Can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a brand new high-MPG Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI? Get ready to wait a bit longer. A post on the TDI Club forum leaks a letter from VW to its dealer network, spreading the news of a significant delay in the SportWagen TDI’s arrival.
According to the letter, the Jetta SportWagen TDI will not appear after the first of the year, nor in early spring … “late summer 2008” is now the expected time frame.
Enough of the bad news. Lets get to the good.
The buzz is that the SportWagen TDI’s ultra-clean turbo-diesel will deliver 140 horsepower and 235 foot pounds of torque. Highway mileage could be as high as fifty miles per gallon or more. (One unsubstantiated report pegged the highway figure as high as 60 MPG.)
The TDI’s story isn’t just about great mileage. Popular Mechanics scored a recent test drive and were “pleasantly surprised” to find the new VW oil-burner to be quiet and powerful, delivering a level of torque that humbles the Toyota Prius.
Related: Volkswagen Jetta Gas Mileage
This lightly modified Jetta SportWagen TDI displayed at the 2007 SEMA show in Las Vegas features custom paint and graphics, Hella lights, dropped H&R Springs, Brembo brakes, and 19-inch Sportec wheels shod with Yokohama tires.
I have a VW diesel now. Which gets 39 mpg. Pretty good! Can’t wait for this one. Always wondered why diesel has not caught on in the US as it might have. Perhaps this will lead the way.
The sportwagen diesel does seem to be a car to wait for! The other day I saw a newer diesel wagen at the pump; it looked great! The owner claims it has thus been trouble free and gets about 52-55 combined mpg.
The “tiguan” is another consideration, but it has half the cargo space and initial offerings only in 4wd. I would enjoy the extra ground clearance,but the mpg loss directs me to the wagen. I wonder if the added delay isn’t a ploy so dealers can add to the sticker price.
Can we believe it this time? Unfortunately VW goes HYPE delay HYPE delay HYPE delay etc. etc. etc. You cannot go on like this forever! HOW MUCH LONGER?? REALLY??
I have a 2001 Jetta Tdi with 213k that gets 50mpg religiously..I have owned it since it was new. It still runs
like a top and the way I figure it…its only broke in. But I am anxiously awaiting the new wagon…
Having owned a 1999 Jetta TDI since new and liking it very much, I couldn’t wait for the new TDI Sortwagen to be available. With my current TDI in the shop for most of this week due to VW being unable to get a top radiator hose, I can understand but not appreciate the delay in making the sportwagen available. VW never seems to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. If they keep this up I will be forced to deny my German heritage to avoid continued embarasment.
With my 2003 jetta tdi, I was getting 83 mpg , that is when I mix it with 30% french fry oil, and a quart of marvel mystery oil. The fry oil is free at McDs and they are happy to get rid of it. It drops down to about 50 mpg straight diesel. I only change the the oil every 10000 miles, and it now has 234000 miles and runs like new.
Greg-
I’m running a 04 TDI Golf, getting just under 50 mpg… tell me more about this ‘Mystery Oil’? are you counting gallons of vegg in your MPG calcs?
thanks!
Keith, please. He’s diluted his purchased diesel by adding volume back as free fuel and therefore, the improvement in Miles Per Gallon of Purchased Diesel goes up linearly as such.
its now August…ordered the Jetta TDI…still waiting for a proposed delivery date…whats up with this
Word is VW “pulled back” 4,000 TDIs to be sold in Europe. What portion of those were/will be SWs I don’t know. Due to weak dollar? Is the American oil industry lobbying VW to keep high mileage vehicles out? 😉
I will eat French Fries at McDonalds, or anyother fast food restaurant as long as I can get the FF oil. Dayum…….83 mpg….I want a VW diesel TDI