Corporate shakeups don’t usually change the products we see at local dealerships, but a recent change at Volkswagen has shifted the company’s plans for the introduction of a hybrid vehicle. The new head honchos in Germany felt that putting a hybrid engine — at an additional cost of roughly $2,500 — in a Jetta wouldn’t sell because of the price. Instead, VW’s first hybrid power plant will be in a Touareg SUV.
We think a hybrid Jetta not only would sell, but is more in line with what the Volkswagen brand has been all about since it landed in the U.S. What would you rather see on lots? A hybrid Jetta or a hybrid Touareg?