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We've spent a year and more than 22,000 miles with the VW Jetta turbo diesel. But all good things must come to an end. The fleet is turning over once again.
We averaged more than 35 mpg during our time with the Jetta, with our best tank exceeding 46 mpg. Pretty good for a non-hybrid.
Read the full wrap-up of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI on Inside Line.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Gotta love them polished tankers. This one's full of good old 1863, otherwise known as "aviation fuel, turbine engine." Jet fuel. It's similar to diesel, and our 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI might even run on it. But the fuel's lower lubricity would do the VW no favors.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing
Here's a post Earth Day question for you: Do you consider diesel cars to be "green"?
Ask any anybody at Volkswagen and they'll tell you that diesels are most assuredly green since they're more efficient. But the average car buyer, at least in the U.S., probably thinks much differently. Diesels are what smelly trucks use right? How clean can those be?
It's actually a complicated answer depending on your view of greenhouse gases vs. strict efficiency, but forget all the technical details for now. Are you convinced that diesels can be as green as a hybrid? And more importantly, could you convince someone who had never heard of the term "clean diesel?"
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
Can't is really too strong a word, but over the weekend, I noticed the our long-term 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI's 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder has a mildly irritating drone at 75 mph in the DSG transmission's 6th gear (2,400 rpm).
Back off to 70 mph (about 2,200 rpm) and it goes away. Or, speed up to 80 mph (about 2,600 rpm) and it also goes away. I didn't get a chance to assess whether the drone is audible at 2,400 in the lower gears.
It's not a big deal, but I now make a point of driving 70 in the Jetta to avoid being mildly annoyed.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 22,413 miles
I spent a long weekend with the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and though I'm still liable to fuss over small details, this is one of those cars that integrated fairly seamlessly into my life and began to feel like my very own car. I've even thought about the car a few times since I turned it over to the next driver. That sounds insignificant, but I'd say this happens only half the time with the long-term test cars I drive.
For some reason, I feel very comfortable driving our Jetta TDI. The driver seat is flat, but it fits me perfectly and the steering wheel is scaled just right for my hands at nine and three. I like the sound and feel of the diesel engine, too. Oh, I could certainly do without the dead throttle response off the line, and I'd pick the conventional manual gearbox so I'd have more to do while commuting, but as it is, there's still enough torque for satisfying bursts of acceleration.
Also, fuel stations are often crowded and competitive in Southern California, so I usually put off going as long as possible, and with the TDI's range, I can go more days between fill-ups.
Here's one of our 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI's rear doors. Something obvious is missing here, but I never would have noticed it if I hadn't had my family in the backseat.
I returned to my alma mater of Pepperdine University last night for the retirement party of Dr. Mike Jordan: journalism professor, student paper faculty advisor and one of those people who've played a huge role in my life and career.
That meant driving up the coast to Malibu and I could think of no more fitting car to drive than our VW Jetta TDI. You see, while I was there I was accompanied by a 2000 Jetta VR6 (oh how I miss her). Now, rather than going on as I have in the past about why Jetta Mark IV is better than stripped out Jetta Mark VI, I decided to remove my rose-tinted windshield, push aside my general dislike for this car and consider ways in which this Jetta has nevertheless improved over the years.
I'll preface this post by saying that my iPod is ancient. I have the original Touch that was carved out of stone. I think it was even playing in the lounge when the Titanic went down.
Whenever I connect my iPod in our long-term VW Jetta, I choose all Songs and Shuffle. I like the strange mix I get when I jumble all of my music together. I even have a track with Scott Oldham pretending he is yelling at me about blogging. That really wakes you up when it comes on in the mix.
If a track comes up that I don't want to hear, I can advance to the next song by pressing the arrows on the audio system or on the steering wheel. If I want to go back or replay a track because I was really enjoying that Lindsey Buckingham guitar solo, the system goes to the next track regardless. So the forward and back arrows both advance. They just keep shuffling on.
That damn tire warning light starting to annoy you? Well then, here's a set of handy instructions on what to do conveniently located on the door sill or the Jetta.
Oddly enough, getting rid of the low tire warning involves filling up all four tires to their recommended pressures. After that, just hit the reset button for two seconds and poof! Warning light gone. Who knew it could be that easy?
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
Ok, this is admittedly picky, but since the Jetta's time is almost up here I figured it worth a mention.
I've never liked the way you adjust this car's mirrors. The knob just isn't very intuitive. Turn it backward to adjust the right hand side, clockwise for the left and I'm not sure what leaving it in the middle does. Oh, and crank it all the way forward for heat. I wonder if anyone even noticed that's possible?
Add to that the fact that it unnecessarily clutters up the door and I rest my case. Just put it down on the dash somewhere and stick a rocker switch on it already.
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
After using the Jetta's navigation system a few times over the weekend, I'd say it's barely worth the space on the dash it occupies. Sure, it works and all if you put an address in, but the level of detail shown by the maps is not very helpful.
I like to be able to see the names of the streets as I approach them but the Jetta's maps don't show much until you zoom almost all the way in. At that point, you lose your sense of direction since all you can see is the block or two ahead. One one hand, some might say that this is an entry-level car with a corresponding nav system. On the other hand, it still added $1,200 to the price of the car so it should be better than this.
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line
As you know, a dozen or so of us have traded in the long term fleet for yellow cabs this week as we cover the 2012 New York Auto Show. Just because we're on the opposite coast and covering other cars doesn't mean we've forgotten about the fleet waiting back at home.
So, with that in mind, we've sought out our long term cars here at the New York show. Where our exact car wasn't available, we found the closest thing to it. Enjoy!
When you mention biodiesel, I'm always thinking about those crazy guys who collect used cooking oil from restaurants. Some diesel car drives by and it smells like French fries. Like that.
Volkswagen apparently thinks different, as it recently did a deal to loan a couple of VW TDIs each to some high-tech players in the biodiesel world, Amyris and Solazyme.
The test price for our long-term Jetta TDI is about $26,000. With that not-insignificant sum for a Jetta comes the proprietary MDI cable that connects your iThing to the multimedia system. We had a Passat S in here a couple of weeks ago with no MDI connection nor even a USB port. Just an AUX In jack. The Passat is also about $6,000 cheaper.
To get iConnectivity in the Passat, you need to commit $26,800 for the SE model, and that also gets you a sunroof and navigation system. That's a lotta cheddar just to get some iPhone music in a VW sedan. And that's for a proprietary system with its own protocols that may or may not always work for you (one colleague here reports problems using MDI after a recent iPhone update).
Yes, the Passat has Bluetooth. But that limits you to volume and track forward/back. That'll do in a pinch, but streaming quality is inferior and inevitably we end up fumbling with our phones trying to find a playlist, until we rear-end a Subaru Forester full of rescue puppies so traumatized by the incident that they grow into adults that cannot be housebroken.
A simple USB port, that's all I ask. In every car. And especially this, the People's Car.
Dan Frio, Automotive Editor
Our Jetta TDI is back from its routine maintenance getting fresh oil and filters, a tire rotation and pressure check, and topped off fluids.
Our service advisor let us know of three outstanding recalls on the Jetta as well. One was an exhaust tip inspection that determined we didn't need updated tips. With the second they installed rubber grommets on the fuel injection line, and third was a software update.
No charge for any of this service. Santa Monica VW estimated the car would be ready by 5:00 p.m. They called me at 3:00 p.m. to say it was ready. Everyone was very polite and helpful. We also talked for a few minutes about what it's like to work at Edmunds.
The dealership is conveniently located near our office so I also got in a nice walk in the sunshine.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Our Volkswagen Jetta TDI will be leaving the fleet soon, having served its year and surpassing its 20,000-mile goal.
This service light popped up over the weekend. So, we took our Jetta to Santa Monica Volkswagen for one last appointment before it returns to VW.
We should have our little red friend back by the end of the day.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 20,245 miles
I tried to time my trip to the supermarket between downpours. I managed to get to Sprout's in a light drizzle. But coming out of the store, the rain was biblical. I tried to wait it out but it didn't seem to be letting up. So I made a mad dash for the Jetta, getting soaked despite having a bumbershoot.
Southern California can't handle rain, especially a rapid Noah's-Ark-style deluge. The run-offs and drains can't process the water quickly enough and you get huge puddles that cause traffic jams while the waters subside slowly.
I drove home on the same road that I took to the store. It was fine going but 20 minutes later it was backed up for three blocks. Three cars were stalled on the side of the road having attempted to drive through a large puddle. People continued to try, most getting through unscathed. By the time it was my turn, the water was much lower. The Jetta had no problem.
Accelerating and braking on the wet, oily L.A. roads was no problem either. The tires gripped confidently. No hydroplaning, no skidding. I know you're thinking that any modern car will do well in the rain. But I'm talking torrential waters, what my mother would call teeming.
The adjustable intermittent windshield wipers work well. I had them on low on the way to the store and I needed to put them on double quick on the way back. They adjust to a normal speed when you stop at a red light. After a year in the long-term fleet, which is like dog years for cars, the blades still clean the window very evenly.
The VW Jetta even looks good wet with that super bright Tornado Red paint.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
That's the passenger's footwell. Or what I call, the Black Hole.
The Jetta's black-on-black interior and lack of footwell lighting makes it difficult to find items that were either placed in the footwell or fell from the passenger seat. Like my black purse, my black running shoes, my black laptop sleeve, my cell phone...
"A) Are you home. B) Do you have jumper cables?" read my text to the staffer you'll never, ever be able to guess by reading the back of his Blue Jays jersey.
"Yes and Yes."
"Great. Can you stop by?"
Five minutes later, the unnamed savior of the day stopped by my apartment with a set of jumper cables and our long term Audi A8L.
"What died"
"Jetta."
"Did you leave the lights on, having momentarily gone deaf and not heard the insane beeping?"
"Nope. I don't know what happened. The battery's just dead. I can barely get interior lights and the stereo plays. That's it."
It took about three seconds to jump the Jetta with the big Audi and there hasn't been a problem since. Any guesses?
Mike Magrath, Features Editor, Inside Line @ 20,830 miles
In August of 2011, I took out 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI on our Fuel Sipper Smackdown route with the sole intention of getting the inter-office miles-per-tank record. Despite nearly 130 degree temperatures, my heavy right foot and the girlfriend's insistence on staying hydrated, I managed 642 miles and 45.724 mpg.
While it wasn't bad, before we hit the unearthly weather, the Jetta was assuming that I would've managed almost 800 to the tank. At the end of that post I said I'd try it again before the car went away. This weekend I tried it again. I even went ahead and bought a diesel-specific jerrycan...just in case.
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