By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

For a spacious mid-sized family sedan with European feel and style it would be difficult to find a better product than the Volkswagen Passat. And usually when discussing the Passat, we recommend the company's outstanding diesel engine, which has been updated with 10 more horsepower for 2015. But these days we have reassessed that recommendation.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Volkswagen's sales in North America have been struggling. We think that's because the German automaker has been slow to bring its new and improved vehicles, vehicles that Europeans get months and even years before we do.

After driving the all-new 2015 GTI (which have been cruising German highways since November 2012) we’re thrilled that the new Golf lineup is finally here because the newest version of the iconic hatchback is among the best in the compact car ranks.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The Volkswagen Jetta has been powered by a couple of noteworthy engines and a couple that weren’t so noteworthy over the last half dozen years. Our favorites have been the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 200 horsepower, and the fuel efficient 2.0-liter turbo diesel. Unfortunately, the turbocharged 2.0-liter was not carried over to the newest generation Jetta in 2011.For 2014 the award-winning diesel is still available, as is an all-new 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that offers a winning combination of excellent gas mileage and noteworthy performance.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The new Volkswagen Beetle convertible offers iconic open-air cruising at its best. And as rewarding as it was to go "topless" on an unusually warm winter day, the newest rendition of the soft-top Bug proved more impressive to us driving with its lid closed.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Forty miles on a gallon of gas has become the new benchmark for compact cars propelled by an internal combustion engine without help from an electric motor or a charging cord. This is the lofty goal in 2012 for bragging rights and increased sales — and to bring manufacturers closer to new gas mileage standards looming ahead.

This makes the Volkswagen Jetta TDI an interesting choice in the compact segment because of its exceptional miles per gallon combined with the kind of performance simply not available in the base four-cylinder gas engines powering such popular names plates as the Chevrolet Cruz, Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The 2012 Volkswagen Golf R hatchback is one of the most enjoyable small cars to come our way, a satisfying piece of engineering with a go-fast demeanor that should suit virtually everyone who has the good fortune to slip behind the wheel.