There are a lot of things we like about the new Jetta.  For starters, it has a new, sleek, elegant look that differentiates it from the pack.  It’s 2.9 inches longer than the previous Jetta and that translates to more room for the rear occupants as well as a more substantial appearance.  It’s an upscale look (think Audi) and one that should resonate with VW purists and German car fans alike.

It also comes with built-in Fahrvergnügen, a word coined by Volkswagen specifically for use in several U.S. advertising campaigns.  (It joins “Fahr” (from fahren, “to drive,” with Vergnügen, “pleasure,” to convey “driving pleasure.”)

Our Jetta TDI is powered by the same 140-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine as the previous-generation Jetta TDI – and it’s the same engine that gave Volkswagen a Guinness World Record for Lowest Fuel Consumption.  It’s also the fastest Jetta on the market with a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h).

The Jetta goes from 0-60 mph in 8.7 seconds and develops 236 pound-feet (320 Newton-meters) of torque.  It is rated at 30 mpg (7.8 l/100 km) in city driving and 42 mpg (5.6 l/100 km) on the highway.

The Jetta arrived with a sunroof, split-rear folding seat, Bluetooth, Sirius satellite radio, iPod connectivity, heated seats and windshield washer nozzles, a leather multi-function steering wheel, 16” aluminum wheels, and a touch-screen stereo with an SD card reader and built-in six-disc CD changer.  Also included are three years of free maintenance and V-Tex leatherette upholstery.

The Jetta TDI is an excellent value with a list price of $22.995.  When you compare this with a similarly-equipped Jetta SE, the additional cost of the diesel is only $2,200.  the car was just delivered to us by Evelyn Lasky and Jim Maloney at Bayside Volkswagen and we can’t wait to take it on its maiden voyage.  A full report will follow.

THE 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA LONG-TERM TEST CAR

SEE MORE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI COVERAGE IN THE DIESEL DRIVER

The Diesel Driver 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Calendar Released

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI and SEL – First Road Test and Review

2011 Volkswagen Jetta – First Review

The awards, which are organized by Engine Technology International, are judged by a panel of 65 automotive journalists from 32 countries and have been awarded annually since 1999.  The engines, which this year included gasoline, diesel, and hybrid-electric, are ranked on driveability, performance, economy, and refinement.

The BMW 2-liter twin-turbo diesel won the in the 1.8-liter to 2-liter category and is found in the BMW X1 xDrive23d, the BMW 123d, and the Mini Cooper S.

The entire engine block is made of aluminum, which resulted in a weight reduction of 20 kg from earlier models.  It uses third-generation Bosch common rail injection and produces 204 hp along with fuel consumption of 5.5 l/100 km (42.7 mpg).

This is the second time this particular engine has been recognized by the International Engine of the Year judges; it won the Best New Engine category in 2008.

The judges’ comments were telling.  Dave VanderWerp from Car said that the engine is “the most responsive, linear and eager-to-rev diesel that I’ve ever driven. Plus it returns impressive fuel economy.”

Matt Davis, a freelance journalist with outlets such as AutoExpress in the United Kingdom, was also impressed.  “Stunning how much this small-capacity diesel feels like the best V6 gas engine ever built,” he commented.

Previous diesel winners include the Mercedes-Benz Diesel 2.1-litre (2009, in the 2-liter to 2.5 liter category), the BMW 3-liter twin-turbo diesel (2006, in the 2.5-liter to 3-liter category), and the Fiat-GM 1.3-liter diesel (0205, in the 1-liter to 1.4 liter category).

Other 2010 award winners include the Fiat 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo (Best New Engine of the Year), the Toyota 1.8-liter Hybrid (Best Green Engine of the Year), the Volkswagen 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger (in the 1-liter to 1.4-liter category), the Audi 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo (in the 2-liter to 2.5-liter category), the BMW 3-liter DI twin turbo (in the 2.5-liter to 3-liter category), the BMW 4-liter V-8 (in the 3-liter to 4-liter category), and the Mercedes-AMG 6.2-liter (in the above 4-liter category).

While the 335d is the embodiment of the Ultimate Driving Machine, the X5 xDrive35d, which competes with the Audi Q7 TDI, Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTech, and the Volkswagen Touareg, is the performance leader in this crowd.

The diesel model is virtually indistinguishable in appearance from the 3.0-liter petrol model – until you lift the hood. Peer inside and you’ll see an all-aluminum, twin-turbo, 3.0-liter oil-burning I-6 that uses Bosch common-rail direct fuel injection (feeding fuel at up to 26,000 psi) with a compression ratio of 16.5:1. This provides the X5 xDrive35d owner with the performance of a V-8 with the fuel economy of a four-cylinder.

Where this X5 does distinguish itself is performance. While 265 horsepower at 4200 rpm doesn’t sound particularly impressive, with diesel engines, it’s really a question of the torque, in this case a massive 425 pound-feet of it.

With the help of the ZF-manufactured six-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, the driver might quickly forget he’s in an SAV. Unlike traditional trucks and SUVs, we found the X5’s handling to be exceptionally sure footed. It benefits from the BMW xDrive all-wheel drive system, which constantly adapts to changing road conditions, as well as multiple electronic systems including Electronic Damping Control (which controls body roll) and dynamic stability control (DSC), which can enhance handling if it senses understeer (front wheels receive no torque) or oversteer (front wheels receive maximum torque).

We took the X5 xDrive35d on a variety of trips, from local errands to long drives along scenic and windy parkways. The view from the driver’s seat was impressive. We found it true to BMW’s Freude am Fahren (the Joy of Driving) slogan whether on city streets or the open road. This was one large vehicle but it was eminently floggable nonetheless.

Inside the cabin, the diesel engine’s pleasant clamor was noticeable at low speed (unlike in other diesel-powered cars in its class) but it was virtually inaudible at speed. The interior has capacious amounts of space for its passengers, as befitting a car of this size. Thanks to the electric shifter and parking brake control, there’s an impressive amount of storage in the center console as well as a very large glove compartment.

Besides performance, in diesel guise the X5 has a significant price advantage over its petrol-powered V-8 stablemate. The diesel X5 starts at $52,175 (the V-8 starts at $57,175) and is eligible for BMW’s $4500 Eco Credit, making the actual cost a very attractive $47,675. On top of that the buyer is entitled to an $1800 tax credit and the knowledge that the diesel X5 can travel close to 600 miles on a tank of fuel, about 30% farther than the V-8.

(In fairness, it must be mentioned that the petrol-powered twin turbo X5 xDrive30i gets 21 mpg and sells for $48,475, only $800 more than the cost of the diesel X5.)

The X5 xDrive35d was introduced as a 2009 model; the current X5 body was introduced in 2007, replacing the original X5 that launched in 1999. All X5s are manufactured in Spartanburg, South Carolina. 30% of the X5s sold in December 2009 and 25% of the X5s sold in November 2009 were diesel models.

The first passenger car to use the diesel Common Rail System was the 1997 Alfa Romeo 156 1.9 JTD.   The 156 (known internally as type 932) was a replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155 and was built at the Fiat Group factory in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy.

The diesel Common Rail System precisely injects diesel fuel at a very high pressure (much higher than in a gasoline engine).   Its name derives from the one common fuel feed pipe – or rail – that provides fuel for all injectors.  The system reduces exhaust emissions and lowers engine noise, thereby ameliorating the two most common objections to diesel-powered automobiles.

The design work for the Common Rail System had been started at the Fiat Group and was subsequently sold to Robert Bosch for completion and refinement for mass production.

The Alfa was quickly followed by the 1997 Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI.  The C-Class was all new that year and the C220 CDI was the first passenger car with a  turbo diesel engine to use the Common Rail System.  The C220 had significantly better fuel economy, lower emissions, and 30 more horsepower than its predecessor.

THE DETAILS