Performance
Comfort
Fuel Economy
Fun To Drive
Interior Design
Exterior Design
Build Quality
Reliability
Review
I originally bought a new 2002 NEW Jetta Diesel Wagon, but in March, 2004, a lady ran a stop sign and totaled it <sigh>. So, I managed to find a nice, lightly used 2003 and have been driving it for 14 years. It's been a magnificent car! Now, I *do* run only synthetic oil in it (changed every 6,000 miles) and it's garaged, so those factors might make my experience better than some. It's never had to go back to the dealer. The only things that have gone wrong are the headliner is starting to sag a little, and the headlight covers "fogged" over (that was fixed for 10 bucks at O'Reilly's with an easy-to-use lens restorer). I get 36-40 mpg, but also drive the speed limit and don't dog it. My only regret is that VW no longer makes--or imports--the diesel anymore. I prefer diesels b/c the ethanol in gasoline isn't good for engines, and if the gov't mandates 15% ethanol, it will destroy a lot of them. (Ed Wallace @ insideautomotive dot com says that, if you buy your gas at some discount stations, you risk getting 15%.)