Family sedans: some models miss the mark, but the diesel Jetta TDI is a near bull's-eye.(Product/service evaluation)

DESPITE BEING SMALLER and less roomy than the family sedans in this month's test group, the diesel-povvered Volkswagen letta TDI outranks them all. In fact, the Jetta TDI now ranks among our top sedans that cost under $25,000.

Another supposedly greener car we tested, the new Thevrolet Malibu Hybrid, left us disappointed. The Malibu Hybrid got only 2 mpg better in fuel economy than the four-cylinder Malibu. which we also tesced this month. A nd it cost about $3,000 more than the regular Malibu version.

The four conventional family sedans in this month's cest group don't unseat the perennial leaders in the competitive family sedan category. The group includes the four-cylinder Malibu with a new six-speed automatic transmission, the Hyundai Sonata, the redesigned Mazdafi, and a Saturn Aura with an updated powertrain.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Prices for the conventional cars in our group range from $20,735 for the four-cylinder Sonata co $30,790 for the V6 Maz-da6 Grand Touring.

The Sonata and the four-cylinder Malibu have better than average reliability and are our only recommended models. All other cars in this group are coo new for us to have sufficient reliability data co recommend them.

Clean diesel trumps a hybrid?