Motor Trend COTY - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
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I agree - it's a joke.
Passat looks like something that was design for one of poor Eastern European and Asian countries.
Passat has the biggest standard engine in it's class - yet, it's least powerful and it's also least economical.
They have a good diesel, but it's still nowhere as economical as hybrids.
And it comes from a company that's always in the bottom of JD Powers long-term reliability ratings.
Passat looks like something that was design for one of poor Eastern European and Asian countries.
Passat has the biggest standard engine in it's class - yet, it's least powerful and it's also least economical.
They have a good diesel, but it's still nowhere as economical as hybrids.
And it comes from a company that's always in the bottom of JD Powers long-term reliability ratings.
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Passat? A competent, capable car to be sure, sort of becoming for better AND worse the German Camry, but COTY? I don't think so.
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I agree - it's a joke.
Passat looks like something that was design for one of poor Eastern European and Asian countries.
Passat has the biggest standard engine in it's class - yet, it's least powerful and it's also least economical.
They have a good diesel, but it's still nowhere as economical as hybrids.
And it comes from a company that's always in the bottom of JD Powers long-term reliability ratings.
Passat looks like something that was design for one of poor Eastern European and Asian countries.
Passat has the biggest standard engine in it's class - yet, it's least powerful and it's also least economical.
They have a good diesel, but it's still nowhere as economical as hybrids.
And it comes from a company that's always in the bottom of JD Powers long-term reliability ratings.
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Toyota Camry - 43 mpg city
Ford Fusion - 41 mpg city
Hyundai Sonata - 35 mpg city
Volkswagen Passat - 30 mpg city
Ford Fusion - 41 mpg city
Hyundai Sonata - 35 mpg city
Volkswagen Passat - 30 mpg city
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Originally Posted by FAP_Zastava_Ikarbus
Toyota Camry - 43 mpg city
Ford Fusion - 41 mpg city
Hyundai Sonata - 35 mpg city
Volkswagen Passat - 30 mpg city
Ford Fusion - 41 mpg city
Hyundai Sonata - 35 mpg city
Volkswagen Passat - 30 mpg city
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EPA Estimates - 35 mpg city / 40 mpg highway
Motor Trend REAL-WORLD observed - 27.0 mpg (I get close to this in my 412-horsepower 2011 Mustang GT 5.0L)
2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
EPA Estimates - 40 mpg city / 38 mpg highway
Motor Trend observed - 36.9 mpg
2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI
EPA Estimates - 30 mpg city / 40 mpg highway
Motor Trend observed - 34.3 mpg
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...n/viewall.html
Just for giggles, let's revisit the Autoblog comparison.
Volkswagen Jetta TDI:
EPA Estimate - 30 mpg city / 42 mpg highway
REAL-WORLD - 43.1 mpg city / 50.3 mpg highway
Honda Civic HYBRID:
EPA Estimate - 44 mpg city / 44 mpg highway
REAL-WORLD - 37.6 mpg city / 50.5 mpg highway
More?
"Although the EPA has come a long way in rehabilitating its reputation as a creditable source of mileage numbers, that newfound respectability could be suffering a hiccup with the all-new, 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. What's the buzz about? Two numbers -- 41 and 36 -- which the government has certified as the midsize Ford's official city and highway ratings. Trouble is, our early observations have the Fusion's overall number floating around 33.5 mpg. Hey, that's an excellent result in our book. Except that it leaves a yawning, 5-mpg disparity betwixt it and the government's combined average of 38.5 mpg."
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...d/viewall.html
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Interesting. I remember when Fusion first came out, AutoBlog took it for a test drive and they were averaging 43 mpg city. Plus, according to Ford, a new Fusion will be on sale next year with 48 mpg city rating.
Speaking of VW diesels, I own one and yes, it's possible to get mid-40s mpg in the city, but you really have to know how to drive in order to achieve that. Basically, you gotta drive it like 90-year-olds drive their Buicks.
If I drive my Fusion the same way I would be averaging high 20s/early 30s mpg city easily.
And diesel cost a lot more than regular gasoline. Here in Wisconsin a gallon of diesel is $4.10 compared to $3.30 for regular gasoline.
Either way, majority of Passats on the streets will be 2.5Ls.
Speaking of VW diesels, I own one and yes, it's possible to get mid-40s mpg in the city, but you really have to know how to drive in order to achieve that. Basically, you gotta drive it like 90-year-olds drive their Buicks.
If I drive my Fusion the same way I would be averaging high 20s/early 30s mpg city easily.
And diesel cost a lot more than regular gasoline. Here in Wisconsin a gallon of diesel is $4.10 compared to $3.30 for regular gasoline.
Either way, majority of Passats on the streets will be 2.5Ls.
Last edited by Zastava_101; 11/16/11 at 10:08 PM.
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Interesting. I remember when Fusion first came out, AutoBlog took it for a test drive and they were averaging 43 mpg city. Plus, according to Ford, a new Fusion will be on sale next year with 48 mpg city rating.
Speaking of VW diesels, I own one and yes, it's possible to get mid-40s mpg in the city, but you really have to know how to drive in order to achieve that. Basically, you gotta drive it like 90-year-olds drive their Buicks.
If I drive my Fusion the same way I would be averaging high 20s/early 30s mpg city easily.
And diesel cost a lot more than regular gasoline. Here in Wisconsin a gallon of diesel is $4.10 compared to $3.30 for regular gasoline.
Either way, majority of Passats on the streets will be 2.5Ls.
Speaking of VW diesels, I own one and yes, it's possible to get mid-40s mpg in the city, but you really have to know how to drive in order to achieve that. Basically, you gotta drive it like 90-year-olds drive their Buicks.
If I drive my Fusion the same way I would be averaging high 20s/early 30s mpg city easily.
And diesel cost a lot more than regular gasoline. Here in Wisconsin a gallon of diesel is $4.10 compared to $3.30 for regular gasoline.
Either way, majority of Passats on the streets will be 2.5Ls.
In regards to your assertion that the majority of Passats on the streets will be 2.5L's, you may be right, though, it is more an issue of supply rather than demand. According to ( http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/...-quieter-engi/ )
"...Kwiatkowski said he has heard VW can only make a limited number of diesel Passats in Chattanooga because the German plant where the engine is produced can’t deliver more to the local factory.
“I understand the demand for diesel has taken off so quickly that the plant in Germany can’t produce enough,” he said. Kwiatkowski said he has heard rumblings about building another engine plant to produce the diesel power plants...."
This is IN SPITE of the current higher price for diesel fuel!
Furthermore, according to hybrid cars.com (http://www.hybridcars.com/news/octob...rch-31926.html), VW sold more than 20 times as many diesel (TDI) Touaregs last month (October 2011) than hybrid Touaregs (they actually sold more diesel Touaregs than gas and hybrid Touaregs combined - 387 diesel Touaregs out of 725 total Touaregs sold in October = 53.4%!). MB sold 74 S-class diesels in October (first month on sale here), and only 9 S-class hybrids.
According to a "white paper" written by a previous U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary (Norman Mineta) for the U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars (http://www.cleandieseldelivers.com/u...hite_Paper.pdf), the "take rate" from June 2010 to June 2011 for vehicles in which a diesel engine was offered was 39%, while the "take rate" for vehicles in which a hybrid version was offered in addition to the standard gas engine was about 5% (chart on page 13). Again, this is in spite of diesel fuel being more expensive than RUG during that period.
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Motor Trend is one of those magazines that changes their opinions very often.
When the new Taurus, Explorer, Fiesta, Focus ... came out they loved it. And then few months later they started finding finding things that they don't like about each of them (especially on Explorer).
p.s. I saw the new Passat today and it looks so much better in person than on pictures.
When the new Taurus, Explorer, Fiesta, Focus ... came out they loved it. And then few months later they started finding finding things that they don't like about each of them (especially on Explorer).
p.s. I saw the new Passat today and it looks so much better in person than on pictures.
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