Our house is really pretty green. We recycle almost 65% of our trash, we don’t use any chemicals in our cleaning products and we eat locally when ever we can. I’m not a licensed driver, so we only have one automobile, but when we started to research new car options in 2011, we knew we had some very specific needs. My main mode of transportation is my trike, but it only gets me around the block and back and we needed an Earth friendly, dog friendly, powerhouse.
Blue and I Going For A Ride.
We did a lot of research before we started to even think about buying our current vehicle. Mr. MVP drives 162 miles to get to and from work every day so our car works very hard. We weighed the options of many different types of automobiles and at one point had ourselves convinced that each kind of car was the one for us. Slowly, however, Mr. MVP test drove and I researched and read and we picked a winner, the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI, and we haven’t looked back since.
hybridcars.com
I have to say I have never actually driven the VW, so I’m writing this blog post as a professional non-driver. I am an excellent passenger however, and the alternative is an epileptic driving a car, so my non-driving status is pretty solidly permanent for now. From the perspective of a passenger, the VW gets super marks. Our TDI has roomy leather seats with seat warmers, which for me is a plus, because I’m skinny and always freezing cold. It also has a lovely panoramic sunroof which lets in sunlight without ever even needing to be open. My habit of traveling with lots of stuff, even for a trip across town, is pretty well known, but the VW makes it easy for me because there is cargo room everyplace in our car.
This guy is way under utilizing his TDI. We fit at least 60 bags of mulch in our VW. automotiveaddicts.com
When I was studying car statistics I made sure to keep in the back of my mind that Mr. MVP was going to drive this car five day a week through very bizarre weather. Ideally I wanted an auto with all wheel drive, but in the end decided a vehicle with superior crash test ratings and drivability would do the job just fine, especially if it was eco friendly. The VW handles snow, sleet, ice and rain like a Michigan native, which is good because sometimes we have all four in the same day.
The VW is an integral part of Team VP. Its clean diesel engine gets an almost whopping 40 miles to the gallon on the highway, which is where we count on it for most of its performance, and it is ridiculously and quietly reliable. We stay on top of maintenance, which for the VW means changing the oil every 10,000 miles. Every year we renew the XM radio, which is sort of like going to the dentist six times in one day (sorry Dr. Spurr), but mostly the VW takes care of itself.
Mr. MVP and VW
Even with diesel hovering around $4.19 a gallon we’d still pick our TDI every time. Volkswagen is a great car company that fits useful simplicity in every nook of its design. I feel safe in our TDI and even though I’ll probably never drive it, I’m confident that it will keep Mr. MVP safe on his long commutes. As much as I love my trike, I just cannot envision him peddling down the interstate in a shirt and tie to get to work everyday.
About The Author
Nicole
Member of Team VP, knitter and Mama to Blue and Franks. Life, is bloody good.
