2003 Jetta GL TDI

The new TDI(turbocharged direct injection) diesels are nothing like the diesels of the past. They are quiet, clean, and efficient. The diesel mileage is excellent at 50mpg. The new TDI diesels use glow-plugs to start in the winter and generally take a few seconds to ensure the car will start right up. The diesel engine usually only emits smoke from the exhaust during start-up on colder days. The car handles extremely well and is surprisingly peppy for the 90-horsepower engine it has. I would definitely go with a manual transmission for fuel mileage and performance. Despite what others may say, diesel fuel is readily available(just think-where do the big-rigs fill-up?) but diesel is not as regulated as gasoline. It is best to stick with a quality fuel source. The diesel engine is much simpler than the gasoline engine, and should last signficantly longer. It is not uncommon for diesel engines to last a half-million miles if properly maintained. Maintenance is actually easier with the TDI. Oil changes are every 10,000 miles using synthetic oil. For more information on TDI's, I would suggest looking at www.tdiclub.com. The website is an excellent source of information on the TDI engine.

The basic model comes with plenty of standard features including: cd player, front, side and rear airbags, abs, cruise, and A/C. The interior is nice, seats comfortable, and the trunk space is outstanding. Rear seats have limited leg room, but the seat sit high enough that you don't need to stretch the legs out to sit comfortably. My only complaint is the location of the cup holders, they drop out of the dash and block the CD player and radio.