General Motors has posted a video showing yet another potential advantage offered by the pending 2013 Chevrolet Cruze turbo diesel over the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. At least that’s the hope, because the competitive advantages appear to possibly be mixed with disadvantages as well, such as a starting price higher by $730, and city mpg lower
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The market for U.S. diesel cars has been inching upwards, but still remains a small fraction of gasoline-powered cars, and Automotive News today presented a video overview as to why it sees this as so. According to Senior Writer Jesse Snyder, the value is just not there. In a broad overview without naming specific models,
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The Jetta has traditionally been Volkswagen’s top seller in the U.S. and previous generations were little more than versions of the Golf two- and four-door hatchback sedans. That changed with Jetta’s model-year 2011 redesign – although the SportWagen retained its Golf-heritage with new front sheetmetal to mimic the sedan’s looks. The redesign dropped the Jetta’s
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Not so long ago the U.S. vehicle market was all but diesel-free, thanks in part to California’s strict air standards that prohibit high nitrogen oxide emitters. But with the debut of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI in 2008 and subsequent releases from Mercedes, BMW and Audi, diesel’s fortunes here are beginning to change. Far from the
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Hybrid cars usually outsell clean diesel vehicles by about three times. But the disruption in supply of hybrids and related components (due to Japan’s earthquake in March) has apparently pushed efficient diesels higher on the shopping list of buyers wanting more miles per gallon. “American’s have never had so many vehicle fuel and technology choices,
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The 2012 Jetta Hybrid will emphasize power instead of efficiency. That’s according to comments made by Michael Hinz, Jetta technical project manager, published today by UK’s Autocar website. “Are hybrids really fuel efficient? Not really, as you are adding more weight,” said Hinz. “Yes, we could do a power hybrid. We’re certainly not going to
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In one more sign that the automotive world is shifting to electric-drive technology, Volkswagen today reconfirmed its commitment to producing a hybrid version of its popular Jetta. A gas-electric Jetta, to debut in 2012, would put another affordable mainstream hybrid option into showrooms. Affordability is the key word, as hybrids push further into mainstream vehicle
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Give consumers a vehicle with a choice between a gas engine and a clean diesel engine, and about 30 percent of them will choose the diesel. This statistic comes come from analysis by Bosch, a leading supplier of diesel systems, based on date from R.L. Polk & Co., and reported today by Green Car Congress.
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Hybrid gas-electric cars dominate Kelley Blue Book’s latest list of the most fuel-efficient vehicles. It’s no surprise that six cars in the top 10 list, released this week, are hybrids and two are small cars—the Mini Cooper and Honda Fit. But the two clean diesel offerings—one from Volkswagen and one from BMW—almost escape notice. With
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Soaring demand for Volkswagen’s clean diesel Jetta Sportwagen TDI has left VW dealerships unable to keep up with demand. Waiting lists for the $24,000 vehicle—with MPG ratings of 30 city / 42 highway—are as long as 45 days in some Southern California dealerships. The Numbers So far this year, 80 percent of Jetta Sportwagens sold
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