Autoblog

When we got our first chance to sample the new Volkswagen Jetta TDI last summer, VW of America CEO Stefan Jacoby indicated that the new compact diesel would achieve mileage in the 40mpg range. More recently, VW has been indicating that the Jetta TDI is capable of up to 60mpg on the highway. The first of the new 50-state legal Jettas were recently spotted on their way to dealerships and now the EPA has published official mileage numbers. Unfortunately,wrong those numbers don't quite match up with what VW has been claiming.

According to the official listing at FuelEconomy.gov, the 6-speed manual 2009 VW Jetta TDI managed 30mpg on the city cycle and 41mpg on the highway cycle, making its combined number 34mpg. Now those numbers are certainly respectable and nothing to sneeze at, but they fall well short of VW's predictions. Nonetheless, the TDI rates 41.7-percent better than the 2.5L five cylinder and 36-percent better than the 2.0 TFSI four cylinder. The big question is what will a diesel Jetta do in the real world? According to VW spokesman Keith Price, Volkswagen's diesels typically do better in real world mileage than the EPA sticker values. VW, you know where to find our garage so we can judge for ourselves. Thanks for the tip, Conner and Jason!


[Source: FuelEconomy.gov]

Click the Jetta Sportwagen for a high-res gallery

While we were in Virginia attending the inaugural race of the Jetta TDI cup series, Volkswagen provided us hacks with a some new Jetta Sportwagens with which to make the 45 minute morning and evening commute between the Berry Hill Inn and the race track. Like the last generation Jetta Wagon, the new Sportwagen is branded as a Jetta in North America because Jetta is Volkswagen's top-selling model here. The rest of the world, however, knows this estate-bodied Volkswagen as the Golf Variant. No matter, because the Golf/Rabbit and Jetta share all their important hardware and are, for all intents and purposes, the same car.

In typical fashion, the new Sportwagen has grown since the previous model was retired and is now nearly as big as the last-gen Passat wagon. My first impression upon climbing into the Sportwagen was how it felt nearly as roomy as the 2000 Passat wagon that resides in half of my garage at home. VW provided an assortment of cars with both 5-speed three-pedal and 6-speed two-pedal transmission arrangements. Unfortunately, all were paired with the base 2.5L inline five-cylinder engine. Check out my impressions of the new Jetta Sportwagen after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

When Volkswagen unveiled its new 50 state-certified Jetta 2.0L Clean Diesel TDI back in January, the company line was that the car would be available in the spring of 2008. We've been impatiently waiting because we're excited by the prospect of diesel engines penetrating the U.S. market again, and no other vehicle could do more for the cause than the relatively inexpensive Jetta TDI. Now comes word from the TDI Club forums that the diesel sedan will be further delayed until late summer 2008 because of a "technical issue that was found during the later stages of durability testing."

The news comes via an email sent by VW to its dealers, who are reportedly disappointed that they'll have to wait even longer for this highly anticipated car. Brandweek cites one dealer who claims that three out of every five calls he receives is about the Jetta TDI.

The fact is, the U.S. now has the strictest emissions standards for diesel powerplants, and if an automaker wants to sell its diesel-powered vehicle in all 50 states, it has to meet the even stricter standards set forth by the California Air Resources Board. The complexity that must be involved to achieve this feat is likely considerable, especially without the use of a urea injection system. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait.

[Source: TDI Club via Brandweek]

click above image for more high-res pics of the Jetta TDI Cup Racer

Racing diesels are the thing to have nowadays, and VW will get into the game next year with its Jetta TDI clean diesel cup racer. The Jetta TDI will form the basis of a 1-make series in the U.S. run at up to 8 venues and sanctioned by the SCCA. The Jettas will all be owned, prepared by, and maintained by Volkswagen. Each will have the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 170 HP and close to 300 lb-ft when kitted for racing. Shifting will also be handled by a 6-speed auto with DSG. And not only will the race series be diesel clean, it will also be carbon free. Follow the jump to read the press release and be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res pics below.

[Source: Volkswagen]