Skip to main content

Used 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon Consumer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
22 reviews

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

Price history graph example

Trending topics in reviews

Pros
Cons
5 out of 5 stars

Best car that I have ever own

semper, 08/10/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful

nice handling, more than enough power, sporty feeling, gorgeous interior design, well equipped standard options that can't be found in other cars in the same price range, nice panoramic sunroof that covers almost entire roof - I feel like I am driving a convertible car. My two year old son loves this. Aside from the things above, I was a huge fan of Japanese cars. I have owned Corolla, Accord, Camry, and Sienna so far. But, I don't know if I like Japanese cars any more. Now, I like VW Jetta 100x better than any of my previous cars.

Report Abuse

5 out of 5 stars

SEL is Sports Car with Wagon Utility

NoVaSpeed, 12/05/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SEL 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful

With all the attention on the TDI, the SEL is perhaps the most unsung bargain in the Sportwagen lineup. With the same 2.0T engine (and sporty-sounding noise pipe) as the GTI and GLI, the SEL is a blast to drive. It's loaded with leather/memory seats, dual climate control, Premium sound, Sirius radio, sporty 17-inch wheels, Highline instrument cluster, and a myriad other options not found on any other Jetta. Mine has the enormous moonroof that is actually best appreciated in the backseat due to its size. The cargo space is amazing--more room behind the rear seat than a Passat wagon. Rowing through the six-speed manual transmission and feeling the rush of acceleration is great. What a car!

Report Abuse
4.13 out of 5 stars

Base Jetta Wagon

None, 04/28/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Who needs an SUV? I work for a band and haul equipment all the time, but wanted something a little smaller for parking downtown. The VW wagon ticked both boxes, and was actually the roomiest wagon in this price range. If you can swing for the diesel, do it, but the base 5-cylinder has quite a bit to recommend it. Throw in standard heated seats and a telescoping wheel and you get a very refined and functional package for not a lot of money. Tall guys fit well, and legroom in the back is decent. Spring for the winter floor mats. Niggles are few. First gear is too short, and gas mileage isn't what it should be for a car this size. Still, I'd buy it again.

Report Abuse

4.75 out of 5 stars

Great Sportwagen!

Donnie Blue Eyes, 10/31/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful

I wanted an "adventure-mobile" to replace my beloved 1993 Toyota Corolla. I checked out the RAV4, CR-V, and Escape but they didn't do it for me. Then I found the VW Sportwagen. After four thousand miles it has performed flawlessly. It has a strong engine, solid build, ample cargo room and excellent MPG. The ride on the highway feels lush and well cushioned. The handling is very agile and responsive. My one real complaint is that the sunvisor is too short! They cut off three or four inches to accommodate a fancy ceiling console that I hardly ever use. Not a deal- breaker but it just seems kind of dumb to me. Tinting the windows should take care of it which I was going to do anyway.

Report Abuse

2 out of 5 stars

too many things go wrong

B. J. Seale, 10/31/2018
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful

We have gone over board to do the proper maintenance and this is what has happened. We have had to replace the heater core 4 times. Warranty took care of 3 but something is wrong because it still does not work right. The door locks/security system does not work. $995.00 to fix. Developed oil leakage in gaskets. $900. 00 to fix. AC gone bad, $1005.00 to fix. Speed control unit out. $340.00 to fix. Just put it in the shop, probably coil and plugs to be replaced according to the mechanic, $300 to 500 to fix. My chevy truck 3 years older and 40,000 more miles only had a tune up with plugs and wires etc and still running good. Did we go wrong buying VW? Looks like it. Now back in the shop, smoking, probably blown gaskets, and possibly leaking water and anti-freeze. What next?

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
2 out of 5 stars
Reliability
1 out of 5 stars
Value
2 out of 5 stars
Report Abuse
4 out of 5 stars

Happy with recent pruchase

MIchael, 08/04/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful

I have had the vehicle for 1 week. Adverstised combined epa is 24 mpg. Dealership told me to expect to get a lot more. Took a roadtrip right away and foumd my highway mpg was 38 mpg (70 mph set on cruise). No Joke. I was shocked and thrilled. This is a regular 5 cylinder gas engine not the TDL. Seems to be a solid car with good looks. If reliability holds up I'll be very happy with my purchase.

Report Abuse
2.63 out of 5 stars

Pretty shoddy. Lots of problems. Dealers don't care.

kingtaco, 08/18/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful

So, I've had my wagon for about 32 months and I've given up. I've had multiple problems with the suspension, the alloy wheels break from even the most minor potholes. I've replaced something like 7 wheels at this point and finally started buying steel wheels. Those haven't had any problems. The dealers are hideously overpriced and don't seem to care about any of the problems I've had. They just want me to keep coming back and spending more money when something breaks. After another $600 bill for a small pothole I've given in. I'm waiting for Kia to get their 2012 models in and as soon as they do the Jetta's gone. I got 120k miles out of my last car (Honda), but only 45k out of this junk heap

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Jetta sportwagon SEL manual

eurosteve, 03/05/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SEL PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

This is a great car! Buy it. It gets better gas mileage than my mini cooper S. Its fast, corners wonderfully. Is a great family car for 5. Its a GTI with kids. I still don't know why people buy minivans. Its hard to keep it under 95. Had it for a year without any regrets. Oh by the way, either get a manual transmission, or ride a bicycle instead.

Report Abuse
4.13 out of 5 stars

Yikes

chris72, 07/23/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful

I bought my Jetta wagon. Had fun purchasing and driving it. Left the dealership with 25 miles on it. 12 days later, at 540 miles the car beeped, red light flashed, air conditioning blew hot air. The needle on the temp gauge went to 260! all the way to the right. VW road service came. Towed the car to dealer. Needless to say, the thrill of the new car is gone, and doubt has set in. Until then I loved the car. Now I worry about reliability and high repair costs after warranty wears out. Dealer handling it well, just a disappointment to me that the car had problems before I even got my license plates.

Report Abuse
3.63 out of 5 stars

Not a great ownership experience

Iggy, 12/19/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful

The Jetta Sportwagen is a nice car with decent performance and fuel economy. However, the dealer experience leaves a lot to be desired. I've been told by the service dept multiple times that "VW doesn't cover squeaks and rattles after six months". I made an appt & dropped my car off first thing in the morning for a routine 90 minute service. Four hours later I telephoned for a status and was told that customers who wait there are given preference and they'd call me back in an hour. Before you buy ask about what's excluded from the "free" routine service - it'll cost you about $40 to have a turn signal bulb replaced. Less than 18 mos & I'm already looking for my next car. It will NOT be a VW!

Report Abuse
3.25 out of 5 stars

Worst car ever driven.....

suma120200, 10/08/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 9 people found this review helpful

I fell in love with this car from the moment I laid eyes on it, how ever the moment my warranty expired my nightmares began. Luckily, some of the problems started when I still had warranty. Since I bought me car, I had to replace the septic system, I had electric system problem where my sunroof didn't open and my radio did not turn on. Now I'm having intermittent problems with my gas cap not opening. I looked to see if there is a manual release, but unable to locate. I'm driven a Mazda, Toyota, and a Honda, I have never seen so many problems on a car under 35,000 miles.

Report Abuse
4.88 out of 5 stars

Jettas are UNDERATED

Ed, 11/03/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is my second VW, I had a Passat in 95. So far I am loving it really for the money it is a steal, when you look at the interior fit and finish, engine performance! And the driving experience? NICE, I love the euro feel handling and electric assist steering is great feel. It also has a very tight turning circle which no one has mentioned. I have yet to hit 1K miles but am averaging 24 MPG combined...I would think that will get a bit better when the motor breaks in.

Report Abuse
4.75 out of 5 stars

Great car

Jerry, 05/07/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is a great car for the money! I enjoy driving it in the mountains of So. California. It handles great and has massive brakes when you need to whoa up. I get decent gas mileage considering the amount of power it has.

Report Abuse
4 out of 5 stars

Mexico assembly-German built any better?

Greg, 09/29/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This Jetta Sportwagen is my first (and likely last VW). The engineering is wonderful with so many well thought out features. However, the build quality is just not acceptable. Thus far I've experienced a couple of horribly annoying rattles, a bolt that holds the door on fell out, the driver's seat became wobbly, and the $60 cargo net accessory is now useless as the clips that hold it to the anchor points popped off. The dealer fixed one rattle (which has now returned) but clearly didn't wish to investigate the other. I actually dread calling to make a service appointment because it's always a frustrating experience. It's a pity because aside from the harsh ride the car is great fun to drive.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Land Rover LR3 to Jetta Sport Wagon

jeff, 02/11/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Love this car. Much more fun to drive than the LR3, plus I prefer the look. My last several trips to Europe my rental cars were VWs and I always enjoyed the driving experience thru Austria and Germany. Back in the 70's I had a 59 magic bus complete with shag carpet, wood panneling, curtains and the 8 track tape player.. Also owned a 62 bug in Hawaii. Those VWs were cool!

Report Abuse
4.88 out of 5 stars

Love'in my new SportWagon

Mike, 03/05/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I was really wanting something affordable, but the Rabbit's were too small and the Jetta's were a bit boring. The SportWagon was perfect because it was affordable ($20 k)and very cool and different looking. It's one of the few cars you can drive that is truly unique. The quality of the materials is amazing for such an affordable car. It's definitely not as boss as my wife's Passat (4 cylinder turbo), but for the price is fantastic. I recommend the manual transmission to avoid the slight delay on take off found in other V-dubs. This should be anyone's list who wants a beautiful, roomy, fuel efficient, fun to drive car. Nothing compares to it for the price.

Report Abuse
4.88 out of 5 stars

Great SPORT wagon

naessj, 03/21/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Moved up from a 2000 Golf GLS. The build quality is excellent, very good road feel and on the road track. Low-end torque from the 2.5 is a little disappointing (compared to the Golf), it can be stalled quite easily. That said, the car is great, wagon very roomy (almost as roomy as my 2004 Passat Wagon). I recommend this car to anyone.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

I love this car!

Ereimjh, 04/29/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I love the ESP which makes winter driving less scary for me: a noticeable improvement on my last car, a Sentra that performed horribly in winter weather, no matter how careful I was. It will even let you know when the tire pressure is low. Throw in heated seats, heated sideview mirrors, an outside temperature gauge and a nice, non-plasticy interior and the 2009 Jetta becomes a classier economy car. I stick with premium gas. Yeah, I know it's more expensive but it all comes out in the wash. The fuel efficiency on premium is noticeably better and I can actually accelerate up steep inclines even without putting the transmission into S. It's comfy, too. Instant comradery with other VW drivers.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Love the car

William menking, 08/23/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I was a reluctant VW buyer-I really wanted an Audi Avant but economic reality helped make the decision for me and I am very pleased with my purchase. I should state that I love European station wagons for their design, practicality and maximum space on a non SUV platform. I purchased a 2009 SE Jetta Wagon and whoever claimed they were "luxury economy cars" got it right. I once owned an Audi A4 and I loved it but this VW is as much fun! Forget the Passat wagon-if you love European wagons get this one and you will be thrilled at how much car it is for about $25,000!

Report Abuse
4.88 out of 5 stars

Loving it

vwJettaFan, 10/20/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Bought it brand new and love the sporty way it handles - nice acceleration and fun to drive. I used to own a Ford Focus wagon and this car is way more luxurious and comfortable. I was in the market for a station wagon and noticed that there are few offered in the US - mostly from European car makers. Did not think I would be able to afford a German car, but this one is affordable! We had one minor issue (something creaked). The part was replaced under warranty. 15,000 miles @23/32 mpg (city/highway) with no issues but that. This car comes with ESP, plenty airbags and anti-slip-regulation. The panoramic sun roof lets in light, but no heat.

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

Sportwagen SE

Tom, 12/22/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I have driven this car for about 6,000 miles since purchase. Recorded each fill-up since purchase & getting an honest 25 mpg city & 31 mpg highway with the automatic transmission. My Sportwagen is very versatile with comfortable seating & ride. Handling is excellent with little or no sway in sharp turns or nose diving upon hard braking. White paint subject to temporary stains with some brands of gasoline. Stains do fade away

Report Abuse
4.88 out of 5 stars

Der Wagen!

el_matador, 12/24/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Solid ride, incredibly reliable in wintry conditions. It survived Colorado winters and now South Dakota winters are nothing to "Ulrich". Manual transmission makes it fun to drive and the ESP is a great feature. Great winter car with the heated cloth seats, heater mirrors, heated wiper nozzles. Quality materials in the interior, great room on the back seat, awesome cargo area with hidden compartments on the floor. It's a little bit sluggish between 3rd and 4th gear, but it accelerates decently when merging into highways. Good mileage for its size (about 26-27 mpg). Fills up with $40 or less and lasts us for 2 weeks in city driving. Ich liebe Ulrich der Wagen.

Report Abuse
Items per page:
50