Everybody on our staff who took the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI for a spin loved driving it. Some didn’t like looking at it, others didn’t like sitting in it, but everyone loved driving it, which is exactly the reaction that a German sports sedan is supposed to evoke. The latest in a long line of fun-to-drive Volkswagen sedans, the new Jetta GLI is, all at the same time, a performance bargain, an economical family sedan, a European car with pride-inspiring brand cachet, and, if you’ve been watching TV lately and been jarred from your reverie by the unmistakable crunching sounds of a car wreck, you know that the Jetta is safe, too. Sure, there were things we didn’t like much, like the grabby brakes, the sticky gearing, the stiff seat bolstering, and the way the interior squeaked and rattled. But the 2006 VW Jetta GLI is so much fun to drive, so supremely competent in most of the areas that matter, that its pros far outweigh the cons. If you love to drive but you’re in need of a $25,000 sedan with a big trunk, good crash-test scores, room for the kids, and real-world fuel economy greater than 20 mpg no matter how hard you flog the thing, we can’t think of a better car for you to buy.

That’s the short story. If you’re interested, here are the specifics.

The Volkswagen Jetta debuted in America for the 1980 model year, essentially a Rabbit hatchback with a trunk and an extra set of headlights up front. It came as a two- or four-door, and featured a gasoline or diesel engine. The first Jetta GLI arrived in 1984 sporting blacked-out trim with red surrounds, powered by the same 1.8-liter, 90-horsepower four-banger as the Rabbit GTI, and using the same sport-tuned steering, exhaust, suspension, and transmission as that iconic pocket rocket. Since then, the Jetta has been redesigned four times, and the GLI performance model was replaced by the GLX performance-luxury trim for the third-generation version. It returned again for the 2003 model year, and is now the top Jetta trim level.

What makes the Jetta GLI unique is its blue tinted glass, black honeycomb grille with red trim, xenon high-intensity headlights, projector-lens fog lights, and 17-inch alloy wheels with summer performance tires connected to a sport-tuned suspension. The GLI also comes with eight-way adjustable sport seats, a three-spoke sport leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated satellite controls, alloy metal trim and pedals, and classic plaid fabric seat inserts as standard. That’s not much to differentiate it from the new 2006 Jetta 2.0T, which is stealing some of the GLI’s thunder when it comes to hardware, but it’s enough to justify the few hundred extra dollars on the window sticker.

The GLI shares its 2.0-liter, turbocharged and direct fuel injected four-cylinder engine with the Jetta 2.0T, so if straight-line speed is your thing and you want a cushier ride quality with less restrictive seating, maybe you should shop that car instead of this performance-oriented ride. This engine is a gem, making 200 horsepower between 5,500 and 6,000 rpm. That might not sound impressive, but when you factor in the 207 lb.-ft. of torque, which peaks at just 1,800 rpm and is available across a flat power band all the way to 4,700 rpm, you can understand why the Jetta GLI feels like it flies from the driver’s seat. Turbo lag is almost non-existent, and once you get into that thick, broad wad of torque, the car instantly picks up steam and feels like it’s never gonna quit. Highly addictive, this engine, and though it requires pricey premium fuel, we averaged 21.4 mpg during a week of driving with our right feet planted solidly on the accelerator.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Jetta GLI, but we’d recommend the optional Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), a sequential manual that operates just like an automatic in traffic but can be shifted using the gear selector or paddles mounted to the steering wheel when the driver wants manual control of change points. VW’s DSG is among the best of its kind, responsive and flexible with four different ways of changing gears: Normal or Sport modes for automatic shifting, and use of the shifter or paddles for manual shifting.

Other goodies include a sport-tuned MacPherson strut front and four-link rear independent suspension, four-wheel-disc ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, an electronic differential lock, speed-dependent electromechanical rack-and-pinion steering, and 17-inch wheels wearing 225/45 summer-tread performance tires. All-season 17-inch performance rubber is available, or you can upgrade to a beautiful set of 18-inch wheels wearing 225/40 summer tires.

Prices start at an impressive $24,420 for the base car, including the $630 destination charge, and rise from there. You can add the DSG transmission ($1,075), the 18-inch wheels and tires ($750), rear side-impact airbags for back seat occupants ($350), and a navigation system ($1,800). Two option packages are available: Package 1 ($1,460) includes a sunroof and your choice of XM or Sirius satellite radio, while Package 2 ($3,200) includes those items plus leather upholstery, Climatronic dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and heated windshield washer nozzles. Satellite radio is also available as a stand-alone option ($375), and you can buy a handful of cosmetic upgrades such as a rear spoiler ($475) and a ground-effects styling kit ($1,650). Our Reflex Silver test car had plenty of these upgrades, and a sticker price of nearly $30,000.

But you don’t really need any of this extra stuff. If we were buying a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI tomorrow, we’d be rocking the 18-inch wheels, and fly out the door for just over $25,000. The extra cash would be reserved for speeding tickets, bail money, high-risk insurance premiums, and other expenses almost certain to accompany GLI ownership.