2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI rated 43 mpg highway, priced from $25,995*

Good advice that applies to nearly all manufactures IMO.

 

Looks great, but......
1. Has VW overcome their build quality problems of the 90s?
2. I still get better mileage on the hiway, near 60 mpg.
3. 70% of my driving is in town and there I can get 70 mpg in the summer.
4. I paid less for my 2010 III even with added rearview camera, and fogs, and a few sundry other pieces.

 

I love my Prius, and it is not going away, but my '97 Passat TDI is ten times more fun to drive and holds a lot more stuff on a roadtrip. It returns 45 mpg in mixed driving and I've put 30,000 trouble free miles on a $1000 car that some kid tried his best to kill before I got it.

This new Passat is bigger and has an available stick shift. The drivetrain is proven at this point. May have to head over to VW for a test drive......the only thing slowing me down a bit is that it is pretty boring to look at. Can't say the Prius is a charmer, either, but German cars usually tend to have some visual pizzazz. The Passat seems to be the baby of a Taurus and a Malibu :bored: .

 

If it's significantly more economical than an equivalent gasoline car (and it will be) it's a good thing. It's not a Prius, but the large number of regular mid-size sales suggests not everybody wants a Prius.

 

If you spend a lot of time on the highway and want a car that ISN'T a Prius then this sounds like the one for you.

 

Regular gas today is $3.56, diesel is $3.88. Nobody should fall for the highway portion of driving of any car unless you live in a rest area on the side of the highway. The slightly smaller carbon copy Jetta diesel gets: 30/42, 34 combined, 1mpg more than the Elantra. Clean Diesel is just a cleaner fuel than before and particulate filter, and a marketing slogan.

Hyundai Elantra is Midsize/VW Jetta is Compact.

VW Jetta Gas
23 City
25 Combined
29 Hwy

Hyunday Elantra Gas
29 City
33 Combined
40 Hwy

VW Jetta Diesel
30 City
34 Combined
42 Hwy

 

None of these "highway mpg" cars can match hybrids in real mpg. Highway numbers are pure marketing BS.

 

Diesel's efficiency window is narrow. For a full hybrid like Prius, it is very wide.

 

Agreed. The diesels rock on the freeway but once in the city or stop and go traffic the MPG dumps. Like stated above, if you live next to a freeway and drive mostly freeway then go for it. You'll still get better MPG overall in a Prius. Or you could spring for the Prius v when it comes out. Lots of cargo space and great MPG (42 combined).

 

With the electrification in progress, what would you rather have / own in 5 years? What will the resale value be for a TDI with mechanical transmission with emission hardware requiring maintenance?

 

That freeway better not have any traffic congestion or it will work against Diesel. We both know much hybrid gets the MPG boost in that kind of situation.

 

I totally agree. The diesel works well for rural folks or those who live in areas with low population densities. This really helps make the case for hybrids and EVs because populations are just going to keep increasing and with that comes traffic congestion.

 

Diesel fuel actually has about 15% more energy. Prius v's 40 MPG highway is actually more efficient than Passat TDI's 43 MPG. Atkinson cycle gas engine with electric CVT do wonders even on the highway.

 

Very true. Just look at the Elantra and Fiesta.

 

I believe they run on tradition Otto cycle with mechanical step gear transmission. Both of them are compact cars with much smaller cross-section area so there will be less aero drag at highway speed.

Prius v is much bigger yet still get better (or equal) highway MPG than those compacts. Prius v probably has lower drag coefficient due to the shape, more efficient Atkinson cycle ICE and superior electric CVT.

That's just for the highway. For city traffic (EPA condition), Prius v has no competition.

 

Hyundai, Ford, etc are getting good at gaming the EPA tests for good numbers. Compare fuel economy logs on a website like fuelly.com and the difference is much greater. For an average driver, the TDI will still easily beat a gasser. Hypermiling to the limit can close the gap to almost negligible though.

The Passat's emissions control and induction system is different compared to the Jetta's. There are probably many other differences but that's all I know so far.

 

powertrain proven? current VW powertrains have nothing to do with your Passat.

and so far, proven to fail only

 

My step-dad had a diesel Passat (some 90s yr), and he could get 40s around town in it and upper 40s highway driving 70/75 mph. Granted, it was lighter than todays cars and less emissions controls, too. I loved it on the highway, 5th gear, cruise at 75, and kept on going up the mountains without an issue. In that regard, I'd take a diesel over my Prius anyday. Before he got rid of it, it had thumbtacks holding up the head liner, a window that didn't work properly, and a dash light that wouldn't shut off until the bulb finally burnt out lol. But, it ran like a champ!