50-State Jetta TDI and SportWagen Now on Sale in US
18 August 2008
Volkswagen’s new 50-state compliant (US EPA Tier 2 Bin 5) diesel Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen are now available for customer delivery. (Earlier post.)
The Jetta TDI has an EPA fuel economy rating of 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. VW commissioned third-party certifier, AMCI, to test the Jetta TDI and found it performed 24% better in their “real world conditions,” achieving 38 mpg in the City and 44 mpg on the Highway.
Buyer of the Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen can receive a $1,300 Federal Income Tax Credit. (Earlier post.)
Pricing for the Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen will start at $21,990 and $23,590, respectively.
I'm sure the average greencarcongress reader would also get at least 38/44...but the overwhelming majority of owners will likely get the EPA estimates.
Regardless, that is great mileage compared to other vehicles currently on the market. Now, if only they could do something about their reliability/dependability.
Posted by: | 18 August 2008 at 08:19 AM
On that note, just wait until Subaru offers it's Legacy t'diesel. That should provide similar fuel economy, plus all wheel drive traction for northern/rural customers, and Subaru's venerated reliability. Talk about a perfect trifecta!
Posted by: Bike Commuter Dude | 18 August 2008 at 09:03 AM
If you think you'd be interested, check it out here.
Posted by: Bike Commuter Dude | 18 August 2008 at 09:06 AM
"if only they could do something about their reliability"
Ask the German Police how good and reliable are VW vehicles.
Posted by: Jorge | 18 August 2008 at 10:00 AM
I don't need to ask the German Police. I can ask Consumer reports and JD Powers.
Look at the ratings for Dodge/Chrysler vehicles but I bet US police swear by their Chargers.
Posted by: | 18 August 2008 at 10:46 AM
I own a 2001 TDI Jetta, with the 1.9 liter diesel, and I routinely get ~48 mpg on the highway (got 49mpg going over the speed limit (>75mph) in Wyoming), and in the mid-30's mpg mixed mode. I am sure with the newer technology, that the "real world conditions" are most likely going to be correct.
Posted by: Chris McCormick | 18 August 2008 at 10:58 AM
50 - 52 mpg. Average per tank.
Posted by: Paul | 18 August 2008 at 11:32 AM
What would be useful for comparison is a miles/$ number.
Diesel is still more expensive than regular gasoline, and so the miles per gallon are not as beneficial if you have to pay 15 - 25% more per gallon.
In any case, better mileage is better mileage. At least we are using less oil!
Posted by: jrojai | 18 August 2008 at 12:09 PM
40mpg minimum, lead foot city driving in my 02' Golf TDI. I think it could do a bit better with a tuneup.
Posted by: GdB | 18 August 2008 at 12:21 PM
Everyone here with a TDI sound just like the people lamenting about how their 91 Civic HX gets 50mpg so the new one should too...
Let's see the Exhaust gas analyzer results from your cars and compare to the most recent one.
Posted by: | 18 August 2008 at 12:51 PM
Around CT, diesel runs anywhere from 5-20% more than gas. Just taking the EPA numbers, the TDI will provide a 40% increase in mpg. With the tax credit of $1300, diesels with be only a 3% premium ($700/$25000). If you can live with the VW/Audi reliabliltiy issues, it sounds like a pretty good deal. I might wait for the Subbie, though, as we have to deal with more snow around here than the folks in Chicago [really, check the stats :-)]. Ciao.
Posted by: CT_Jake | 18 August 2008 at 03:12 PM
I have a 2006 Jetta TDI, and we've had several VW's (and Hondas and Toyotas) in the family. We have not found it to be any more expensive or troublesome to keep a VW on the road, compared to anything else.
Posted by: Brian P | 18 August 2008 at 08:04 PM
Brian,
one anecdote does not erase the statistical data.
You may have had a couple of [male] friends develop prostate cancer meaning that including yourself and myself 50% of the people in the conversation had prostate cancer. This in no way means the probability for developing cancer is 50%.
Posted by: | 18 August 2008 at 08:50 PM
Actually the chargers have a lot of problems themselves begin used as police cars.
Posted by: BG | 18 August 2008 at 09:03 PM
Often police cars are not the same as the models sold to ordinary people.
I enquired in a dealership some time in 2001 about buying Chevy Lumina police version of the car in a dealership (a FWD car, I think it was a Lumina).
They told me it was possible to order, price would be about 15% (or so) above regular price, and would have some components 'heavy duty', if I recall properly they mentioned different transmission, suspension and possibly some other differences.
Posted by: MG | 19 August 2008 at 09:08 AM
Nice car....
Too bad they didn't make very many, and so this year's supply is already sold out. I hope VW really cranks up production next year, but so far no indication of that.
Posted by: Karkus | 19 August 2008 at 12:59 PM
Please can someone give an honest and plausable reason for the following question i have. Why is it that EPA MPG numbers are generally a pipedream when it comes to gasoline cars, I have asked many many people over the years and they say yeah, the dealer said I could get 30mpg but I always average 20mpg.
It seems to always be the case, even when I am careful, I rarely match epa numbers and no I am not a lead foot driver!
So why is it that the EPA says 29mpg city for this car and the independant watchdod says 38mpg, that is a huge difference.
Also it has been my experience that friends who I speak to with diesel cars always get better milage than they expect to get, and all of them know nothing about cars, let alone tactics to get better mpg.
So what is the deal? Is it because at idle a diesel inherently uses less fuel to tickover or what and why is the EPA estimate so far off... it's the exact same story for the Merc CDi too.
Thanks in advance for any answers to this.
Posted by: Trev | 20 August 2008 at 08:18 PM
@ Trev
Regarding gasoline cars, if the weather is not very hot and you can be fresh with your window opened, not using the A/C will help increase the mileage in city driving.
Also, in city driving you can expect better fuel economy with a manual transmission (driving gently).
Diesel engines offer good fuel economy even in very low load working conditions as they do not have the pumping losses gas engines have.
Diesel engines usually provide very high torque from 1600 RPM, so you do not need to rev the diesel engine very much to get decent acceleration.
Posted by: Jorge | 21 August 2008 at 07:22 AM
"29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway"
My 28 year old VW Rabbit Pickup gets 43 around town and 50 on the highway - better than most of today's high tech hybrids. I think that the 29/40 rating for the Jetta will be found to be low.
Posted by: Caddy | 22 August 2008 at 06:04 AM
"Let's see the Exhaust gas analyzer results from your cars and compare to the most recent one."
Yes, 30 year old diesel is cleaner than the most recent cars when it's run on biodiesel and/or waste vegetable oil.
Lets see the exhaust gas analyzer on the coal fired power plant that charges the electric car!
Posted by: Caddy | 22 August 2008 at 06:08 AM