[link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=124780|2004 Jetta TDI Wagon]. I'll have it for a while. :-)
My wife has a 1993 Corolla, 1.8 liter, 5 speed. In the not too distant future we'll probably replace it with a hybrid Toyota or Honda. I'm still skeptical of the mileage claims (they're good in stop-and-go driving due to the regeneration and engine-cutoff when stopped, but highway driving doesn't see those benefits), and the Prius is awfully funky, but she's leaning that way so that's probably what we'll get. Mainly for the lower emissions. The Corolla's been a good car and has ~ 180,000 miles on it. (It's only problems have been plastic door handles breaking in winter, some other plastic bits breaking, the engine valve seals leaking, needing a new alternator every few years, and some noisy wheel bearings and/or C-V joints.)
[link|http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=8427&page_number=1|CandD] had a comparo of 4 high-mileage cars in September. The TDI didn't do very well, mainly (I think) because they used an automatic rather than a manual. VW's automatics seem to eat 3-4+ mpg. The Prius got 52 city/40 highway in their tests. I've gotten 52 mpg highway in my TDI (330 miles at 61 mph), ~ 49 mpg at 65 mph average in a 500 mile trip. I always get 42-44 mpg commuting to work.
[edit: 2004, not 1994 Jetta. Thanks Alex.]
Cheers,
Scott.