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Outline of other TDI Volkswagens in the world
For the moment, the Jetta is the only VW vehicle in Canada to be offered with a diesel option. But elsewhere in the world, it’s another story. The Volkswagen Group produces TDI engines of all shapes and sizes, from a minuscule 70 HP 1.4 litre to a gigantic 6-litre V12 that offers a whopping 500 horses.
The Volkswagen Group includes seven different brands: the popular VW, Audi, Skoda and SEAT, and the luxury Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Heavy truck brands MAN and Scania are also part of the group. Only the three luxury brands do not yet offer diesel as an option, but nothing is impossible. After all, don’t Audi and Peugeot produce prototype racecars with V12 diesels of more than 650 HP for long-distance racing ?
Endurance racing, especially the Le Mans 24 Hours, is a spectacular event:
- top speed of 340 km/h
- average track speed of 215 km/h
- almost 5,000 km in 24 hours
- 13 km circuit.
But I digress. However, the fact that a TDI has won the last three of these legendary endurance races perfectly sums up the performance this technology can muster.
The TDI offer around the world
Volkswagen offers TDI engines in all its European models, even the sports cars.
VW Fox: a minicar made in Brazil with a 70 hp, 3-cylinder 1.4L TDI.
Polo: a subcompact made in Spain and Slovakia powered by a 70 or 80 HP, 3-cylinder TDI engine and a 100 or 130 HP, 4-cylinder, 1.9L TDI.
New Beetle (Mexico): 105 HP 1.9L TDI.
Golf, Golf Plus and Golf Wagon (Germany and Slovakia): the popular Golf is offered in these countries with a different body, including the Golf Plus, an inflated version of the regular Golf. Four TDI engines are offered: 90 or 105 HP 1.9L; 140 or 170 HP 2.0L.
The Jetta (Mexico), Scirocco (Portugal) and Eos (Portugal) all get a 140 HP 2.0 TDI Clean Diesel engine. You got that right: a convertible and a sports car with diesel!Which gives you a good idea about how far diesel has come in terms of noise, smell and performance.
Touran (Germany): not to be confused with the Routan, the Touran is a compact van with normal, pivoting rear doors that’s the size of a Mazda5. Offered with a 90, 105, 140 or 170 HP TDI engine.
Sharan (Portugal): this older and larger minivan shares the same platform as the Ford Galaxy. 115 or 140 HP 1.9L TDI.
Passat and Passat CC (Germany): 105, 140 or 170 HP TDI.
Phaeton (Germany): still offered in Europe, this full-size luxury VW comes equipped with a 225 HP 3.0L V6 TDI.
Tiguan (Germany): this small SUV can come with a 140 or 170 HP TDI.
Touareg (Slovakia): Canada will get a 3.0L Clean Diesel TDI on the Touareg in the spring but the rest of the world has had a diesel Touareg since 2003: In addition to the V6 TDI, a 5-cylinder in-line version is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission, and two versions of the V10 TDI: 313 or 350 HP.
18 versions in all
If I’ve done my calculations correctly, VW offers two 3-cylinder 1-litre versions, six 4-cylinder versions (1.9 and 2.0L), one 5-cylinder version (2.5L), one V6 (3.0L) and two V10 TDI versions (5.0L). That’s 12 different engines with 6 different displacements.
But to include all TDI technology offered in 2009, I should add the 2.7L V6 TDI (180 or 190 HP), the 4.2L V8 TDI (325 HP) and the 6.0L V12 TDI (500 HP) that equip Audi’s sister vehicles. On Spanish SEAT and Slovakian Skoda vehicles, only the 3-cylinder 80 HP and the 2.0L 136 HP are different from the VW offering.
Overall then, the present number of different diesel offerings from the Volkswagen Group is 18.
As this blog is about TDI, I’d be curious to know which of these vehicles interest you the most. My favourite is the manual Touareg R5 TDI. I’ve always liked 5-cylinder engines, the iconoclasts of the automobile world.
What do you think? Let’s talk.
34 Comments
Comments
It is curious that TDI comes in so many options in the rest of the world. Will TDI become a full optional engine on all Canadian models? A TDI Tiguan or Any model would be very interesting to purchase. The only reason why i am holding out, I currently own a 2000 VR6 Jetta. But with a new family, I think the Tiguan with a TDI engine could make me feel less guilty about damaging the enviroment buying a new car and give us more options to move the kids and our sporting gear.
Without a doubt the Tiguan TDI would top my list of cars, In fact I’ve been following the Tiguan rollout since the concept “A” and was truly dissapointed when there was no TDI option for Canada. I’m holding on to my Money until a TDI Tiguan shows up at my dealership, so VW if your listening bring the TDI!
Would love a Tiguan TDI. I’ve always loved the practicality of a compact SUV, but couldn’t deal with the fact that we couldn’t get TDI + 6 Spd.
Tiguan TDI! This should’ve been in Canada yesterday! Currently own a Jetta TDI, and would LOVE to have a Tiguan TDI!
TIGUAN TDI!!! Just divert some from Europe to Canada. Keep the price reasonable (under 30K to start) and I’m in for one.
Offroad version of the Tiguan with V6TDI would get my juices flowing. Thanx
Tiguan for the win. As long as they’re at it, how about an Audi A4 TDI? I may end up with the new V6 TDI Touareg.
I think the TDI should be offered in the Tiguan. I leased a gas Tiguan in June ‘08, but really hoped and wanted one with a TDI. These engine choices also need to have a manual option. When the 2.0 TDI Passat was offered in 2004 I was so disappointed that it was only available with an auto.
The final comment in Louis-Alain Richard’s blog should ring some bells. He writes, “My favorite is the manual Touareg R5 TDI.” Truly an amazing vehicle, but us Canucks could only dream of seeing something like that come across the pond. I think VW/Audi drivers want so see more options in engine and drivetrain options. We are not American, we are Canadian. And despite our close proximity to the US I believe if given a choice we would buy our vehicles outfitted more like what Europeans buy.
Thank you, VW of Canada, for giving us a voice and opportunity to tell you want we really want.
Of course I want a TDI for a Tiguan! How could consumers pass up the 170 HP TDI when it offers 7.0 l/100 km combined millage? Amazing! Please bring this to Canada.
I am in the USA. I would buy a diesel Tiguan in an instant if it came here. I owned a diesel VW Dasher in the 1980s, and I liked the economy.
A nice 2.0L 170 hp tdi Tiguan would be a winner. I’m not new to vw, or to tdi, having owned a few in the last decade, but I was disappointed when the Tiguan came out, with no date for the Tdi version here in north america. If it was offered, it would become almost instantly the sales leading model of it’s category, as long as the price stays in line with what the other brands have. My other vehicle will have to be changed within a year, and if a tdi tiguan is annnounced, it will be the perfect complement to my 2009 clean-diesel jetta sportwagen. If it’s not announced, then I’ll simply go to another brand for my second vehicle.
Most of the most interesting VW’s have been unavailable to us in NA. Historically being under the umbrella of VWOA who have no clue …
I am waiting for the Tiguan to show up with a 140 Hp 2.0 TDI with 6-speed manual and 4 motion in an SEL trim level.
Routan was a mistake.. They should have brought over the Touran in TDI 3 years ago instead of a me- too warmed over Dodge Caravan.
List of what’s missing is too long…
T5 Multivan Startline TDI (first company to offer a 40+ MPG Diesel passenger van under $30K will clean up in Canada)
T5 Transporter TDI(look at success of Sprinter despite being way overpriced)
Caddy (similar to Ford Transit Connect)
Having owned one of every generation of Golf aside from the current MK V. I am VERY interested in the MK VI 2010 Golf GTD in a 4D 6MT.
Polo Bluemotion TDI??? Kick the Pious (Prius) where it hurts
Now that we are separate from VWOA maybe we can get some of these interesting VW’s here with TDI power.
Having lived in Australia for a time I was amazed that despite being a smaller market than Canada, many of the above vehicles were avaiable.
If VW wants to sell more than 800K cars in NA they need to bring in these interesting and high value vehicles…
Current rides
2004 Passat 1.8T
2000 EV GLS VR6
Yes please bring the 170HP Tiguan. would love to buy one. I would also consider the GTD as a daily commuter.
Tiguan is nice but I only prefer the TDI model as it is more friendly to our deteriorating environment. I would definitely buy a TDI Tiguan once it is available in Canada.
TDI Tiguan would be great 
T-5 T-5 T-5….
the north american market needs a mid size van and fuel efficient 1 ton pickup
with the demise of the t-4 here followed by the dissaperance of GM’s astro/safari models
the T5 would have a market segment all to itself if it were marketed right…but VW has never been known for it’s marketing prowess in it’s light trucks in north america.
were they to bring the t-5 diesel over here we’d have 2 in our driveway a camper van & a pickup
Mikie
near ottawa canada
1997 eurovan/transporter
5 cyl 2.4 diesel camper
i think the passat line of vehicles should get the diesel engines back. they had them before, and they should get them again. i myself am waiting for this to occur. i have a jetta tdi and would love a bigger car with a diesel engine. thanks, and can YOU put some pressure on vw.ca???
Tiguan TDI, without a doubt.
The Tiguan has been my next choice of vehicle since it was in concept stage. I figured that with the popularity of the diesels here in Canada, that they would offer it in TDI with the new 2.0L engine. It would instantly be the most fuel efficient AWD vehicle with good ground clearance!!! It drives me nuts to see all of the AWD/TDI combinations in the UK and they barely ever get any real snow!!! Why can’t we see some of these cars/SUV’s/Minivans??? I own a 2005 Jetta TDI wagon and it is great, but I would very much like to have more than 5″ of ground clearance and AWD without having to stop at the gas station twice a week with the current gas AWD offerings out there…
We currently drive a Jetta TDI. We love the power, the economy and the level of comfort. The only problem is the difficulty of getting in and out of a low vehicle for us 50 plus year olds. We anxiously watched the release of the Tiguan hoping it would be offered with a diesel engine thinking it would be a better size and height for us. We hope VW brings a TDI Tiguan to Canada within the next year when we intend to buy a new vehicle.
I would like the Tiguan in TDI. I have been a long time diesel owner, however lately I have been extremely disappointed with the way VW has been unresponsive to public demand. My car is on its last legs and I can not hold on much longer and don’t want a Jetta. I sincerely hope that another manufacturer beats them to the mark; maybe a small diesel suburu or honda or toyota. Wake up VW.
We are a very tall couple that currently own a 2003 Jetta TDI wagon. We would love a larger car that can hold us and our baby who is in a car seat. Right now it is so tight in the back of the Jetta that we cannot fit the car seat without moving the seats all the way to the front. We would love to see a Passat TDI on the Canadian market….PLEASE. It would be a very popular car with our family.
The people want a “TDI” Tiguan.
6 passenger mini/mid size pickup or mulivan with tdi-5 or V6 2.7L
Raph
Sorry I for got must have manual options and 4 motion
We needed a Tiguan TDI yesterday. I spoke to one of our local dealers and he says they have had numerous inquiries. Listen up VW Canada!!!
I believe the issue with the TDI Tiguan here is a result of the overly quick change in emissions regulations that
caused the absence of TDI for year or so. I think VW got caught with their pants down and the rich burn off cycle trick to was the fix for the cars. However this solution won’t work in the heavier Tiguan which would need the AdBlue system. I believe the problem is this was not designed into the vehicle in the first place and packaging the AdBlue is the issue. The new T5.5 Multivan shown at IAA with a 2.0 TDI would be a great addition to the line up here
I guess all they need to do then is put the adblue tank in the trunk like the touareg, and install the exhaust system from the 2.0 (eur0)PASSAT that has the adblue UREA injection. It’s not that difficult.
Hi there,
I’m spanish and I’ve got a Touran TDI 105hp. I bought in January because of my family increased with twins. All I can say is good about VW models a engines. Here, in Europe, they are leaders. I hope you could have available more options in TDI engines from this fantastic manufacturer. Greetings.
P.S.: Excuse me for my English level. I’m trying to improve it.
Yes, bring the Tiguan TDI to Canada. We currently own a Jetta TDI wagon and a very old gas guzzling Ford 4X4 … which we haven’t replaced as we are holding out for the diesel Tiguan.
I am sick of waiting, bring the TIGUAN TDI in Canada.
Still Waiting on TDI Tiguan, no show at detroit. Some news would be nice.
Why don’t we have the TDI Passat CC here in Canada?
I presently have an 04′ Passat TDI and has been great car. When it comes time to replace would love the option of the CC!! Wake up Volkswagen Canada we need more TDI’s here!
Current rides:
2004 Passat TDI
2006 Touareg V6
March 4, 2009 by oneighturbo
Touran for us! The rebadged Routan is/was a joke! It has not one VW engine offering. The Touran with a TDI option would be golden here in the states. If this had been the case we’d have one in our driveway. A TDI engine would benefit so many parents that have to travel around town constantly with kids + a green tax incentive!
I’ve considered the Mazda5 for these reasons, owners love them and I’ve personally talked to a guy who had a christmas tree stuffed in it! With room to spare!
The Tiguan is awesome but offers no real space advantage for us over our CR-V.
The Polo is going to be awesome when it arrives on our shores!