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It’s always intriguing to drive a car with a powerful but thrifty engine. Volkswagen’s TDI turbodiesel is just such an animal, and when it is plopped in the Jetta SportWagen, it brings outstanding fuel economy to a car capable of carrying large items.

European diesels, such as the 2.0-liter from VW, are the mileage kings of internal combustion engines. Direct fuel injection and turbocharging make them quiet, smokeless and powerful alternatives to gasoline engines. The TDI is a small engine with a relatively big punch, yet it sips fuel as if it were on Weight Watchers.

Diesels deliver their punch from low rpm, and that means you don’t have to downshift like mad to merge onto the freeway or pull around a slow car on a two-lane road. The TDI has 140 horsepower but 236 pound-feet of torque. That’s as much torque as a V-6. Torque gives the vehicle its off-the-line punch and presses you back in the seat the moment you stomp on the throttle.

Under most circumstances, torque is more useful than horsepower because it is available at low rpm. I found that in an effort to maximize fuel economy I could shift into fifth gear at 40 mph and still have enough torque to accelerate up hills without downshifting.

The Environmental Protection Agency rates this engine’s fuel economy at 30 miles per gallon in the city and 41 on the highway, and it is easy to exceed these numbers with careful driving. I did when I drove a Jetta sedan earlier in the year. Last week, with some very cold days, I averaged 31.4 mpg in mixed city and freeway driving.

Volkswagen states that if one-third of all light-duty vehicles in the U.S. were diesels, the country would save 1.4 million barrels of oil a day. That’s an amount equal to daily shipments from Saudi Arabia.

The Internal Revenue Service will give buyers of the TDI sedan and wagon a $1,300 tax credit.

The base price of the station wagon is $24,310. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and locks, heated front seats, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, AM/FM stereo with Sirius satellite radio and a six-disc CD changer. Anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control, along with front, side and side-curtain airbags are also standard. Rear side airbags are optional.

The Jetta is not a small car, and the SportWagen configuration means it can haul nearly as much as a compact SUV. The cabin is comfortable but modestly finished. The seats are excellent, and the instrument panel contains simple but readable gauges.

Price

The Jetta TDI SportWagen had a base price of $24,310. The only option was a panoramic sunroof, and that brought the sticker price to $26,810.

Warranty

Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. All routine service is free for three years or 36,000 miles.

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI SportWagen

Engine: 2.0-liter,

140-horsepower 4-cyl.

Transmission:

Six-speed manual

Front-wheel drive

Wheelbase: 101.5 inches

Curb weight: 3,230 lbs.

Base price: $24,310

As driven: $26,810

MPG rating: 30 city, 41 hwy.

To reach Tom Strongman, send e-mail to tom@tomstrongman.com.