Vehicle: 2009 Jetta Wagon Trendline with ESP and 6-speed Tiptronic
Price as tested: CDN$26660

Performance: The Jetta wagon is currently available with one engine only. Its the upgraded version of the 2.5 liter in-line 5-cylinder 20-valve we have tested in both Jetta sedan and Rabbit before. With 170 hp and 177 lb/ft of torque, its more than aplentry to move this compact wagon. With the latest upgrade over the outgoing 150hp version, the engine note sounds more pleasing and less weird. For most consumers, this is an important consideration because not many have get used to odd cylinder configuration. The same goes to its rather weird engine note. With 177 lb/ft of torque available at 4250 rpm, it has lots of get-up-and-go bottom end of daily traffic light acceleration. 170hp certainly wouldn’t put driver ashamed with it comes to top end acceleration. Our tester comes with the 6-speed Tiptronic manumatic gearbox. Although the shifts are slow, even with the fuzzy logic program adapts to each driver’s needs. The whole gearbox has low enough gear ratio for low-end acceleration and high enough ratio for comfortable highway cruising, while enough gears in the middle for mid-range highway merging speed. If you are looking for more performance-oriented and economy-oriented powertrains in this wagon, you should wait for the 200hp 2.0T or 2.0 TDI coming on the horizon.

Handling: As we have experienced, Mk5 chassis has served different cars with different purposes exceptionally well. GTI for hot hatch, Rabbit for an affordable hatchback while Jetta as a family sedan. With this latest wagon, Mk5 chassis continues to impress with its level of composure. You won’t feel any of the extra size with the additional cargo space at the back of this Jetta. It handles as well as any Jetta we have driven in the past. The electric power steering provides decent enough feedback and precision, even if the low speed feels featherweight. Its ESP only kicks in until the driver reaches the outer end of the limits. That’s a godsent for driving enthuisats. The suspension is compliant with a sense of Germanic suppleness dialed in the whole process. Which means it doesn’t ride as softly as some of its rivals, while absorbing patholes and roughness with ease. There is some safe understeer and body rolls. However, those are more than acceptable consider Jetta wagon’s status of life as a comfortable, affordable wagon.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, this little wagon’s stopping power is as good as any VWs we have tested before. The stopping distance is short while fade is almost non-existence even after a couple of hard stops.

Interior: Fold down the 60/40 split fold down rear seats, the Jetta wagon has 66.9 cubin feet of cargo space. The add bonus is there are plenty of cubbyholes to storage basically everything. The hatch is high enough in order not to hit your head. On the other hand, cargo liftover is low and wide enough to slide any cargos with ease. Best of all, VW’s attention-to-details with quality carpeting in the hatch adds a touch of class to the usual messy cargo area.

The rest of the interior is typical VW fanfare. That means excellent use of materials and fit-and-finish. The semi auto climate control is effective and efficient. Everything else are placed ergonomically, especially stereo above the climate control. The cloth seats on our tester are nicely foamed with decent side and thigh support.

As with all the Mk5 platform, its single biggest improvement has to be its rear seat legroom.

Conclusion: This new Jetta wagon could well be the best definition of what an affordable “sport utility vehicle” stands for. Its performance and handling are fairly sporty, while its amount of cargo space match or beaten many of those compact utes. That’s despite our test average fuel economy is a slightly disappointed 9L/100km, it remains a much better proportioned than any SUV consider the current gas prices.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2009 VW Jetta Wagon
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Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5