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By Jim MatejaChicago Tribune
November 2, 2008
Before hybrids arrived on the scene, diesel vehicles were the alternatives to gasoline-powered cars. They got far better mileage and thus a much greater driving range before need for a refill than gas. The cost of the extra miles, however, was that diesels were noisy, smelly and sluggish, and the fuel, as well as the vehicle, was more expensive than gas. The noxious sulfur that diesel spewed incurred the wrath of not only the clean-air crowd but also several high-volume sales states, including California and New York, who set emissions standards so high diesels were effectively outlawed. Jilted automakers lobbied for petroleum companies to develop ultralow-sulfur diesel to meet those standards. They did, so Volkswagen has reintroduced the compact Jetta TDI, or turbodiesel, for 2009 absent since 2006. We tested the TDI, a pleasant surprise for those who remember diesels as noisy, smelly slugs. Slip behind the wheel, turn the key, step on the pedal and most would suspect a V-6 gas engine under the hood. Smooth, energetic, yet quiet takeoffs without diesel chatter, clatter and commotion. There were times not long ago that those excluded the from block party were the diesel owners, and the neighbors knew who they were. Nothing about the TDI calls attention to its difference. Even performance doesn't give it away as it's as no longer the slowest vehicle on the block. The 2-liter develops just 140 horsepower, but it delivers a whopping 236 foot-pounds of burst-from-the-light, scoot-down-the-merger-lane and dart-into-the-passing-lane energy. Push the pedal, and it goes. The TDI still tends to feel heavy in the wheel because the diesel engine is no lightweight. Nimble Jetta's not. Don't expect to slip into and out of curves as if piloting a sports coupe or sedan. Decent suspension, however, in terms of minimizing bumps and bruises. But while front and rear cabin room allows room to stretch arms and legs, seats are stiff and lack as much cushion as you'd like for long-distance travel. And there's no diesel odor-inside or out. No more having to proclaim that the price of high mileage is lingering fumes. The TDI is rated at a hefty 29 m.p.g. city/40 m.p.g. highway. When VW chose to bring back the Jetta TDI after three years, it figured the car would get a 50 m.p.g. highway rating, topping even the 45 m.p.g. of the Toyota Prius gas/electric. But the Environmental Protection Agency, whichdetermines those figures, changed its test methods so that 50 m.p.g. became a still respectable 40. VW enlisted an independent third party called AMCI to test the car, and it came up with 38 city / 44 highway in real-world, not EPA lab, tests, a concession that the TDI does better than the government says even if less than what VW says. It is closer to the Prius, which, by the way, is rated at 48 m.p.g. city. Other numbers worth noting for the TDI are the $21,990 base price with manual, $23,090 with automatic, about $2,000 more than the 5-cylinder gas version. But a $1,300 federal tax credit for purchasing an alternative-fuel vehicle brings the premium down to about $700. The higher mileage is meant to offset the cost. In comparison a Prius runs about $22,000 to $24,000, but it no longer carries a tax credit. But one problem persists. The sign at the fuel station closest to home read $2.85 for regular lead-free gas, $3.79 for diesel. That's not only a 94-cent spread, but also a figure close to the $4 mark that gives motorists the yips. And when gas prices rise, so do diesel's. The $23,090 base for Jetta TDi tested includes stability control and side-curtain air bags plus all the power goodies-locks, windows and mirrors-air conditioning, AM/FM radio with CD player, auxiliary jack and split-folding rear seats with ski pass-through to the massive trunk. VW says the TDI is going out the front door as fast as the trucks are unloading them at the back. If only everyone in the industry had the same problem. Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Rides. Contact him at rides@tribune.com.
Find a NEW Volkswagen Jetta for SaleFind dealers and new car inventory in your area.
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