Another Shot in the Arm to Hybrids: Jetta TDI Sets MPG Record

[Joey D]

How do you like your Pruis now!

VW Jetta TDI sets Guinness World Record of 58.82 mpg

The VW Jetta TDI has proven to be quite popular in the short time it's been on sale here in the U.S.: it has put sales of the Tiguan in the cooler and the ones that are available are very hard to get. Now the fairest Jetta of them all has set a Guinness World Record by traversing the lower 48 U.S. states while returning 58.82 mpg thanks to John and Helen Taylor.

The Taylors took 20 days to cover the 9,419 miles in a counter clockwise direction, and this wasn't a hypermiling slow-as-you-can-go affair – they stayed within 5 mph of the speed limit. Their car was completely stock as it consumed just 11 tanks of ultra low sulfur diesel and traveled 853 miles per fill up. With that kind of mileage and handling high up on the fun factor, the Jetta TDI makes an excellent case for itself if you like driving and want to lower your fuel consumption.

VW also recently told us that the go-fast Jetta TDIs in the TDI Cup Series are returning an average of 25 mpg and doing their entire 7-race series on just two tanks of gas, which includes qualifying. If that's true, there's got to be another world record in there somewhere...

That is amazing fuel mileage all things considered. And correct me if I'm wrong didn't the EPA only rate the TDI at 30 some mpgs?

 

[Omnis]

Go Diesels! This is great news.

 

[buickgnx88]

Yet I'm sure most Americans will still think that hybrids are better just because they aren't stinky diesels.

 

[Jim Prower]

Yet I'm sure most Americans will still think that hybrids are better just because they aren't stinky diesels.

Shall I post it? Yes, I think now is the time.

You'd think some Americans are steam locomotives, the way they shy away from diesels...with Hybrids being...well, not quite a lie, but not all they're cut out to be, this is good news.

 

[buickgnx88]

I'd want one...heck I'd convert it to fry grease so I can smell like a McDonalds while I sit in traffic! Oh, and nice pic!

Actually speaking of which, I saw one at a VW show I went to last summer:

 

[Joey D]

I would love a diesel car and I know if BMW would have had the MINI D over here when I was in the market for a car I would have probably bought it. I don't know why people shy away from diesels with with the current fuel prices people might overlook their preconceived notions.

 

[niky]

EPA mileage figures are based on arbitrary conditions... you can beat them given the proper technique, even without going slow as sin.

And, no, you can't use fryer grease in new diesels... not very good for the injectors.

 

[buickgnx88]

Eh I'd make them work!

 

[YSSMAN]

EPA mileage figures are based on arbitrary conditions... you can beat them given the proper technique, even without going slow as sin.

My Celica isn't supposed to be able to pull off more than 28 MPG on the highway, but I've been averaging between 28-32 MPG in my combined cycles. Drive any car the right way and you can exceed EPA figures easily...

===

Either way, its been well-known that the Jetta TDI is super-efficent. Its really no surprise whatsoever that it went this well, and for that matter, I'm surprised it took this long for someone to get around to proving it otherwise.

RE: Other diesels...

BMW will be selling the 330d here at the end of this year or early next year, and like Joey mentioned, there is always an outside shot of us eventually getting the Cooper D (likely only if the 3er is a success). Honda is supposed to be giving us a diesel Accord, and personally speaking, I'm under the impression that if the Honda can succeed... Everyone will jump on the bandwagon immediately.

We've just gotta get the diesel fuel prices to come down a bit here in the US.

 

[niky]

The problem with straight fryer grease is that the viscosity of the oil is much different from diesel. That's why Biodiesel costs so much... because you have to add the cost of trans-esterification (which changes the viscosity to that of regular diesel) to the production costs.

You can use straight fryer oil on older diesels with non-piezo injectors (i.e.: non-CRDI diesels) as long as you process it to remove water and all contaminants and run the fuel through a heater (important to get good flow).

Either Biodiesel or fryer oil will dilute your motor oil, though... it washes down the piston walls. In other words, you can't use ultra-long service intervals, even if you're running a modern engine with synthetic oil. Dilution has been seen in engines as tight as the BMW 2.0 diesel.

And with trans-esterified Biodiesel, you also have the problem of the alcohol eating into valves on non-Bio-diesel compatible diesels... Fryer oil is superior in this one regard, as it doesn't corrode anything... the only problem with fryer oil is the constant need to test the oil in your fuel tank and in your oil sump for gunk formation.

 

[Duke]

A "shot in the arm" is actually a good thing, not a bad thing - the simile is that a dose of medicine improves your condition. As in "Congress is currently debating a $750 billion shot in the arm for Wall Street."

 

[buickgnx88]

It's funny because I saw an old add for a 70's Rabbit diesel and it was saying that it could get 50+mpg and wondering...how does a car from 30 years ago get better mileage than the best hybrid today?

 

[JCE]

It's funny because I saw an old add for a 70's Rabbit diesel and it was saying that it could get 50+mpg and wondering...how does a car from 30 years ago get better mileage than the best hybrid today?

Weight most likely.

 

[YSSMAN]

It's funny because I saw an old add for a 70's Rabbit diesel and it was saying that it could get 50+mpg and wondering...how does a car from 30 years ago get better mileage than the best hybrid today?

You can do it with most of the old Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas too. I used to drive my '93 Fox hard, but I still managed 32 MPG. I'd say 40+ MPG would have been easily achievable if I'd have slowed down a bit.

 

[buickgnx88]

I do agree that weight has become a factor nowadays, what with all the safety regs and amenities that people so desire, which causes the 'factureres to have to install larger engines and such.

 

[JCE]

This talk about the weight begs the question...

Does any manufacturer have the balls to make a small stripped out true econobox? And by econobox I mean no power anything, manual transmission, no a/c, 1 airbag (needed to be legal) and weigh no more than 1700lbs?

 

[Joey D]

This talk about the weight begs the question...

Does any manufacturer have the balls to make a small stripped out true econobox? And by econobox I mean no power anything, manual transmission, no a/c, 1 airbag (needed to be legal) and weigh no more than 1700lbs?

Well I'm sure Lotus has something that will work and there are plenty of stripped down racing versions you can get, but they aren't viable options. Then there is always the Tata Nano. But really I don't know if a car like that would sell in America to the masses, we want things on our car.

 

[bergauk]

Well I'm sure Lotus has something that will work and there are plenty of stripped down racing versions you can get, but they aren't viable options. Then there is always the Tata Nano. But really I don't know if a car like that would sell in America to the masses, we want things on our car.

Isn't the Tata Nano supposed to come to the US in a few years?

Also, cheers for a diesel vehicle reaching a high MPG. The newer Ford trucks that are diesel are giving it a really bad name. My dads friend test drove onew for about an hour and it was getting 7mpg..

 

[Joey D]

I don't know how it will be able to pass safety requirements but I wouldn't count it out.