The Jetta TDI as a Kitchen Appliance

Filed in archive on February 3, 2006

It's always interesting to read what two automobile journalists say about the same car, especially when they're continents apart.

Consider my own just-completed test review of the Jetta TDI for About Cars. I wrote: "It doesn't chatter at idle. It doesn't emit clouds of black smoke. It doesn't crawl like a wounded snail when you put your foot into the throttle. In fact the Jetta TDI utterly destroys any negative images diesel conjures up."

Now go over to the UK for Giles Smith's review of the TDI for The Guardian. It seems he found something I missed: a built-in bottle opener. He writes "I should probably add at this point that the bottle-opener does come with a decent car clipped on to the back of it. It is sober, measured, frugal, firm to the touch and as Germanic as a car built in Mexico can be."

I think we approached this car differently because in Europe every other new car is diesel-powered whereas I'm endeavouring to convince my readers that today's diesels are a better buy than a hybrid. Essentially, we both liked the VW Jetta TDI and gave it high marks. But I'll leave the last word to Giles: "In a move certain to make its rivals quiver, the VW Jetta is now part-car, part-kitchen."