2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportsWagen TDI

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All around the world, people want about the same things in their automobiles. A carefree maintenance program, a clean available gas or diesel engine, and auto engineering that is second-to-none. The latest safety features with safety technology married to a standard Electronic Stabilization Program can all be found in the Volkswagen Jetta.

Comfort and hi-tech are of interest to all automotive admirers. With blue cockpit lighting, heatable front seats, and a driver’s seat with power recliner and adjustable lumbar support, the Jetta is well on the way to providing these riches. A leather-wrapped steering wheel helped to connect with the soothing spirit of the Jetta. My Jetta had an optional sunroof that allowed me to kiss the sky on warm days, and degree-sensitive climate control and rear A/C ventilation promised me I would never have to compromise with my passengers.

My Jetta had the 2.O L 140 hp 236 lbs-ft torque inline 4 cyl. TDI engine. While the 2.O L Turbocharged engine with FSI direct fuel injection delivers 200 hp and 207 lbs-ft of torque and is a favorite for those under hood rocket connoisseurs. The 2.O L TDI clean diesel engine gives you 140 hp and 236 lbs-ft of torque. This engine is the toast of Europe for its quickness, low emissions, and fuel efficiency. The diesel engine gets 6.2 city/5.4 highway mpg. My Jetta got 8.1 city/5.9 highway mpg.

The Jetta comes standard with 45 safety features, working together in a network of harmony that provides your family the greatest in safety features.

I want to just mention two of those safety features: Crash Optimized Front End is designed to sacrifice the front of the vehicle in the event of a serious accident. The engine bay and structure of the car crumple in a pre-determined way to help keep the integrity of the cabin intact; and the safety Cell Construction and Anti-Intrusion Side-Door Beams create a laser-welded cocoon of safety around the passengers that is structurally reinforced in the most important area.

Jetta features an optional state-of-the-art touch screen navigation and entertainment system that combines a sophisticated radio with precise touch screen navigation and easy to read map views through its 6.5-inch high-resolution wide screen display. Its 30 GB hard drive can store map data and audio files that can be brought into the device via the optical drive or SD card. Admittedly I didn’t understand how this technology worked, but my oldest son got real excited when I told him about it.

The Jetta offers 60/40 split folding rear seats and expansive 16 cubic-foot trunk. It also offers handy door bins, a valet function for the glove box, and an available multi-function steering wheel and trip computer.

The price was right at $26,000 for my test vehicle, but the manufacture’s suggested retail price before the driver care package was $23,870.

Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or dcaussey@ssbcglobal.net .