LA Auto Show: 2009 VW Jetta TDI Wins Green Car of the Year
Last year’s Green Car of the Year award was a cynic’s dream come true. Bestowing the annual eco-accolades upon the ginormous, environmentally challenged Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid could persuade even the most optimistic tree hugger to hang up his Birkenstocks for good. (Full disclosure: I do not now own, nor have I ever owned, a pair of Birkenstocks.) The current roster includes nominees that are both more credible and more diverse than the last. The 2007 event provided the choice of a hybrid, a hybrid, a hybrid, a hybrid or a hybrid. Now we have a couple of oil burners (BMW 335d, VW Jetta TDi) and something that could fit inside a duffel bag (smart fortwo), as well as a pair of the customary gas-electric hybrids (Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2). Drum roll, please: congratulations go to the VW Jetta TDi.
This new-for-America 2.0 liter model has finally discovered something that the red, white and blue version of the car has long been missing: power. Ponies have been bumped upward to 140hp. According to VW, you get 236 lb ft of torque, an MSRP starting at $21,990, and a low carbon footprint. According to the EPA, you can expect fuel economy of 30 city/ 41 highway if you choose a six-speed manual; shave 1 mpg from both figures if you’d rather remain shiftless.
More by Adrian Imonti
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The between emissions regulations and the new US sulfur standards making our diesel attractive for export to the EU the value proposition for Diesel small cars is DOA. For any sort of towing or hauling its still there however. Tow a 10k lbs trailer with a gas and diesel pickup and the diesel wins by a big margin. Long term reliability and longevity with the higher operating temps required to meet the new standard has yet to be proven.
The between emissions regulations and the new US sulfur standards making our diesel attractive for export to the EU the value proposition for Diesel small cars is DOA. For any sort of towing or hauling its still there however. Tow a 10k lbs trailer with a gas and diesel pickup and the diesel wins by a big margin. Long term reliability and longevity with the higher operating temps required to meet the new standard has yet to be proven. That being said the torque-rich nature of a diesel makes for a distinct and more enjoyable driving experience.
As usual, the nay sayers have their facts a little slanted. Right now diesel is about 20% higher around here and how long does anyone think gas will be down around $2 per gallon. My diesel TDI gets nearly 40% better mileage than the similar gasser it replaced. You do the math. The IRS rebate wipes out most of the price differential for purchasing a TDI. Kelly Bluebook says the resale on a TDI is several thousand more than a comparable gasser. TDI VWs have consistently been more reliable than comparable gassers according to Consumer Reports. Diesels look pretty good in terms of greenhouse emissions and even better when you acknowledge they burn less fuel. To each his own, but lets not rule out diesels for phoney reasons.