We are extremely pleased that Volkswagen was able to achieve such phenomenal fuel mileage and emissions numbers from their Golf TDI Hybrid. As a refresher, the machine uses a 1.2 liter three-cylinder diesel engine paired with a 26 horsepower electric motor and returns 69 U.S. mpg and 89 g/km of CO₂ emissions in the EU combined cycle. As we've reported, the car is slated for production in Europe, but what about the U.S.? Don't we need cars that deliver high mileage and low emissions here too? Of course we do, but the question that needs to be asked is whether American drivers are ready to pay for the technology required to make these numbers a reality.

The Toyota Prius has set the standard for what consumers expect from green cars, and it is priced rather well - less than $25 grand, well equipped. Diesel vehicles have never sold as well in the States as they do in Europe, despite their fuel mileage increases. This is due, partly, to the added cost that comes with a diesel vehicle in order to meet emissions requirements. Keith Price, a spokesman for VW USA says,"From a consumer standpoint, it comes down to 'What kind of compromise do I need to live with to enjoy all this wonderfulness?'" Price is one compromise that is hard to get around, as VW's diesels already cost about $2,000 more than gasoline models. Add in what the hybrid system will cost on top of that and the Golf... um, I mean Rabbit TDI Hybrid may price itself out of the market. We sincerely hope not.

[Source: CNN Money]

The Volkswagen Golf (or Rabbit, if you're a Yank like me and always prefer a car's name to reference a potential meal rather than a game for old people) has just been awarded Car of the Year by ACFO, an organization that produces a bi-monthly journal called "Fleet Operator." CotY was awarded to the Golf for "delivering operational performance, whole-life cost control and driver appeal as well as an environmental edge." In other words, it's one of the best Euro-boxes out there for professionals and consumers alike.

So why isn't it as popular here? It is the exact same vehicle, with only some different engine options, though the ones offered in the States are still quite good. A wise man named Jack Handey once wrote, "Instead of building newer and larger weapons of mass destruction, I think mankind should try to get more use out of the ones we have." So instead of pining after the fun, practical microcars being enjoyed by so many across the pond, why don't we try to appreciate and, I don't know, buy the ones we already have here.

[Source: ACFO via Newspress]

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res images of the 2007 Volkswagen Passat.

This is the second part of a review of the 2007 Volkswagen Passat TDI. Yesterday we covered the Passat's pricing, appearance and some of its many features. Click here to read part one.

Today we cover the interior, safety, economy and on-road performance.

Probably the first thing you'll notice if you hop in and go to turn the car on though is the key fob itself. Instead of a traditional key, the entire key fob slots into the dash for push-button electronic on / off operation. VW thought of everything though because hidden inside the key fob is a "conventional", plastic key which can gain you access to the vehicle but will not start it up. This allows you to leave the (expensive - $500!) key fob locked in the car while you go surfing and just take the plastic key into the water.



Like the on / off control, the parking brake is also a push-button job located close to the ignition switch, and must be engaged for the car to be turned off. An associated feature is the Auto Hold function which neatly answers the question, "I'm on the side of a hill and I don't have a hand brake to stop me rolling back down, what do I do?" Again a push-button operated feature, this time flanking the transmission, Auto Hold automatically activates the electronic parking brake for painless hill starts. Eliminating the hand brake has the added benefit of freeing up room around centre console, resulting in a simple, uncluttered layout.

Continue reading part two of the review after the jump.

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res images of the 2007 Volkswagen Passat.

Late last year I had the pleasure of helping my father choose his new vehicle, and after determining that he wanted a diesel sedan, we quickly narrowed the possible options - BMWs, the 300C, Audis, Peugeots, Mazdas, Fiats, Alfas and VWs - down to the Volkswagen Passat. Offering a great blend of size, comfort, features, diesel economy and price, he picked the Passat up in late November last year. Having helped pick it, I am biased about this car. But that said, let's look at why it worked for my father and me.

The 2007 Volkswagen Passat TDI leads VW's car line-up in Australia as their largest model apart from the Touareg luxury SUV. The 2007 Passat offers three models each in a sedan and wagon format ranging from AUD$42,990 (US$34,056) for the Passat 2.0 TDI Sedan 6 Speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission, through AUD$44,990 (US$35,641) for the Passat 2.0T FSI Sedan 6 Speed Automatic and topping out at AUD$54,990 (US$43,563) for the Passat 3.2 V6 FSI Sedan 6 Speed DSG. The wagon equivalents of each adds $2,000. Frankly I don't understand this pricing scale because the TDI delivers better fuel economy and good performance via VW's outstanding DSG 6-speed gearbox, in which the clutch and gearshift are controlled electronically, for a lower price than the equivalent automatic petrol model.

Despite the array of standard features in the Passat, there are still a good dozen options that you can play with if your wallet allows including sunroofs, sat nav, bi-xenon headlights with dynamic cornering, leather upholstery etc. My father however had a limited range of options due to the fact that multiple Volkswagen dealers in our area quoted delivery times of over six month and as high as nine months due to a global shortage. So, when he was presented with a silver model kitted out with black leather upholstery, he signed up straight away.

Continue reading part one of the review after the jump.

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res images of the Volkswagen Touareg.

Truck Tend is reporting that Volkswagen has changed its plans to introduce a range of hybrid models including in its entry level vehicles. Apparently VW's recently ousted CEO was planning to introduce hybrid versions of relatively cheap models such as the Jetta and the Golf/Rabbit. The new head of VW, Martin Winterkorn, doesn't agree with the old strategy pointing out that high mileage diesel variants of these models already exist.

With hybrid powerplants apparently costing VW almost $2,600 extra per vehicle, its been decided that the Touareg luxury SUV can more easily absorb the additional cost and is a better candidate for improved fuel economy.

Currently the Touareg offers three engine options, a petrol V6 or V8 and a monstrous diesel V10. Fuel economy for the three is estimated by the EPA at 15 mpg city / 20 mpg highway for the V6, 14 mpg city / 18 mpg highway for the V8 and 17 mpg city / 23 mpg highway for the V10 TDI. Clearly the V10 TDI is the most desirable option, but you have to pay for all that torquey goodness - the V6 starts at $37,990 while the V10 TDI starts at $59,020 according to Volkswagen's website.

The higher cost of a Touareg means that offering a hybrid option on even the entry level model would add just 7 percent to the cost. In comparison, with the Jetta starting at $16,490, offering a hybrid option on the base model would add almost 16 percent to the cost.

Analysis: I'd love to see a hybrid Golf, especially a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid! But realistically, this updated plan for rolling out hybrid technology makes a lot of business sense for Volkswagen. Their diesel Golf for example already delivers fantastic fuel economy of 5.7 L per 100 km / 41.3 mpg (Australian rating) for a combined city/highway cycle. This way the people who can afford hybrid Touaregs also get to beta test the system for the rest of us!



Related:

• Car and Driver's first drive of the new 50-state-legal Jetta TDI
• VW Passat BlueMotion to debut in Geneva
• Volkswagen betting each way on powertrain technologies

[Source: Truck Trend]

Sales of diesel vehicles made up 22 percent of Volkswagen's sales in the United States last month, Bloomberg reported Monday. A Morgan Stanley analyst quoted in the article said that the fuel economy of diesel cars and rising gas prices caused the increase. Volkswagen's total sales were up 11 percent last month, so there's more to the increase than just fuel economy.

Volkswagen sells three diesel models – of the Jetta, the Golf and the New Beetle – in the United States, according to the article. About 40 percent of Jetta and New Beetle sales were diesel models, compared to only 13 percent for the Golf. The new Rabbit will soon replace the Golf. In previous years, diesel models made up between 12 and 14 percent of Volkswagen's sales.

[Source: Bloomberg] [Update: this story and others had "Volkswagon" typos corrected, thanks to Phil]