I have a couple of non-TDI VWs, an '82 Rabbit Pickup and a '91 Jetta. They each get in the high 40s when driven lightly. If you can find an IDI turbodiesel, that's the one to have (but they are rare). The IDI's are slow, like a 240D.
But parts are cheap, repairs are easy as everything is mechanical.

Being in Canada, you probably have a better selection of them than we do down here.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)