Welcome to the world of a fun filled rocket that's great on gas!!!

Thought I would post my review of the 2003 Jetta TDI Sedan. I have been an owner of a 1999 Passat GLX for the past 4 years. I "downgraded" to the Jetta TDI for several reasons -- mainly my desire for a greener, more fuel efficient vehicle with a lower lease payment. I purchased an automatic 2003 Jetta TDI Sedan in Platinum Grey (a new colour for 2003) with 17" Long Beach wheels, a nose bra, roof racks, electronic stability (ESP), and side air curtain options and paid $Cdn31,500).

Interior/Exterior: Side by side, there is little difference between the Jetta and the Passat in terms of overall styling. In "short" (ha), the Jetta is about 4" shorter and narrower than the Passat, with the difference showing up in the back seat and trunk. Being a tall driver (6'3"), I have absolutely no problem fitting into the cockpit. Those behind me in the rear seat are going to have some serious trouble however as the legroom is significantly shorter than the Passat. I opted for a decked out interior on the GLS model including leather, sunroof, premium stereo (CD Casette). The interior is far superior to any North American and Asian models in the same price range (IMHO), very rich, quiet and well laid out controls. New to me are controls for the cruise and stereo on the steering wheel. They've taken a bit of getting used to, simply a retraining for my brain. All the buttons are well positioned for easy access while driving, and well lit for finding in the dark. VW has obviously listened to consumers over the past several years. The biggest flaw on the interior of their models was a very flimsy cup holder, that wouldn't give the cup back once inserted. It has now been redesigned to fit multiple sized coffees but so far, seems to take two hands to properly operate. The Platinum Grey is much darker than the highly popular reflex silver and is only available on the sedan -- so far, have not seen another, but the dealer suggests it will be a very popular colour for 2003. I really think it is a very sleek colour and seems to hide the dirt fairly well.

Where this vehicle shines however is the overall powerplant. I opted for the TDI, automatic, 17" wheels, roof racks and a nose bra (the racks are stock VW as is the bra -- both can be easily removed). While the vehicle only specs out at 90hp, don't let that number fool you. The Jetta TDI produces 155ft-lbs of torque (remember this saying, "We talk horsepower, we drive torque"). In the end, compared to the 2.0L gas engine at 122ft-lbs, the TDI is going to accelerate you to highway speeds much quicker, at lower RPMs. It has loads of "go" when you punch the acclerator at any speed. It will climb most hills without downshifting. The vehicle produces its power at a much lower RPM, thus, at highway speeds, the vehicle will do 120kph at just under 2000RPM -- quietly. What this means, you are getting the performance of a small V6, while attaining 50mpg fuel economy -- no kidding.

Not convinced this is enough power for you? A very inexpensive modification in the ECU from Upsolute (www.upsolute.com) will increase the HP from 90 to 116, and torque (the magic number) from 155lb-ft to 195lb-ft. This inexpensive, and undetectable mod ($CDN495 installed) will provide a similar torque number to the more expensive VR-6, and results in a modest 10% increase in fuel economy (assuming you can keep your foot off the go pedal). Do your research at www.tdiclub.com in the forums -- you can void your warranty, however, Upsolute will switch you back to your old ECM at no cost.

Fuel savings is the other big kicker for this car. Here's a real world comparison -- in the Passat V6, a tank of fuel (I ran Premium as required) would cost $42 @ 85 cents per litre. That tank would take me roughly 500kms. In the TDI, the tank of fuel costs me $30 @ 60 cents per litre. But, that tank of fuel takes me over 1000kms -- in other words, I have cut my expenditure on fuel by almost 2/3. I am reading about other drivers getting 1300 kms to a tank -- so there is the potential for further savings as the vehicle breaks in further I'm thinking. With some analysts predicting oil to approach $40 per barrel, using 2/3 less of the stuff is smart -- not to mention more environmentally friendly.

Handling: The 17" wheel dealer option does provide a nicer feel in my opinion over the 15" stock set. Cornering and overall handling is much tighter. I find I can enter a curve a higher speeds with a safer overall feel. On the downside, the ride is somewhat more firm. You can further option out a sport suspension that will make the ride even harder, but I find the stock suspension a good compromise.

The dealer roof rack package is highly recommended if you plan to transport skis, bikes etc... They are easy to install, and fit the car to perfection -- they don't add much to the look (hey, they are roof racks afterall), but do add to convenience. On the downside, the roof racks to add to cabin noise as they tend to woosh or whistle at highway speeds.

Finally some more comments on another potential green factor and resale. Running BioDiesel fuel in this vehicle unmixed, or mixed with regular diesel at 10, 20, 50% or higher can further reduce your emmissions. Biodiesel is manufactured from either Soy Beans or Canola, or home brewed from waste deep fryer oils. It is a much cleaner burning fuel -- virtually eliminating harmful emmissions, can provide better lubricity overall and is produced in North America (ie. reducing reliance on foreign sources of fuel). It CAN be run in a TDI and there is essentially no risk to your vehicle's engine -- because of the relative newness of this fuel alternative, VW has not provided their blessing in North America -- yet (they have in Europe due to tighter fuel controls). Further reading at www.biodieselnow.org. I strongly considered the two superior vehicles in fuel economy -- the new Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Hybrids. In the end, I chose the #3 rated TDI because I KNOW that when I go to sell this vehicle in say 5 years that there will be a resale market for it -- in fact, the resale for a used TDI is typically much higher than for the gas vehicles as the engine life is typically much much higher. The Gas/Electric hybrids WILL eventually need a new battery system in 5-7 years (or thereabouts) at $5000 -- and they simply do not perform like the TDI.

In the end, the superior performance, excellent savings and "green factor" persuaded me to purchase this vehicle -- and I hope this review was helpful for you.

Amount Paid (US$): 19,950
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: GLS TDI Sedan Automatic