Ten years ago, mentioning the words "diesel" or "station wagon" in the description of a car would have shifted the buying public's attention to the "off" position. How times have changed. With the consumer mindset in economy mode, small, efficient cars are getting a second look. Doubly so if said car is both practical and fun to drive.

Cue the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI.

Far from holding the image of a car that only librarians, college professors, soccer moms, or hippies would be caught dead in, the Jetta SportWagen is impressive in the flesh. It comes across as fresh, smart - even sporty. Our tester was fitted with optional 17-in. alloys, which only helped further that perspective. Notably, our car also came with a small TDI badge on the rear hatch, which meant that VW's 2.0L direct-injection, 140-hp, 236-lb-ft turbodiesel engine was under the hood...Continued