The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen is coming out of temporary retirement for a new version, some three years after VW’s last effort. VW has justified the release of a new SportWagen by making it a hugely economical family sedan.

The SportWagen comes with three different engine choices, the lowest; a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine boasts excellent fuel economy with 21-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. The inclusion of a hybrid drive would improve emissions more considerably, so it’s a shame VW hasn’t taken this route to make their economy a real standout.

Looks wise, the SportWagen is a fairly unassuming, unoriginal design. It fades into the background on any suburban street and is barely visible on a highway, but you don’t buy a SportWagen for its Dodge lines.

The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen is a classically built VW, with good build quality inside and out, luxury fittings are available, but you’ll have to pay a premium for all but the most basic features. Having said that, the SportWagen does include a well realised sound system, comprising 10 decent quality speakers. A classically high quality build, and good fuel economy make the SportWagen ideal for families with environment and budget in mind.