VW's new diesel powered Jetta isn't going to be in dealers until next month, but many VW dealers have already received enough orders to eat up their total 2008 allocation.
The new Jetta TDI meets emissions standards in all 50 states, but with diesel prices approaching $5 a gallon it has many people wondering why there is so much appeal for the car. According to dealers the higher fuel economy and reliability of the diesel engine are driving its demand. Diesel engines provide improved fuel-economy that is comparable to a hybrid or smaller fuel-efficient car, but with better performance. The Jetta TDI gets 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway compare that to 21/29 for the regular gasoline powered Jetta.
Volkswagen is planning on selling 15,000 Jetta TDIs a year. By next year the TDI could account for almost 30 percent of the Jetta's sales.
The Jetta TDI sedan starts at $22,640 and the wagon starts at $24,240, which is about $2,000 more than the regular gas powered models.
Full Story: eGMCarTech
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Comments (8)
1st
They should have charged more if people wanted them that much.
Posted by 1st is stupid | July 14, 2008 2:54 PM
Posted on July 14, 2008 14:54
@1st
Yeah, I'm sure all the dumb chicks and "I'm different" people who buy these piles would be dumb enough to pony up even more for an inferior product (in relation to Japanese cars).
Posted by Noya | July 14, 2008 4:52 PM
Posted on July 14, 2008 16:52
@ Noya:
I didn't know the Japs were selling Diesels in the US...
Posted by Sabby | July 15, 2008 6:54 AM
Posted on July 15, 2008 06:54
The people I know who have them are also looking forward to being able to use biodiesel in them as well. (Two are already burning it.)
Posted by kw | July 15, 2008 7:48 AM
Posted on July 15, 2008 07:48
"with diesel prices approaching $5 a gallon it has many people wondering why there is so much appeal for the car"
Are you serious? How narrow sighted are "journalists" allowed to be these days? On 60L of diesel, this car can probably go 1000km, on 60L of gas, the car would go roughly 650km. On a dollar-per-mile basis, diesel is a far less expensive fuel!
Posted by CanadianDriver | July 16, 2008 11:43 AM
Posted on July 16, 2008 11:43
"with diesel prices approaching $5 a gallon it has many people wondering why there is so much appeal for the car"
Are you serious? How narrow sighted are "journalists" allowed to be these days? On 60L of diesel, this car can probably go 1000km, on 60L of gas, the car would go roughly 650km. On a dollar-per-mile basis, diesel is a far less expensive fuel!
Posted by CanadianDriver | July 16, 2008 11:44 AM
Posted on July 16, 2008 11:44
While VWs are crap, for only $2000 more you can bump up your economy by 30+% (10MPG) and only increase your fuel cost by about 10% or so. If the average person drives 15000 miles a year, with diesel at $5 (and average of 35MPG) that's $2143 a year vs gas (@ $4.50 and average of 25MPG) at $2700 a year. So a savings of about $560 a year will pay off the difference in less than 4 years. Add in the general increase reliability of diesels and its a no-brainer.
Posted by gm0n3y | July 16, 2008 4:04 PM
Posted on July 16, 2008 16:04
Maybe now automakers will understand that PEOPLE DO WANT TO BUY DIESEL IN USA.
First of all, it's just simple math to figure out the cost per mile and 2nd: feel the torque at low rpms and you'll love the diesels.
Posted by ego | July 17, 2008 12:53 AM
Posted on July 17, 2008 00:53