I left Asheville, NC today in a 2009 Jetta Sportwagen TDI en route to Los Angeles where I’ll meet up with our television production team late next week to begin filming season 2 of The Lazy Environmentalist. For this trip, I’ve upgraded from my old 1983 turbo diesel Mercedes, which I was running on biodiesel, to the new VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI, which sports the latest in clean diesel technology. And while I was reasonably environmentally stoked about driving that old Mercedes, I’m ecstatic about this new Volkswagen. The reason boils down to one word: performance.
I’ll be blogging continually throughout this road trip because I want to convey what it’s like to put this eco-friendly car to the test under the real-world conditions in which I like to drive, which is to say, fast. And the Jetta Sportwagen delivers. The turbo is extremely powerful. Pick-up is very quick. Step too hard on the gas pedal and my head actually jolts backwards. That’s precisely my idea of a fun way to help save the planet. I haven’t checked the exact fuel mileage yet because I’ve surpassed 500 miles on my first full tank, which holds 14.5 gallons, and I still have fuel remaining. So at a minimum I’m averaging about 35 miles per gallon. That’s pretty darn good especially since we’re clocking some pretty impressive speeds. Yes, I know that 55 mph is the optimal speed for maximizing fuel efficiency and that conscientious environmentalists ought to always optimize, but even though I know it, I’m still not always going to do it. I’m not necessarily proud of that fact. I’m just owning up to it. You can blame me, guilt-trip me, make me feel bad, whatever. It still won’t slow me down. Not when I can be zooming past those other cars on the road in a vehicle that outperforms nearly all of them in terms of fuel efficiency. The Sportwagen TDI starts at a sticker price of $23,870, making it a reasonably priced choice for the eco-conscious, budget-conscious, and performance-conscious.
My girlfriend likes this car because there’s a lot of room in the side pockets, which is an essential attribute for a good road tripping car. She hasn’t driven it yet though and since she used to be a stunt woman and thrives on speed even more than I do, I suspect she’ll find plenty to enjoy. Our dog likes it because he can stretch out in the back which is roomy enough for him and all the luggage we’re toting for the next three months while living in Los Angeles.
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