gas mileage

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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Jeep Grand Cherokee Gas Mileage

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The 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee offers a diverse range of engines, with two choices that stand out for owners seeking the best possible gas mileage from their luxury SUV. The 2008 Grand Cherokee can be fitted with a torque-filled and highly-efficient common rail (CRD) turbo diesel Mercedes-Benz V-6 engine that’s well-suited to towing, along with a special Multi Displacement version of Chrysler’s legendary HEMI V-8 that’s been optimized for better gas mileage when cruising on the highway. The Multi Displacement Hemi is designed to deactivate 4 of 8 cylinders when the engine is not under load, providing a 20% boost in fuel economy.

For those with unapologetic lead feet (and little concern with mundane things like gas mileage), there’s the thrill-filled, chart-topping, HEMI-powered Grand Cherokee SRT8 (pictured above).

Here’s the complete rundown on the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s range of engine choices:

  • 3.0 liter CRD turbo diesel V-6 producing 215 horsepower (HP) and 376 foot pounds of torque
  • 3.7 liter V-6, producing 210 HP and 235 foot pounds of torque
  • 4.7 liter V-8, producing 305 HP and 334 foot pounds of torque
  • 5.7 liter Multi Displacement HEMI V-8 producing 330 HP and 375 foot pounds of torque
  • 6.1 liter SRT HEMI V-8, producing 420 HP and 420 foot pounds of torque

The Mercedes-Benz turbo-diesel engine is an option in the Grand Cherokee Limited and Overland models. It is not available in CA, CT, MA, ME, NY, PA, RI, and VT.

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Volvo V50 Gas Mileage

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The Volvo V50 is a station wagon that’s well worth a look for sport-loving families … especially those that enjoy those treks to the mountains in the winter time. The V50’s gas mileage figures are very respectable, even more so when equipped with all wheel drive (AWD). As an alternative to the ubiquitous gas guzzling SUV, the V50 has plenty to offer.

Volvo V50s sold in America are fitted with either naturally-aspirated or turbocharged five cylinder engines. The 2.4i’s engine puts out 168 horsepower (HP) and 170 foot pounds of torque, while the turbo in the T5 and T5 AWD puts out 227 HP and 236 foot pounds of torque. All models are fitted with a five-speed Geartronic transmission.

The V50 is not currently available with a diesel engine in the USA. Abroad, however, the V50 is fitted with a range of highly economical common rail direct injection diesel power plants. As a point of comparison, lets salivate over the specifications and fuel consumption statistics for the manual transmission-equipped diesels currently available in the V50 in the United Kingdom:

  • 1.6 liter four cylinder – 109 HP / 240 foot pounds of torque. 44.8 urban / 65.7 extra urban British miles per gallon (approximately 37.3 city / 54.7 highway in US miles per gallon)
  • 2.0 liter four cylinder – 136 HP / 320 foot pounds of torque. 37.2 urban / 58.9 extra urban British miles per gallon (approximately 31 city / 49 highway in US miles per gallon)
  • 2.4 liter five cylinder – 180 HP / 350 foot pounds of torque. 34 urban / 55.4 extra urban British miles per gallon (approximately 28.3 city / 46.1 highway in US miles per gallon)

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