Author Topic: PM new Jetta TDI/Toyota Prius comparison (Read 4655 times)

clbanman · « **on:** September 27, 2008, 09:44:11 am »

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4284188.html?series=19

burn_your_money · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2008, 10:47:08 am »

They should rack up 100k kms on both cars and then see who gets better mileage

jtanguay · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2008, 11:49:41 am »

diesel hybrid FTW!!!

the only reason that the prius gets such good mileage in town is because its motor turns off when stopped... if only there was a way for diesels to accomplish this with a smooth transition...

jimfoo · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2008, 11:53:40 am »

why wouldn't there be? A warm diesel starts just as easily as a warm gas engine

the caveman · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2008, 12:51:32 pm »

Last year when we made our annual trip to New Brunswick with my 98 TDI that also runs on WVO i ran into someone with a Prius . I asked them what kind of fuel milage they got and they told me about 50 mpg. " that's too bad" i said ," i get 53 mpg , however it so far on my trip it has cost me about $1.00 for the diesel i used till i switched to WVO" . I can't believe they didn't look happy for me.

jtanguay · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2008, 01:12:38 pm »

Quote from: "libbybapa"

The 1.2TDI in the Lupo, Polo and Audi A2 all shut off when stopped. They also get 80-100MPG. The prius is a joke by comparison.

Andrew

would be interesting to know what the delay is... i would be worried about reducing the life of the starter. i bet a 1.2TDI hybrid could get even better than 80-100 mpg...

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2008, 03:21:06 pm »

I read somewhere lately that the carbon (and overall environmental) footprint of building a Hummer is quite a bit smaller than building a Prius... batteries are nasty nasty things environmentally.

In my mind the comparisons need to be cradle-to-grave... which of course is hard to do with a car that just came out. Cost to manufacture, cost to repair, cost to replace battery packs every three years, cost of fuel... environmental impact of all of the above... yada yada yada.

I was going to build a Voltswagen with my old Caddy a decade ago... lots of really good bolt-on kits available for the VW tranny and perfect for my commute to work. Then I factored in the fact that Edmonton power is 100% coal-fired... and the thousands of dollars in batteries I'd need to buy every few years... and the environmental advantage dried up very quickly.

jtanguay · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2008, 04:09:12 pm »

Quote from: "Vincent Waldon"

I read somewhere lately that the carbon (and overall environmental) footprint of building a Hummer is quite a bit smaller than building a Prius... batteries are nasty nasty things environmentally.

In my mind the comparisons need to be cradle-to-grave... which of course is hard to do with a car that just came out. Cost to manufacture, cost to repair, cost to replace battery packs every three years, cost of fuel... environmental impact of all of the above... yada yada yada.

I was going to build a Voltswagen with my old Caddy a decade ago... lots of really good bolt-on kits available for the VW tranny and perfect for my commute to work. Then I factored in the fact that Edmonton power is 100% coal-fired... and the thousands of dollars in batteries I'd need to buy every few years... and the environmental advantage dried up very quickly.

but electric motors are over 90% efficient... and battery technology is advancing :wink:

i personally would rather just have a big capacitor that the motor could keep topped off by regen braking etc and use for quick acceleration (which IMO is the main reason for low city mpg...) the electric motors could be built right into the tires.

the caveman · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2008, 05:16:38 pm »

This probably applies to carbon pile batteries, but i once read that 50 times more energy goes into making a battery then will ever come out of it. That doesn't apply to newer tech ones , and lead acid ones get recycled, but still

Turbinepowered · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2008, 06:20:44 am »

Quote from: "jtanguay"

diesel hybrid FTW!!!

the only reason that the prius gets such good mileage in town is because its motor turns off when stopped... if only there was a way for diesels to accomplish this with a smooth transition...

And it's a small(er) engine (75hp) that runs an efficient Atkinson cycle process, using the electric motor to pick up the acceleratory ooomph that drivers demand larger displacements to get.

lord_verminaard · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2008, 04:16:50 pm »

Quote from: "prothe"

VW is totally shafting us in the US. Have you seen the EPA mpg ratings for the new Jetta TDI? They stink! Don't make excuses for them, they really stink. The Prius will blow the Jetta away.

Don't know what you're smokin... but the 09 Jetta just beat the world record for fuel economy for a 48-state trip at 58.82 MPG:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/volkswagen_news/article_2508.shtml

That's beating the ever-loving pants off of the Prius. The EPA MPG ratings for the Prius also state much higher than what they are actually getting. With the Jetta TDI, the EPA ratings are much lower than what they are actually getting. Plus, the 09 Jetta is eligible for a federal Tax Credit for $1300 and the Prius is not.

And when it all boils down to it, the Jetta would suck the paint of off a Prius in a drag race too.

Brendan

zozie · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2008, 09:31:28 am »

It's too bad most of the small diesel never make to this side of the pond..... I read in an Austrian review that the 3L lupo could actually AVERAGE 2.8l/100. Mind you I'm sure that would be driving like a 100 year old but still..... I want either one of twhose or a V8TDI Audi

for fun. Top gear did a test of the A8 V8TDI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jYICnnUkwo

I know that's not your everyday driving but still very impressive considering the size and the sheer mass of that destroyer

subsonic · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2008, 03:24:57 pm »

I drive about 130 miles a day round trip in my 2009 TDI. That includes going through 3 down towns. Most of the drive is between 45 and 65 though. I have hit 53mpg driving like a old lady. Normal driving will get me about 48mpg. DO I think there is a market for the small hp diesel, sure do. I would drive one. Do I think there is a market for 140+hp sporty diesels that still get better than gasser mpg, you bet.

lord_verminaard · « **Reply #13 on:** October 09, 2008, 09:03:52 am »

Quote from: "subsonic"

I drive about 130 miles a day round trip in my 2009 TDI. That includes going through 3 down towns. Most of the drive is between 45 and 65 though. I have hit 53mpg driving like a old lady. Normal driving will get me about 48mpg. DO I think there is a market for the small hp diesel, sure do. I would drive one. Do I think there is a market for 140+hp sporty diesels that still get better than gasser mpg, you bet.

I've been reporting your experiences with your 09 Jetta to a Co-worker who really wants one but keeps him-hawing about it, I think I almost have him convinced.

I'm glad to know that your real-world driving experiences are reporting very good MPG, and actually isn't that far off of the world record.

Brendan

subsonic · « **Reply #14 on:** October 09, 2008, 11:40:04 pm »

Most of the time it's just me and the guy I carpool with. I weigh 250 and he is 200 so it's not doing to bad. I just upped the tire pressure from 35 to 40psi. Might make a small difference.
If I push it up to 75mph the milage starts to drop to mid-low 40's.