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New 2010 fuel economy figures: 90 km more per tank!
For 2010, the Jetta TDI with automatic DSG transmission has been given new fuel consumption figures by Transport Canada of 4.6L/100 km (highway), which is better than 2009 figures for the same car, which were 4.9L/100 km. Better yet, the DSG TDI gets more mileage than the manual TDI, which gets 4.8L/100 km.
So, between last year’s DSG TDI and this year’s, there’s a 90 km per tank improvement, i.e. 1190 km with a 55-litre tank vs. 1100 km in 2009. Hey, that’s 90 km more with every fill-up, 90 km with no pain and no sacrifice. It’s not to be sniffed at.
But perhaps I exaggerate. These 90 extra kilometres aren’t really new. They’re the product of new measuring practices at Transport Canada. And they’re very much welcome. But are these real-world figures? Not really. Because I got even better mileage last year with the manual version.
I think I’ll try and beat my own record, just to see if I can do it, but this time with a DSG TDI. Same conditions, same route, but with a little more weight to carry around, as my two girls are growing with every passing minute. Luckily, the parents remain unchanged as far as weight goes.
Last but not least is the usual legal: the 1190 km per tank is an approximate distance covered in a 2010 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel with DSG transmission and a fuel tank capacity of 55L. City fuel consumption is estimated at 6.7L/100 km. These fuel consumption figures have been published in the Government of Canada’s Energuide and are estimates to be used only for comparative purposes. Actual fuel consumption may vary based on driving conditions, driver habits and vehicle’s additional equipment.
What about you other TDI drivers? What’s your greatest distance covered with a single tank?
15 Comments
Comments
I bought a new TDI in July and I have yet to recieve any sort of impressive fuel ecomomy. I get about 600km in city driving conditions and 750 km highway. I DO NOT drive like a lunatic. All I hear on the radio is adds for the TDI jetta about how great it is, yet for me, I am completely dismissed by the dealorship and VW Canada. They inform me of a 20 000km engine break-in period (which was of no mention during my purchasing porcess), a fuel log and full detailed reciepts from the same service station and same pump each time. EVERY other person I meet who has a TDI is trilled with their car’s fuel ecomomy. I am extremely dissapionted in how I am being treated and that I have to wait until I have at least 20 000km on my car (which will probably take about a year to accumulate) before I can recieve any type aid from either the dealorship where I purcheased the car (with significant delusions) or VW Canada. Hope everyone else has better luck than I have and doesn’t get a lemon like me. Talk to you after another 13000km.
It’s a common known fact that diesels get better fuel economy as they break in, my car has 400,000 km on it and my best average tank was 3.7 liters on 100km. Give it time and you will see the mileage you want.
Check tire pressure keep it inflated, use a good fuel like shell v power, or my personal fav Sunoco Gold. Stay under 110 on the hwy and you’re numbers will climb.
Just bought a 2010 Jetta Highline it has 2000km on it now and on my second tank of fuel (80% highway/20% city) I got 50 mpg (4.8/100km).I’m no Saint,on the highway I’m a buck twenty so at an even buck I would have done better!!
To Kelli,
You may want to monitor distance AND volume (actual liters of each fill up) before concluding that your car has a problem, because the difference between a fully empty reservoir (55 liters) and a fill-up just when the idiot light glows (47 liters) amounts to a 15% discrepancy.
In your example, 750 km with 47 liters is 6,3 L/100km. Add 15% to that and the theorical distance grows to 863 km.
Second, the break in period on any new car is about 2000 km, not 20 000 km. It is true that an engine will loosen itself in the first year or so, but the gains are marginal : from what I can read in long term tests from various car magazines, after a year any car will be faster, brake shorter and generally consume less fuel, but by a few percent factor. There is no huge gains to make.
Third, even if your driving style is placid, daily kilometrage and weather will affect fuel economy more than you think. Short distances uses more fuel (longer heating period per kilometer driven), the same can be said from low temp driving. A 4×4 1/2-ton pickup truck I drove last winter ate more than 30 L/100km, maily because I only covered 250 km in two weeks. The official specs were around 15 L/100km.
Finally, if your car had a problem, the software that controls fuel injection would make the “check engine” glow at the first step away from the normal behaviour. It is not a VW-exclusive feature, that is a mandated emissions control feature to make sure that any engine lives to its full potential.
1308 km with a 2004 Jetta TDI wagon, manual, and 1244 km with a 2005 Passat TDI automatic. In both cases I beat the official government fuel efficiency figures. The Passat was on a straight highway round-trip at 100 km/h, yielding 5.44 L/100 km for a car “offically” rated at 5.7. More remarkably, the Jetta was simply in normal daily driving including daily rush hour commuting over a 105 km distance into a large city with city traffic, etc. All driving done at the speed limit to maximize efficiency, and efficient driving techniques used (i.e. no racing from one red light to another, gentle acceleration, etc).
Sadly the 2004 wagon was totaled on Dec 28 2007, with 110,000 km on the clock. As VW had taken a gov’t mandated break from TDIs while it developed it’s “clean diesel” strategy and as I needed another wagon, it was replaced with a 2007 Passat wagon with the 2.0T engine.
I initially thought I was going to take a really big hit on fuel consumption. To my great surprise, in summer, I was averaging only 7.0 L/100 km, with 6.5 L/100 km on the highway and I was getting nearly 1000 km to the tank!!! So it’s not only VW’s diesels that are efficient; getting 1000 km/ tank out of a turbocharged 200 hp rocket (though not driven like a rocket) is pretty commendable! Especially since the 2007 Passat wagon is by no means a small car. It has proven to be a really efficient family hauler, and with the 6-speed manual gearbox, very fun to drive as well, a GTI disguised as a family car.
I have driven all the way from Calgary Alberta to home in southern Manitoba on one tank of gas, which is just over 1200 km, plus have fuel to spare. My 2003 Jetta TDI just continues to get better with age and it already has 140,000 km on it!
Last recall on my 2004 Jetta wagon TDI regarding clean exhaust.
Result is a drop in fuel economy of about 10%.
How can that possibly improve the air with less burnt fuel and lower
fuel economy?
Mike G.
The “official” ratings are exactly that : ratings, nothing more. In fact, while it is generally accepted that Transport Canada figures are unattainable in normal city driving, you and me and others now show that we can beat the figures when one drive the car only on the highway at constant speed.
That’s because their highway rating is based on a virtual road that includes grades, stops, accelerations and various speeds. All that stuff is energy-consuming, while highway driving is less.
Hey!!!
Volkswagen wake up, there is a great demand for your new Diesel TDI technology in the Tiguan model in North America,
get with it
W. ST.
looking forward for your TDI in your Tiguan in Canada
Max MPGS for TDI
Having driven TDIs both manual and DSG for over 10 years,
I’ve learned well. To share:
1 – travel with what you “really” need on board
2 – always use VW diesel conditioner with your fuel
3 – best diesel Shell V Power, it’s worth the extra + air miles
4 – clean car with proper inflated tires, clean oil/filter and air filter
5 – CRUISE control is your best friend … ~ 108 km/hr on highways (with windows closed and your air cond. on)
Our best run was out to the east coast 1175 kms and there was 1/8th tank still left at refill time!
Torque Rules & VW TDIs Rock!
Cheers
Svend
I live in a hilly part of the world so find it difficult to duplicate driving conditions for fuel consumption testing purposes. Does anyone know what the sweet spot is for hwy driving speed, as far as maximizing economy? I drive a 2010 TDI Golf wagon.
sweet spot for speed at least for the older 1.9 tdi was around around 95 km/hr. Just watch the MFD for real time feedback for speed vs consumption.
October 15, 2009 by Sam
1400 km on a 2000 nb TDI