Old, outdated ideas can die hard. One is the idea that diesel engines are automatically noisy, clattery, slow and dirty.

That is why, until recently, cars with diesel engines were not very big players in most automakers' portfolios -- not to mention that there were justified pollution concerns, too.

But within the last year, more cars with diesel engines have been introduced, ranging from the elegant, well-done Mercedes E Class diesel down to this week's test car, the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI.

	2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS (top) and interior (bottom). Click photo for larger image.

My test model had a base price of $20,480, placing it well within our $25,000 base price limit for our Wallet Watcher this week. Adding the five-speed Tiptronic automatic, electronic stabilization program, an emissions package and cold weather package brought the bottom line to $22,710.

Power came from its 1.9-liter, 100-horsepower, four-cylinder diesel engine, and it has front wheel drive, power rack and pinion steering, anti-lock brakes, front passenger and driver side air bag supplemental retrain system, and even side curtain protection head impact air bags front and rear.

Jettas, in my view, have always been fun-to drive little sedans that are solidly built -- though some quality control issues at Volkswagen the last few years have placed a cloud over its brands. Even so, I found my Jetta sedan to be trouble-free and little different from the Volkswagen Jetta gasoline engine models that I've liked for years.

In its engine, called a "turbo direct injection pump duese," VW maintains, by making air swirl as it enters the engines's cylinders, air molecules mix more thoroughly with fuel, thus providing improved performance, better mileage and reduced emissions."

My Jetta felt every bit as fast and perky as any I'd driven, and there are absolutely no differences in performance between the diesel and its gasoline counterparts when driving. Yes, when you start the car, you will hear a bit more noise, but it quiets down pretty quickly.

Of course, you also get Jetta's great handling and braking characteristics with this model. It gobbles up corners and curves like a champ, and does so while still feeling stable. This Jetta, like the others, ranks at the top of the compact class for handling.

Inside, you'll find a beautiful interior with tough, durable fabric and materials, and sensible, purple-blue lit gauges ahead of you. All controls and dials are easy to handle, and I've even learned how to decipher that once-inscrutable overhead dial used to operate the sunroof.

Jetta's biggest drawback is that the interior is quite cramped, particularly in the back seat. Fortunately, VW is about to replace this model to make it more competitive with other cars on this score.