Jetta SportsWagen's Have Arrived!!! [Jetta Wagon Revival]

SPECS ON SALE: Today!

BASE PRICE: $19,000 (est)

DRIVETRAIN: 2.5-liter, 170-hp, 177-lb-ft I5; fwd, five-speed manual

CURB WEIGHT: 3228 lb0-60 MPH: 8.4 sec (mfr)

FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 24 mpg

After a short hiatus, a wagon returns to Volkswagen's Jetta model line with the SportWagen. Rising gasoline prices have VW believing that old-fashioned wagon flexibility will lure customers and serve as a loyalty builder for the brand.

The SportWagen's utility comes from 32.8 cubic feet of trunk space, which doubles the sedan's 16-cubic-foot trunk. With the rear seats folded, capacity grows to 66.9 cubic feet in an interior that features VW's typical high-quality materials and build.

Two engines will be available at launch: a 2.5-liter, 170-hp inline-five-cylinder and a 2.0-liter, 200-hp turbocharged four-cylinder. Five-cylinder models get a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, while turbo SportWagens get a six-speed manual or a direct-shift gearbox.

In late August, a 50-state diesel with 236 lb-ft of torque will be available across the entire Jetta range, equipped with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. VW has high expectations for its diesel technology and forecasts a 50/50 sales split between gasoline- and diesel-equipped SportWagens.

A drive of an inline-five model through the Virginia countryside and crowded downtown Washington, D.C., streets revealed road manners we've come to expect from Jettas. The chassis is among the best in the class, with a quiet, confident, well-dampened ride, and is responsive to steering inputs, but we would like a weightier steering feel.

The engine was the only downside, providing just adequate power, but a crisp-shifting manual gearbox helped matters some. Neither the 2.0-liter turbo nor the diesel was available to drive, but no doubt both will better bolster the sport in the SportWagen equation.

With sales expectations of 14,000 units a year, VW won't single-handedly return wagons to prominence in America. However, it should wake some people up to the functionality and fuel efficiency afforded by wagons and pick up a few new VW followers along the way.

More photos and info here: Autoweek Online

[provided by Autoweek]