2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

But the star of most Jetta SportWagen reviews is the engine. The base gasoline engine gets mixed reviews; Frank Williams at The Truth About Cars calls it "VW's what-the-hell-were-they-thinking 170-horsepower 2.5-liter five-cylinder." He says it constantly sounds like it's "straining to keep up." Car and Driver describes this engine as "agricultural," it's so rough-sounding and unrefined. However, ConsumerGuide.com testers find the five-cylinder "generally smooth and quiet," and Arthur St. Antoine at Motor Trend rhapsodizes about how fun it is to drive. This is the engine you'll get in the lowest Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S (*est. $19,075) and SE (*est. $21,425) trims, along with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is average for its class: The EPA estimates you'll get 24 mpg in mixed driving (21 mpg city/30 mpg highway for the manual transmission; 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway for the automatic).

Most reviews prefer the step-up gasoline engine that comes in the VW Jetta SportWagen SEL (*est. $26,065), a 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. We found no complaints about its pep or refinement. It gets slightly better gas mileage than the base engine (25 mpg overall, with 21 mpg city/31 mpg highway for the manual and 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway for the automatic), but Volkswagen recommends premium gasoline for this engine.

For the best fuel economy of any wagon, experts recommend the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI (*est. $23,870). It averages 34 mpg overall (30 mpg city/41 mpg highway) with the six-speed manual transmission, or 33 mpg overall (29 mpg city/40 mpg highway) with the six-speed automatic. Performance-wise, the diesel gets just as high marks as the turbo gasoline engine. "It's quiet, powerful, and fun to drive … and it doesn't even smell funny," Car and Driver concludes.

Unfortunately, the high price of diesel fuel wipes out any cost savings: The EPA estimates the average driver will actually spend $30 more a year for fuel with the VW Jetta SportWagen TDI than with the less efficient base gasoline engine. A $1,300 tax credit for lean-burn vehicles partially offsets the diesel SportWagen's higher up-front and fuel costs, reviewers say.

The Jetta SportWagen loses points in reviews for its "incoherent exterior styling" and "bulbous" posterior, but most critics don't consider that a deal-breaker. The VW Jetta SportWagen's biggest problem, according to reviews, is its price. It starts out reasonable, but options quickly add up. You'll pay $350 to get rear side airbags and $200 for an iPod adapter on any trim, for example, or $1,990 for a navigation system -- which The Wall Street Journal points out is not worth the price -- on the three upper trims. The SportWagen winds up costing quite a bit more than other well-reviewed wagons in its category, such as the seven-passenger Kia Rondo (*est. $17,495 to $22,295) or the smaller Pontiac Vibe (*est. $16,735 to $21,510).

Finally, a couple of sources -- including owners surveyed by J.D. Power and Associates -- complain about Volkswagen's poor customer service and reliability. ConsumerReports.org subscribers can find expert ratings on these factors. The Jetta SportWagen is covered by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, and five years/60,000 miles for the powertrain.

This very new wagon had not been tested by ConsumerReports.org when we checked, although that magazine does have a complete write-up for the Jetta sedan with both the base gasoline and optional diesel engines. We did find a very thorough road test of the diesel-fueled Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI at Car and Driver. Government and independent testing organizations -- including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and U.S Environmental Protection Agency -- provide essential safety and fuel-economy data. We found an extensive review of the SportWagen's gasoline version at The Truth About Cars, with shorter reviews by The Wall Street Journal and Motor Trend. ConsumerGuide.com rates both gasoline and diesel Jettas. J.D. Power and Associates conducts extensive surveys of new-car owners, with Volkswagen getting low scores for customer service.