in fuel costs. Diesel costs 20% more than regular unleaded. A Diesel that gets 40mpg (the new Jetta) will cost the same in fuel to drive as a petrol-burner that gets 32mpg (Honda Civic). The Prius still seems to be the clear fuel-cost winner, with 40+ mpg on regular unleaded
> 
> That being said, I'm sure the Jetta TDI is a far more entertaining car to drive than a Prius. I will follow this car closely over the coming months.


The Prius is not a clear winner.

1. It is a cheap $12k car with a $12k hybrid drive system.
2. Real world people get 40MPG tops. unless they are using it to deliver mail.
3. Save $12k and get a yaris, or spend a little more for a base civic. But please don't spend $12k more for an electrical drive train so you can have the illusion you are saving money. You simply paid for your energy in advance.


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## fuz (Feb 6, 2002)

The economic savings... I'm not sure they are there. Especially when you factor depreciation and maintenance. As a lower carbon footprint vehicle, I think it has more merit.

Steering, braking, and suspension are important factors to me as well. I don't feel very confident driving a Prius, or even most econo cars.


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## Dworkin (Aug 3, 2008)

I'm in the process of selling my 01 Jetta TDI to finance my 01 BMW 530. I just needed a bigger, safer car, since I'm now bringing my daughter to day care. I'll be test driving the 2009 TDI Monday, when I bring my 01 Jetta in for an inspection. Been getting 46-49MPG in the Jetta, and got 28MPG first tank in the 530. Get worse MPG in the winter due to winter blend diesel, but still 44-45 or so. 

I'll miss the diesel and in a few years when there are more diesels on the market, and VW drops their MSRP+ pricing on the new Jetta Diesels, I may look into diesel power again. Well, I do have my F-250 PowerStroke diesel.


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