Transport for those who travel large distances to and from work has always been a bit of a balancing game. Reliability usually tops the commuters’ wish list as far as vehicle choice goes because it’s no fun breaking down in the height of winter midway between work and home. Comfort plays a large part in their decision making process also as many drivers spend hours each day in their vehicles before they even start their day. Of course, one of the biggest hurdles for today’s commuters is the rising fuel cost. If this sounds all too familiar to you, then you need to read this review!

Why? Well, because I’ve just spent a week in what has to be the most logical commuter vehicle in production today, the 2009 Volkswagen Clean Diesel Jetta Wagon.

Oh yes, there’s a lot of commuters out there who will gladly sing the praises of VW oil burners. In fact, even I once owned a Rabbit diesel. It was a great car and as reliable as an old farm tractor, but unfortunately it sounded a little too much like one for my liking! Yes, noisy, smelly, and turned a 0-100kph time that was only a tad faster than a lame turtle!!

Of course, that was years ago. In fact I think that mine was a late 70’s – early 80’s model. Oh yes, frugal on fuel it might have been, but I always pitied the driver behind me because, if secondhand smoke kills like we’re told it does, then I was committing mass murder back then!!!

However, times have changed radically in the diesel world, and if you haven’t driven a diesel powered vehicle lately, then you really should take one for a spin. Heavy fuel technology has been advancing in giant leaps and bounds, and modern diesel power plants are nothing like their noisy/smelly predecessors. Most improvements have been coming out of Europe where the famous oil burner was first invented, and where diesel vehicles now account for over 50% of the vehicles on the road. High fuel prices championed the popularity of diesel transportation in Europe and, as our own gas prices rise, I think we can expect to see more of them emigrating to this side of the pond.

The new Jetta Wagon TDI Clean Diesel has been for sale in Canada for only a few months, yet is already drawing lots of attention, and not only from the public. The vehicle was recently recognized by our Federal Department of Natural Resources as the “Most Fuel-Efficient Station Wagon” as part of its ecoEnergy initiative to promote fuel efficiency. It was also named “Green Car of the Year” at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and was named “Earth, Wind and Power Most Environmentally-Friendly Car” at the International Car of the Year Awards in Detroit.

Of course, we all like to receive accolades, and I’m sure Volkswagen does, but it’s my guess that the company’s even happier with the attention the vehicle’s getting at its dealerships. Let’s take a closer look at what I like to call the “happy wallet wagon”...

The new Jetta Wagon TDI Clean Diesel comes in a choice of three packages, the Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline. My test vehicle was the mid-level Comfortline model, which allowed me to enjoy some of the finer features of the vehicle whilst still being able to boast of its remarkable value... My tester was priced at just $29,675!!! (The base Trendline starts at a remarkably low $23,475.)

Powered by a 2.0L SOHC TDI (Turbo Diesel Injection) 4 cylinder which produces 140hp, and coupled to a 6-speed DSG transmission with Tiptronic (also available with a manual transmission), this machine is no slouch. Yes, I know that 140 horsepower won’t buy you any bragging rights with the lads down at the local Tim Horton’s, but start talking torque figures and see what happens then! In easy to understand terms, torque is that low-end grunt which makes the vehicle move. It’s what gives you that sensation of pulling power at low revs, and this power plant supplies a huge amount of torque, 235lb-ft of it if we want to get specific.