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By KBB Editors
Updated December 23, 2019
If you’re looking for a sedan with European ride and handling capabilities, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta offers German engineering at an attractive price.
If you’re looking for that "old-school" VW look and feel, the fifth-generation Jetta’s styling doesn’t convey the same sense of youthful enthusiasm as its predecessors. Although improving, VW’s reliability and repair history still lag behind its Japanese competitors.
The TDI clean diesel engine is added to the option list, as is a new wagon variant (reviewed separately). New standard features on all Jetta models include electronic stability and traction control, front and rear floor mats and heated front seats, side mirrors and windshield washer nozzles.
A cut above the generic four-door sedan, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta borrows mechanical components from the upscale Audi division, provides an exceptionally strong safety rating and a list of standard and optional equipment rarely found in this class. With slightly less rear-seat legroom than the more expensive Passat, the Jetta still provides the kind of "big car" feel you won’t find in many of its competitors. On the downside, the Jetta does not offer a V6 engine – although the sporty GLI model’s turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant delivers the power of a V6 with the fuel economy of a frugal four. The really big news, however, is the availability of a 50-state compliant TDI clean diesel engine, which can achieve upwards of 40 miles per gallon in highway driving.
Used 2009 Volkswagen Jetta pricing starts at $4,286 for the Jetta S Sedan 4D, which had a starting MSRP of $18,665 when new. The range-topping 2009 Jetta SEL SportWagen Sport Wagon 4D starts at $5,522 today, originally priced from $26,765.
Original MSRP | KBB Fair Purchase Price (nat'l average) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
$18,665 | $4,286 | |||
$20,225 | $4,860 | |||
$20,795 | $4,794 | |||
$22,045 | $4,085 | |||
$22,125 | $4,744 | |||
$22,970 | $4,186 | |||
$23,665 | $4,676 | |||
$24,570 | $5,537 | |||
$24,939 | $5,386 | |||
$26,765 | $5,522 |
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for used 2009 Volkswagen Jetta models in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly.
The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta provides good handling, a competent and quiet ride and some of the best seats for long distance driving we’ve experienced. While the 2.5-liter five cylinder doesn’t make the Jetta the fastest car in its class, it’s now fast enough to nose its way past the pack when it has to. The five-cylinder is bit buzzy at times, and its flat torque curve does little to inspire daring passing maneuvers. At highway speeds the Jetta remains composed and stable, but if your favorite leg of any journey is the twisty one, the Jetta delivers ample cornering ability complemented by quick, smooth manual Tiptronic downshifts and a satisfying exhaust note.
While rear-seat passengers won’t sit with their knees at their chins (a position well known to passengers of previous Jetta models), there is still not as much rear seat leg room as found in the similarly priced Mazda MAZDA6. To be fair, the Jetta competes with the likes of the Honda Civic and Mazda MAZDA3, which offer roughly the same interior dimensions. Fit and finish is first rate, as are overall ergonomics. A height-adjustable passenger seat with manual lumbar support, a rarity on so many vehicles, is standard on the Jetta, as are heated front seats. Volkswagen’s familiar red and blue dash lighting still delights the eye, and at night every switch, knob or button seen during the day is backlit for your convenience. The 60/40 rear seats can be folded flat and, on SE, SEL and TDI trims, include a center armrest trunk pass through. Other cool features unique to the Jetta are power windows with pinch protection that can be raised or lowered when the key is turned and held in the door lock.
Ironically, the newest version of the best-selling European car in the U.S. features several styling elements seemingly imported from Japan. This model marks the largest Jetta to date, touting seven additional inches over the last generation. It also ranks high in content, offering such useful cold weather features as heated side mirrors and washer nozzles. Whether you find the less-playful styling more appealing may depend on whether you think of the Jetta as a fun beach cruiser or a high-value German sedan.
Six-Speed Tiptronic Transmission
The newest VW transmission shifts quickly and smoothly in three distinct shift modes – regular and sport automatic modes, plus a manual mode.
Rear Seat Side-Impact Airbags
When combined with the standard side-curtain airbags, this option adds another level of security for rear-seat passengers.
The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta comes with an AM/FM stereo with MP3-compatible CD player, one-touch up/down power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, manual climate control, outside temperature display, heated front seats and washer nozzles, four-way adjustable steering column and eight-way adjustable cloth front seats with manual lumbar support and power recline (driver’s seat only). Standard safety equipment includes electronic traction and stability control, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS), active head restraints and front side-impact and full-length side-curtain airbags.
Optional equipment on the Jetta varies by trim and includes leather or V-Tex leatherette seating, power-adjustable driver’s and passenger’s seats, in-dash AM/FM stereo with MP3-compatible six-disc CD changer, iPod connector, rear seat side-impact airbags, a 115-volt outlet (SEL) and a trip computer, Additional options include a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission (standard on SEL), power sunroof, premium sound system, navigation, alloy wheels, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and 12-way adjustable front seats with driver’s memory.
Volkswagen offers two engine choices for the Jetta: a 2.5-liter in-line five cylinder and a 2.0-liter turbodiesel. The recently-improved 2.5-liter is good for 170 horsepower, which is greater than most of the cars in its class. The long throws and sloppy feel of the standard five-speed manual transmission, however, is a bit of a disappointment, especially coming from a company known for its enthusiast-oriented cars. Best stick with the Tiptronic automatic with this engine. Also available is the new 2.0-liter TDI turbodiesel, which offers less horsepower but an amazing 236 pound-feet of torque, the power you need for rapid acceleration. The TDI also gets a vastly better six-speed manual gear box.
2.5-liter in-line 5
170 horsepower @ 5700 rpm
177 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/30 (manual), 20/29 (automatic)
2.0-liter in-line 4 Turbocharged
140 horsepower @ 4000 rpm
236 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1750-2500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 30/41 (manual), 29/40 (automatic)
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
Curb Weight | 3230 lbs. | ||
---|---|---|---|
EPA Passenger | 91.0 cu.ft. | ||
Fuel Capacity | 14.5 gallons | ||
Front Head Room | 38.5 inches | ||
Front Leg Room | 41.2 inches | ||
Max Seating Capacity | 5 | ||
Minimum Ground Clearance | 5.4 inches | ||
Overall Length | 179.3 inches | ||
Front Shoulder Room | 54.8 inches | ||
Trunk or Cargo Capacity | 16.0 cu.ft. | ||
Turning Diameter | 35.8 feet | ||
Wheel Base | 101.5 inches | ||
Payload Capacity | 1094 lbs. | ||
Width with mirrors | 70.1 inches |
Alloy Wheels | Available | ||
---|---|---|---|
Moon Roof/Sun Roof | Available | ||
Number of Doors | 4 doors | ||
Rear Spoiler | Available |
City | 22 mpg | ||
---|---|---|---|
Highway | 29 mpg | ||
Combined | 25 mpg |
Drivetrain | FWD | ||
---|---|---|---|
Transmission Type | Automatic | ||
6 speed | Available | ||
Recommended Fuel | Premium |
Horsepower | 200 @ 5100 RPM | ||
---|---|---|---|
Torque | 207 @ 1800 rpm | ||
Engine | 4-Cyl, Turbo, 2.0 Liter |
Basic | 3 years / 36000 miles | ||
---|---|---|---|
Powertrain | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
Corrosion | 12 years / Unlimited miles |
Used 2009 Volkswagen Jetta | Used 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt | Used 2009 Ford Focus | Used 2009 Kia Optima | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $4,299 | $4,147 | $4,367 | $4,285 | |
Consumer Rating | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | |
Fuel Economy | City 22/Hwy 29/Comb 25 MPG | City 25/Hwy 37/Comb 30 MPG | City 24/Hwy 33/Comb 27 MPG | City 22/Hwy 32/Comb 25 MPG | |
Fuel Type | Gas | Gas | Gas | Gas | |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Basic Warranty | 3 years or 36000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 5 years or 60000 miles | |
Horsepower | 200 @ 5100 RPM | 155 @ 6100 RPM | 140 @ 6000 RPM | 175 @ 5800 RPM | |
Engine | 4-Cyl, Turbo, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.2 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, 2.4 Liter | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD | FWD |
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