VW's 52 MPG Cars

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Sep 5 2007, 05:30 PM) [snapback]507516[/snapback]</div>

We need to do apples tp apples comparisons:

1. The Golf is a smaller car than the Prius
2. Diesel fuel has more energy per gallon than gasoline (especially E10)
3. The Golf (I believe) is a manual transmission car. With an auto tranny the MPG would be lower

Besides, this diesel, although cleaner than some others, produces significantly moe pollutants than my Prius.

JeffD

 

Yes but I bet they still haven't fixed their crappy electrical systems.

Have you replaced the wiring harness, broken windows (because of cheap plastic clips), blinkers, covertible top mechanism, coolant temp sensor, electric door locks.


Yes this was all before 2 years.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusmaybe @ Sep 5 2007, 06:21 PM) [snapback]507535[/snapback]</div>

Right.
In addition, all the plus's and minuses (more minuses than plus's by last count) have already been rehashed ad nausium in other threads. Should we restart here? again? or just add to the existing ones?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Sep 5 2007, 04:09 PM) [snapback]507567[/snapback]</div>

Agreed.

If we are going to gently remind the newbies to do a search before posting questions, then......

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=38289&hl=

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=38343&hl=

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Sep 5 2007, 05:30 PM) [snapback]507516[/snapback]</div>

I am currently acheiving over 52mpg in the Prius with 50+ mpg lifetime. Diesels have and maybe always will get some 50+mpg in compact cars with manual trannys. Big deal. If you think that is "better" then buy one. If you think you can take a stock Jetta or Golf into a rally and win, good luck to you. Just based on the numbers you posted you'd finish behind an Insight, a Prius, and a handful of biodiesels ending up squarely in the middle of the pack. The driver makes a bigger difference than the car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zenMachine @ Sep 6 2007, 06:30 AM) [snapback]507516[/snapback]</div>

They used different scales, EPA and EU standard.

The EU standard numbers are...
VW: 4.5 liters/100km -> 52.3 MPG US, CO2 119g/km
Prius: 4.3 liters/100km -> 54.7 MPG US, CO2 104g/km

Ken@Japan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Sep 5 2007, 09:20 PM) [snapback]507674[/snapback]</div>

Its a poor comparison to the Prius. I would like to see the bluemotion sold here though. More low carbon choices are better for the US. Put a mild hybrid or even just an engine start/stop system and it would even be better.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jdenenberg @ Sep 5 2007, 06:17 PM) [snapback]507534[/snapback]</div>

Sizes of Golf vs Prius (in mm)
Length - 4204 vs 4240
Width - 1759 vs 1668
Height - 1479 vs 1440
Wheelbase - 2578 vs 2510

What bothers me most about the Bluemotion concept is that it is so easy and cheap for VW to make the alterations to the vehicles. All they've done is add a plastic undertray, used LRR tyres, tweaked the engine management a bit and made 3rd to 5th gears longer. Net cost practically zero, and no engineering challenge whatsoever, but an easy 14% increase in fuel economy. Why, why, why don't the manufacturers do this to all of their cars!!!! Ah, don't get me started again....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clett @ Sep 6 2007, 05:50 AM) [snapback]507840[/snapback]</div>

One of the big factors in the VW mpg is the common rail fuel injection. This was no cheap fix. These diesels may not be our cup of tea but to the general car buying market (who cares about pollution) the new generation of diesels with big a formable competitor.

 

The more the merrier I reckon.

 

Your Prius was 2001 classic Prius.
Added 2004- HSD Prius...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(clett @ Sep 6 2007, 06:50 PM) [snapback]507840[/snapback]</div>

Ken@Japan

 

How about we use some more useful measurements, who really cares how long a car is from bumper to bumper.

EPA Volumes for 2007 Models in Cubic Feet from Yahoo Autos:

Car-------------------------Passenger Volume------Cargo Volume-----Total Volume
5 door VW Rabbit(Golf)-------94--------------------------15----------------109
5 Door Toyota Prius-----------96--------------------------16----------------112

So a difference of 3 cubic feet of interior volume. I would say they are pretty close to the same size but yes the Prius is bigger.

Also VW's "Auto" is now the DSG. The DSG is a manual transmission with two computer controlled clutches. The mileage is the same as with the conventional manual and is some cases better.

What will the argument be when VW releases their new 2008 Jetta Wagon TDI that gets 40/60 mpg?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Sep 6 2007, 08:52 PM) [snapback]508227[/snapback]</div>

Sorry Ken, my mistake.

Clett

 

We rented a Golf TDI 2.0 in Europe a couple of years ago. It was an automatic, that had a manual shift option. We got the US equivalent of 48 mpgs over a two week vacation. I liked the car a lot, and would have considered one except for two things: Not available in California, and previous reliability problems with VW that we used to own. Most troublesome car we ever had. My friend's Audi A4 has been in the shop numerous times, the Prius has never seen the inside of the dealer's shop since we drove it off the lot 41,000 miles ago.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Sep 6 2007, 10:38 PM) [snapback]508267[/snapback]</div>

Guess we will see what excuses there are when the numbers actually comes out. I couldn't find any official numbers EPA numbers for it, only what VW expects. If they are able to increase the mpg on it by almost 50 % over the 2004 wagon and make it clean enough for all 50 states then it will be a great achievement for efficiency. However, the numbers aren't official yet, so we will have to wait and say how it all shakes out.

 

I get around 40-43mpg around town and the best I've ever seen is 50.2mpg on a trip from Rochester to Amsterdam, NY. Hard to see how to get 55. I suppose if I turned off the AC and actually drove the speed limit, it might be possible. In the winter around town we cannot break 40mpg.
Car is 2007 Prius touring with 5k miles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CVS @ Sep 9 2007, 07:54 PM) [snapback]509760[/snapback]</div>

Tire pressure. We get 52-55 mpg easily during warm weather and 42-45 during cold.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CVS @ Sep 9 2007, 08:54 PM) [snapback]509760[/snapback]</div>

The two biggest determining factors of city mpg are trip length and type of driving in that city. For instance, in the same city, my wife's short commute yields about 40mpg while my longer commute gets at least 55mpg (usually closer to 60mpg). Same city, but very different lengths.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micheal @ Sep 7 2007, 10:22 PM) [snapback]508878[/snapback]</div>

Bad news. I seems that there is no agreement from VW on the fuel mileage of their new TDI. Earlier press releases from VW executives have said 40/60 mpg. Now an engineer at the TDI festival claims 35/45. That is the same as the current model. I guess we'll have to wait as see what the official numbers are. They have bumped the power 40% from 100hp to 140hp.