Year: 2008

Chevrolet Aveo Gas Mileage

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The subcompact Chevrolet Aveo was introduced in the 2004 model year and redesigned for 2006. The Aveo produces respectable gas mileage ratings, with highway ratings of 34 miles per gallon (MPG) for manual transmission-equipped 2008 models. Although it carries Chevrolet badges, the Aveo is built by Daewoo, a subsidiary of General Motors, and is imported from South Korea.

The Chevy Aveo is available in both four-door (shown above) and five-door configurations. All models are fitted with a 1.6 liter DOHC four cylinder engine that produces 103 horsepower and 107 foot pounds of torque.

We spent a week with the hatchback version and came away with some interesting observations. Check out our 2009 Chevy Aveo5 Review:

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Volkswagen Beetle Gas Mileage

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What can you say about the Volkswagen New Beetle? While folks either love or hate the VW Beetle ‘s iconic design, the little Bug has always delivered acceptable gas mileage. Although the current model’s gas mileage ratings of 20/28 for the manual and 20/29 for the automatic aren’t remarkable for a sub-compact, previous years have benefited from the availability of Volkswagen’s legendary turbo diesel (TDI) power plant.

2006 marked the last model year that Volkswagen imported a diesel Beetle to the States. If you have your heart set on a fuel efficient diesel VeeDub but don’t have the cash to splash on a Jetta or Passat, a used turbodiesel New Beetle might just be worth a look. While used Beetle TDIs command a premium price over gasoline-powered Beetles, they tend to be the least expensive of all the VW diesels on the resale market and are rated in the mid- to high-forties on the highway. (A “don’t laugh, I get 50 mpg on domestically produced biodiesel” bumpersticker might be a nice touch.)

It remains unclear whether Volkswagen will reintroduce the New Beetle TDI. Sales figures will dictate the decision, no doubt, although a 50+MPG Beetle would be a compelling option for folks who might have otherwise considered the smaller and less fuel-efficient Smart.

The 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle is fitted with a 2.5 liter inline DOHC five cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower and 170 foot pounds of torque, while running on regular unleaded.

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Volkswagen Passat Gas Mileage

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The Volkswagen Passat delivers understated luxury and good gas mileage. While classified as a family sedan, outside appearances can be deceiving. As we found from hands-on testing, the stealthily luxurious Passat is capable of producing very respectable highway gas mileage figures. While earlier models of the Passat were available with Volkswagen’s highly efficient turbo-diesel (TDI) power plant, VW stopped importing Passat TDIs to the States after the 2005 model year. We expect the Passat TDI to follow the Jetta TDI in returning to our shores, now that the diesel engine has been tweaked to meet tougher US emission standards.

Two model-specific gasoline-powered engines are available in the 2008 Passat. The turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 2.0 liter four cylinder engine produces 200 horsepower (HP) and 207 foot pounds of torque, with “premium fuel recommended for maximum performance.” This is not an entry-level engine, by any means, as VW estimates 0-60 times of 6.6 seconds for the turbo four. Taking it up a notch, the VR6 and all-wheel-drive VR6 4Motion are fitted with a conventionally aspirated six cylinder engine, producing 280 HP and 265 foot pounds of torque, with an estimated 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds.

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Volkswagen Jetta Gas Mileage

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The Volkswagen Jetta has long been one of the most fuel efficient cars sold in America. While gas mileage figures for the conventionally powered compact Jetta are good, diesel-powered Jettas are remarkably efficient by American standards. Unfortunately, Volkswagen paused the importation of the diesel Jetta TDI to the States with the 2006 model year, in order to make changes to meet the more stringent emissions laws.

Although Volkswagen planned to reintroduce their revamped turbo diesel to the North America market for the 2008 model year, production delays pushed the Jetta SportWagen TDI and Jetta TDI back to the 2009 model year. The pause in importation only caused the resale market for Jetta TDIs to become even more rabid. As with all used diesel-powered VWs, the fuel-efficency and longevity of the TDI engine commands a premium at resale, even with high mileage cars.

We spent a week road testing a 2009 Jetta TDI and found the car to be well worth the wait. Check out our Jetta TDI Sportwagen Review:

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