Easy.
The vw golf sportwagen tsi which is a gas version. It achieves wonderful mileage and is an improvement of the Jetta tdi wagon as it is next generation.
They also are firesaling them with incentives and pricing. My coworker has one and achieves well over the excellent rated Mpg.
If OP liked the TDi in spite of its nondescript styling, then a gas version would be a good choice. These models make good use of interior space and are fun to drive.
If you are open to another diesel car, the Chevrolet Cruze diesel might work for you. It is the only diesel outside the VW family. Fuel mileage is 27 city/44 highway/33 overall. If a sedan is not a deal breaker, you might consider a test drive. My daughter has a 2012 gasoline Cruze and is happy with it. She has not had any repairs yet. Her commute used to be about 70 miles daily for a year and is currently about 40 miles a day. She and her husband took it on their honeymoon from Baltimore to Western Montana. The car has a fair amount of mileage.
I did a little more checking, and 2015 was the last year for the diesel. Unless you want a used car to save money, you canât have a diesel short of the expensive BMW or Benz vehicles.
I have driven at least 350,000 miles since I retired in 1997. A majority of it was in a Toyota Sienna. I never found that boring. Maybe because I didnât spend my time looking at the car. The upholstery. The seats. The floor mats. The headliner.
No, I looked out the front window at the scenery passing me by, across the USA. 750 miles a day. No sitting on the shoulder for hours waiting for a tow truck. No sitting in a repair shop for hours at a time. Just trees and hills and mountains and lakes all day every day.
But, I must honestly admit after around 300,000 miles I did get bored. I had seen enough over those years to not be interested any more.
Still, if OP thinks sitting in repair shops or along the highway waiting for a tow truck is exciting. I say, Good for her!
Irlandes; Iâve come to the conclusion that if you have never owned a really reliable car like a Toyota or a Honda, all this reliability talk goes in one ear and out the other. I know a guy who has had 4 Volkswagens and he believes all those repair costs and $100 oil changes are ânormalâ upkeep. These folks also never read Consumer Reports and other surveys of ownership costs. There are also those who actually believe that German cars are better than Japanese cars, something that has not been true since about 1985!
I have a brother in law who has always owned âDetroit Ironâ (Pontiac, Nash Rambler, Ambassador, Malibu, Cap[rice, Cougar, Crown Victoria, Buick LeSabre, Buick Lacrosse.and simply does not believe that my nearly 10 year old Toyota has only incurred $110 worth of repairs!.
Years ago a study by the German Auto Club and the German Consumer Association found the Toyota Tercel and the Mazda 323, both cheap econoboxes, to be the most reliable vehicles on German roads, much to the consternation of the Deutchland Uber Alles types.
I vaguely remember that German study from somewhere.
We have had a very few regulars on CT who insist that the Japanese cars are no better than the big three, er, big two, I guess. And, they imply that we who feel different are just gullible fools who are tricked by the Japanese propaganda.
But, I also remember not long ago a poster admitted he thought the same thing, until he got a Toyota or Honda and was amazed at the difference.
I also think most who scoff at the Japanese cars have either never owned one, or bought a cheap, old beater and it was junked out already.
Also, we have hobby mechanics. They enjoy spending a Saturday running around, buying a part, and successfully replacing it. So, a car failure is actually a fun event for them. No problem found.
What I enjoy is another year with no serious failure when ever possible.
I have owned BMW, Toyotas,Hondas, Nissans, Fords, Subarus and now VW. I used to be one of those people who looked at a car as a utility vehicle, which in many respects it is. But now I think of my driving as more than just getting from point A to point B. I love the road, the way the car handles, the pick up and go when needed. I love the fuel consumption of the diesel, which is barely anything compared to my previous car. I found that driving something without character (which doesnât mean a POS) is just too boring for someone like me.
Some people drive and some people DRIVE, itâs a joy and privilege. I am in that latter group.
The most reliable car in my 35 yrs of owning and driving was my Subaru but it lacked something that I found in the TDi. I actually enjoy the road and all the sights that I have found with 700+ miles per tank I went from Cape Cod MA to Cape Breton Nova Scotia and back on 4 tanks. I donât think I am going to find that anywhere else.
Yes, you Toyota people have your preferences. Thank you for you opinions, but you can just leave them to yourself. I want something more. Everyone has preferences, mine is not to drive a Toyota so letâs move on.
Does anyone have experience with the Hyundai Elantra GT? I saw one today and itâs about the right size and style. I have never owned one of these but hear good things.
I will drive the GTi and the Mazda, and will consider others.
Thanks.
Why not just buy a reliable Toyota or Honda . . . but take off the logo and put a VW logo on it
That way, you have the best of both worlds
Reliable, as is many other cars. I have been there done that. Ready for something new. Some people just canât take the idea that there is more to life (and driving) than good old reliable cars.
Itâs not that I am expecting another VW, as this is my first except for the family bug in the 70s. I just enjoy the way it drives, I have put many miles on it in the 2 yrs I have had it and have had no issues. I love the fuel economy but know that there isnât much else out there that gives those kind of numbers.
Is there away to delete this thread?
If you like your VW diesel so much . . . why donât you let VW do the factory fix and keep driving it?
The fix is a ways out, there is not guarantee that it will be at all a good driving car after or as economical.
Someone said it will drive like a Camry 
Apparently there is not a means to delete threads or have them closed. You could make a post such as this:
Thanks for all comments I will now conduct my search for a vehicle on my own. Therefore you may assume that I have left the building and lost my entry password.
âit will drive like a Camryâ
Whoever said that is talking nonsense
The steering, suspension, brakes,etc. will be unchanged
You will likely notice diminished power and lesser fuel economy
But you might still be satisfied overall, after itâs gotten the official fix
If you decide to keep the car and get the official fix, arenât you also titled to money . . . ?
Whoever made the âdrive like a Camryâ comment is an idiot.
The factory fix will not change the carâs fundamental character
There is money being offered in all directions. If I go for the buyback, I can get the original purchase price at this time. I have driven the car for 2 yrs and have 55k miles on it. Now, if I take what many of you have said that VWâs are unreliable and I should consider another car, itâs only a matter of time until the poor thing gives up the ghost.
I thought about both options. If I wait for the fix, at this point they will offer a nice amount of money with the solution. There is no telling what that solution is going to be. Plus there will be no really good resale value of the car now or in the future.
So after consideration, I thought it might be best to just cash in now and get another car, possibly known for a better reputation and start fresh. Basically I will be getting free use of this car over a 2 yr period with many trips and great memories. Before the inevitable doom of said Jetta.
I will ponder this and all options. I have no idea how much time I have to make a final decision but I will drive some of the suggested vehicles (minus those bloody Toys) and make an informed choice.
Thank everyone for your input.
I appreciate the discussion.
You clearly really like the car
With the factory fix, youâll probably still really like the car, since its essential character will not have changed
FORGET the âdrive like a Camryâ comment . . . bogus
If you like the car, get the factory fix, AND get money, and drive it for a few more years, then resale value should be of little concern
You KNOW youâre not making friends, when you keep referring to Toyotas in derogatory terms. Many of us on this forum own or have owned several Toyotas. And while we may not think they are exciting, we do like the good service theyâve given us.
yes, some of our comments . . . including mine . . . were a little snarky. But you kind of invited it. On the other hand, we are trying to give you some decent advice
Volkswagen will pay the âclean trade valueâ as listed in September 2015. This is between $15,000 and $23,000 for a 2014/15 Jetta depending on model/trim level and subtract for high mileage. I didnât see what year your car is, a 2 year old car can be a 2014 or 2015.
There are very few of these for sale right now, people are waiting to make a small fortune from these cars. These cars are on my watch list, after the compensation is paid there may be a lot of cheap Volkswagens on the market.
Weâve offered a long list of reliable cars that are fun to drive. Please try them out and youâll be surprised how many are worth owning. It does not have to be a Toyota.
As for economy, the total cost of ownership is the most important. A family two houses down own 5 Hondas. The three kids have Civics and the dad drives an Accord, while the mom drives a Pilot which doubles as the tow vehicle for their camper.Dad is an accountant and they arrived at their decision by adding all the ownership costs. They keep their vehicles a very long time. The three Civics are fun to drive cars and look better than any VW, in my opinion.
From an environmental point of view 15% of the LIFE CYCLE energy used and carbon generated is in the MANUFACTURE of the vehicle. A short lived car with good fuel mileage may not be a net gain for the environment.
Good luck in your search!
I understand you. For a family car a boring Camry or Accord would be fine. When I was married we had a 1985 Ford Crown Victoria but I mostly drove my 1971 Mustang MACH 1. I am currently driving a (purchased new) 2010 Kia Forte SX 6 speed manual transmission (sibling of the Hyundai Elantra GT). It performs quite well and gets very good fuel mileage. I am lately missing my 1996 Mazda Miata and may seriously consider looking for a nice one. Most people just steer. It sounds like you enjoy actually driving as I do. I have never driven the Mazda 3 but know 2 people who own and enjoy them. My other 2 Mazdas were RX-7s (1981 and 1991) and had no reliability problems.