My wife has the 2006 TDI and I love it.
What other vehicle can you get that seats 5 adults (realistically) and gets >40mpg when driven sanely and 35mpg when driven by me on the highway?
The Miata is over 5 years old and I haven't changed a belt or hose on it yet. This made me uncomfortable to take it on our annual father/son road trip so I took the wife's Jetta instead. I filled the take in Aurora, CO, and had 1/4 tank left when we pulled into Amarillo, TX.