We've said it before: There is no automotive silver bullet that saves money, reduces environmental impact, and gets us off foreign oil all in one shot. At least not at the moment, given the current state of technology, infrastructure, government statutes, and business case realities. But Volkswagen has chambered a round that moves the game forward by a fair amount. VW has sold diesels on and off in the U.S. market since 1977. All were good, most were slow, and they suffered from the old maladies that have been associated with diesels for decades.
The Jetta TDI Clean Diesel sedan and wagon are here, featuring cutting-edge technology, substantially better mileage than a gasoline engine, and affordable pricing. The company estimates that about 25% of Jetta sedan sales will be TDIs, perhaps a bit more for the SportWagen. And...drum roll...it will be offered in all 50 states and meet the same emissions requirements as do gasoline-fueled cars. Everyone wants to know the numbers, so here they are.
The Jetta 2.5, powered by a 170-hp inline-five-cylinder, is EPA rated at 21/29 mpg (manual transmission). The TDI makes just 140 hp from its 2.0L turbocharged diesel I-4 and delivers an EPA estimated 30/41. Compare the averages of 25, and 35.5 mpg represents roughly a 10 mpg improvement. Yes, this is a simplistic look at a complex scenario, and your mileage will vary, but it's at least a metric for comparison. And the difference, folks, is huge.
Here's another number that will impress you. The Jetta's five-banger is rated at 177 lb-ft of torque. The TDI gurgles out 236 lb-ft and does so from 1750 to 2500 rpm. It's torque that moves the car, especially in low-speed passing situations, launching out of corners and away from the lights. The difference, again, is huge. The TDI meets 50-state emissions regs using a combination of catalysts and particulate filters and doesn't require a urea-injection solution system as do some diesels.
For those interested in better managing their carbon footprint, the 2.5L gas-fueled Jetta puts 0.81 lb per mile of Co2 gases into the atmosphere. The TDI, largely by virtue of covering more miles per gallon burned, emits 0.65 pounds per mile. So much for the notion of diesels being "dirty."
Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or VW's superb DSG six-speed dual-clutch automatic. It's a robotically controlled manual that shifts so fast and clean you'd swear it was a conventional torque-converter-style automatic, but it's more efficient and responsive than the latter; there's only a slight mileage penalty, losing one mpg on the EPA's city and highway rating.
Enough numbers for a moment -- how does it drive?
The TDI is one of the quietest diesels you'll hear, at idle or up the rev range. You'll still know it's an oil burner, but it's just that its sound is different, and not so much louder, than a gas unit. As is typical, there's an instant of turbo lag upon takeoff, but once in the super fat part of its torque band, the Jetta steps out smartly. The power flattens out as you near the 4500-rpm redline, but when worked in that magic 1750-3500-rpm range, it's got grunt to spare and will handily outrun the gasoline model. In the 6M model, that means a lot less downshifting to power out of an apex.
Torquesteer? Zip, zilch, nada.
We drove the 6M and 6-sp DSG versions, and in spite of our enthusiast heart nearly always rooting for the manual, the DSG is the way to fly. Its shift points are ideally matched to the TDI's power curves and always keep the engine revving in its sweet spot. You also can toggle the lever into a manual mode and shift for yourself; there's also a Sport automatic mode that holds each gear longer, and downshifts sooner, if you want to drive more aggressively but still let the DSG do the work. The only wish list item is a pair of shifter paddles, as you'd find on an Audi A3, to give the enthusiast drivers something fun to play with. Under certain conditions, the powertrain rumbles a bit if you give it moderate throttle at low rpm while in the higher gears; it's much like driving a manual transmission in high gear, just off idle. But once the revs rise or trans downshifts, it's gone just that quickly, and it's not objectionable. By getting the DSG, you also avoid the 6-sp manual's notchy shifter, which pops in and out of its reverse detent on most upshifts. DSG is an $1100 option, and we wouldn't have our Jetta TDI without it.
The rest of it? Jetta is as Jetta does. That means a handy size, nice rear legroom, a beautifully detailed interior, and an impressive list of standard features. In keeping with the TDI's greenish persona, you can't get leather seating surfaces. But a 10-speaker, CD6 changer audio system with Sirius sat radio is standard, as are six airbags and a multifunction trip computer that will help you see how much fuel you're saving.
More numbers: the TDI costs about $2000 more than a gas-engine Jetta. But you may get some of that back from Uncle Sam in the form of up to $1300 in Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credits. There are limitations; your tax bracket, alternative minimum tax scenario, and whether the car is a business expense will affect the amount you may be entitled to. Check with your tax preparer before claiming the credit on your 1040.
The other factor is that diesel is currently averaging around $0.58 per gallon more than regular unleaded. This takes the gloss off of some of the TDI's mileage advantage. You can calculate the difference based on your annual mileage and how long you plan to keep the car. It's our bet that most folks will come out ahead over a 3-4 year haul, and should the price gap close even a little, the TDI's case becomes even more compelling. Not to mention all that torque.
Many economical and/or green solutions miss an important element of the equation, and that's the person who makes the payments and has to drive the sled. VW hasn't left the enthusiast out of the deal. The Jetta TDI is fun to drive in a way that most econoboxes and many hybrids will never be. The suspension tuning and 16-in. rolling stock are fine for the way most TDI buyers will drive them, but the sporting Clean Diesel pilot should pop for the optional 17-in. rolling stock, which would sharpen up the handling responses even more. Then, add a set of Jetta GLI anti-roll bars and shocks and you'd be set.
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI is an efficient, environmentally smart, and kick-to-drive bit of kit. A rather compelling bullet, for sure.
[source:MotorTrend]
