I told myself maybe four years ago that I would allow myself to buy a new car in 2011. I put a crapload of miles on my Mazda in the first couple of years of owning it thanks to work-related travel, and I knew in 2011 it would be getting up there. True to my word, the Modern Love Machine and I bought a car in 2011, except I’m not the primary driver and the Mazda is still parked outside. The MLM is the one driving the shiny new chariot with satellite radio on most days, although we’ve agreed I get to drive it on my Fridays off. That’s compromise love.

It’s a Jetta Sportwagen, and let me preface everything I’m about to say by mentioning I absolutely positively did NOT want to by a Volkswagen and I still hate myself a big for agreeing to get one. My Mazda’s predecessor was a baltic green 2002 Jetta, and oh boy, how I did love that car when it was first mine. Unfortunately, it did not love me back. It was a lemon by every definition of the concept, and not for lack of upkeep on my part. It flat out quit moving one day while we were in the middle of rush-hour interstate traffic in Nashville, and I’ve hardly ever been more scared for my life. A lot of money was put in to trying to figure out what that car’s problems were, and I traded it after just three years when no one could figure it out. One dealership wouldn’t even trade for it. The Mazda place gave me $8,000 for it, and I was happy for that. And then I swore I’d never buy another VW so long as I lived.

And yet, when it came to vehicles that fit our requirement for a stationwagon or small SUV that would give us room for our dogs and luggage when we travel and still be fairly gas efficient, the Jettawagen was the one we fell in love with. I really, really, really wanted a hybrid car this time around, so the choice came down to the Jetta and the new Prius V stationwagon, and the fact that I really wanted a hybrid and really hated VW should tell you a lot about both how good the Jettawagen was and how much the Prius did not stack up. A lot of it came down to money though — to get the trim we would have wanted on the Prius was going to require a lot more money than expected, and it being a new model, the dealership wasn’t going to budge on price. Even by purchasing the maxed-out warranty on the VW for my own peace of mind, the price of the Jetta came nowhere near the Prius. And money talks in this day and age.

I don’t necessarily love driving it more than my Mazda, but I like riding in it because of the glorious soundsystem and satellite radio and heated seats. The heated seats were the one thing I missed about my old Jetta, and I’ve long known that satellite radio was missing from my life. I’m easily won over by creature comforts. We decided to really break the wagon in on Saturday by making the two-hour drive to Asheville to drink beer because it was a rare day off for me and a gorgeous day to drive through the Smoky Mountains. With heated seats, 80s on 8 and this view, you could drive forever.