Arguably one of the most anticipated diesel cars in the past few years is the new 2009 50-state compliant “clean diesel” Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen. Why? Because it’s affordable, performs well and gets great fuel mileage.
The SPA estimates the Jetta TDI will get 29 mpg City and 40 mpg Highway. But these numbers have been proven to be a biit low with owners and Volkswagen alike reporting much higer real world numbers. VW enlisted a third-party company to test Jetta TDI and found it performed 24 percent better in real world conditions, achieving 38 mpg in the City and 44 mpg on the Highway.
The Jetta TDI sedan starts at $21,990 and $23,590 for the SportWagen. As if that were not phenomenal enough, a $1300 Federal Income Tax Credit is available to buyers as well because it is an “Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle”. While the uninitiated might think diesels are dirty, the new VW Jetta TDI just got a “Greenest Vehicle” award last fall due to its ultra low emissions and high efficiency.
While the TDI’s value speaks for itself, we have to applaud all the other reasons why this car is worth a look. Jetta TDI’s include six airbags, with optional rear side airbags, and like all 2009 model year Volkswagens, Jetta TDI’s also feature standard Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) for added safety.
Also standard for 2009 is Volkswagen’s carefree maintenance program, with this program there are no charges for the scheduled maintenance described in the vehicle’s maintenance booklet for the length of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty—three years or
36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
When they first hit the market it was tough to get one at sticker. But with the current economic climate, dealers are stocked up pretty good with TDI’s and are more willing to deal.
