EARTHY CAR OF THE WEEK: Black 2009 Volkswagen Jetta GTI

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, Black, Sedan, 112730 mi, $12,995 http://bit.ly/1eqLeGO Compact, 6-spd auto-shift, MPG = 29/40

VIRTUAL TOUR
AOL Autos

Yahoo! Autos

SPECS / FEATURES
AOL Autos

MSN Autos

Yahoo! Autos

USER REVIEWS
AOL Autos

Yahoo! Autos

EXPERT REVIEWS
MSN Autos

NewCarTestDrive:

INTRODUCTION: “The Volkswagen Jetta drives much like a high-dollar German car costing twice the price. The Jetta is officially a compact car, but compares well to smaller mid-size sedans. It comes in sedan and wagon body styles with a choice of engines.

Electronic stability control and a cold weather package with heated front seats and steering wheel are standard on all 2009 models. All models come with a full array of safety features.

We found the Jetta responsive around town and comfortable on long trips. It carves through curves precisely, but rides comfortably.

Inside, the Jetta is roomy and nicely finished, benefitting from Volkswagen's attention to detail. The driver enjoys excellent visibility and ease of operation, with logical controls and instruments. Finish quality is good, inside and out. The trunk is larger than in many sedans costing much more.”

FEATURES: “Jetta S come with velour cloth upholstery, air conditioning, power windows, power locks with remote, power heated mirrors, cruise control, electronic stability and traction control, CD player, eight-way manually adjustable heated front seats with lumbar support and power recliners, split folding rear seat, manual tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, and 205/55HR all-season tires on 16-inch steel wheels.

Jetta SE add alloy wheels, more chrome, a sunroof on sedans, 6CD/MP3/Sirius satellite radio sound system, V-Tex (imitation leather) upholstery and door panel inserts, a rear seat/trunk pass-through and a fold-flat front passenger seat for long items.”

INTERIOR: “Volkswagen and Audi interiors are often the benchmark for other manufacturers because their designers accomplish more with less, combining expensive-looking materials with simple, attractive styling and excellent ergonomics. The result tends to be inviting cabins that are pleasant places to spend time.”

SUMMARY: “The Volkswagen Jetta blends German-bred engineering and technology, good materials and build quality, and solid performance in a value-priced package.”

VIDEO

EARTHY CARS SPOTLIGHT: 08.13.2013

It’s almost back to school time.

Recently, we put the spotlight on cars that are great for students.

Here are more cars that are great for students:

1999 Honda Accord LX, Gold, Sedan, 153946 mi, $4,995 http://bit.ly/13LrOgM Mid-size, 4-spd automatic, MPG = 20/28

For those on a budget, we have this 1999 Honda Accord for just $4,995. Its condition is great for a 14 year old car.

2008 Scion tC, Silver, Coupe, 72600 mi, $9,995 http://bit.ly/13Ls7Z0 Compact, 5-spd manual, MPG = 20/27

This Scion tC is a bit sporty and has a premium stereo system. It has low mileage for a 5 year old car. And it’s under $10,000.

2009 Toyota Matrix S, Black, Hatchback, 79540 mi, $13,995 http://bit.ly/1cH5ohR AWD, Compact, 4-spd automatic, MPG = 20/26

With all wheel drive and extra cargo space, yet a compact size, this Toyota Matrix is ideal for the outdoorsy student.

2009 Volkswagen Jetta S, Silver, Sedan, Silver, 75804 mi, $10,995 $9,995 http://bit.ly/10Z85n2 Compact, 6-spd automatic, MPG = 20/29

Often times, students just need a simple car.

EARTHY CAR OF THE WEEK: Grey 2009 Toyota Matrix S

2009 Toyota Matrix S, Grey, Hatchback, 79540 mi, $13,995 http://bit.ly/1cH5ohR AWD, Compact, 4-spd automatic, MPG = 20/26

This Toyota Matrix is for those who need a little more, but want to keep it basic. It’s compact, but it has a huge amount of space in the back. It’s economical, but more stylish than a typical basic car. Also, it has all wheel drive.

All this makes it an ideal car for Vermont – the extra room and all wheel drive are needed, but we like to keep it simple.

VIRTUAL TOUR
Yahoo! Autos

AOL Autos

SPECS / FEATURES
Yahoo! Autos

AOL Autos

MSN Autos

USER REVIEWS
Yahoo! Autos

MSN Autos

EXPERT REVIEWS
NewCarTestDrive:

INTRODUCTION: “The 2009 Toyota Matrix is a new, second-generation design developed in tandem with the Corolla sedan. In essence, the Matrix is the wagon/hatch version of the Corolla. In fact, the company refers to it as the Toyota Corolla Matrix. With edgier styling inside and out and four versions to choose from, the Matrix makes a sensible choice for many people.”

“The new 2009 Toyota Matrix is bigger than the previous version, but Toyota hasn't lost sight of this being its smallest crossover vehicle. You can carry four big people or drop three seats and slide a short board inside; four doors make loading kids, dogs and miscellaneous cargo a cinch.”

“Check out the Matrix if you want the reliable reputation of the Corolla with less visual boredom, if you need a urban runabout that's cheap to buy and run, or just because it's logically all you really need in a land of average speeds hovering in the mid-30-mph range. The Matrix doesn't stand out anywhere as much as it provides a useful, better than average package for any purpose short of pickup-sized building materials or a trip to the red carpet. In short, the new Toyota Matrix is a very sensible choice.”

FEATURES:
The standard Matrix ($16,190) uses a 1.8-liter engine and five-speed manual gearbox and comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, AM/FM/CD stereo compatible with MP3/WMA files, input jack and XM satellite radio, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Optitron (electroluminescent) gauges with tachometer, power mirrors, intermittent wipers, engine immobilizer, and cargo cover.
Matrix S ($18,260) comes with the 2.4-liter engine and five-speed gearbox. Standard features include the six-speaker radio, power windows/locks, keyless entry and intermittent rear wiper plus a 115-volt AC outlet and larger rear brakes.

SUMMARY: “The Toyota Matrix provides the economy-minded pricing and operation of a compact car with the practicality of a hatch. All-wheel drive is available, an important option for those who need it that not all competitors offer. One never feels something is missing or left out, especially with the addition of a navigation system, and the new styling won't be dated before the next version of Windows or iPhone.”

VIDEO