After driving the Jetta TDI to our All-Stars venue, I stopped to fill it with fuel. After a little more than 200 miles, it only needed five gallons of diesel, meaning a pretty impressive average of about 40 mpg. When I went inside to pay, the woman behind the counter timidly asked, "Did you know you were putting diesel in your car?" When I answered in the affirmative, she said, "I didn't think cars could run on diesel. I've only ever seen trucks fill up at that pump." So it would appear that VW has a ways to go in educating Americans about the fact that diesel cars are a fuel-efficient alternative to hybrids. Add to that the fact that diesel fuel is about $1.00 more per gallon in these parts than regular gasoline, and the Jetta TDI might prove to be a hard sell. That's a shame, because it's really a pretty pleasant, if not exactly thrilling, car to drive.
Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor ...next page >>