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VW and Audi diesels reach out to US drivers – Detroit Free Press
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2015
By Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press Auto Critic 
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Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press
Why do people buy diesel-powered vehicles? Should you consider one?
The ★★★ 2015 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen TDI station wagon and the ★★★ 2015 Audi A3 TDI sedan provide some answers to those questions.
Both cars combine excellent fuel economy with lively performance, features that have long made diesels popular in Europe. Diesel could be losing momentum, however, as gasoline engines become more efficient, Michigan and other U.S. states consider higher taxes, and some European governments move away from the fuel.
The Volkswagen group, which includes Audi, is a leader in the technology. Diesels attract some of VW and Audi’s most enthusiastic customers.
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The Golf Sportwagen and Audi A3 TDIs make it easy to understand why. They offer high fuel economy and fine acceleration. TDI is VW shorthand for turbocharged direct injection, the designation for its diesels.
Prices for the Golf Sportwagen TDI start at $29,095. A3 TDI prices start at $32,600.
Both cars have a 150-hp 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that develops 238 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 r.p.m., a low engine speed that makes the torque immediately available for quick acceleration.
I tested a Sportwagen TDI SEL with a six-speed manual transmission, touch screen, Bluetooth phone and audio compatibility, voice recognition, navigation, and more. It cost $32,035.
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The base model A3 sedan I tested had a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, Bluetooth phone and audio compatibility, navigation, blind spot alert, LED headlights and daytime running lights, Band & Olufsen audio and more. It stickered at $42,400. All prices exclude destination charges.
The TDI Golf Sportwagen competes with cars like the Chevrolet Cruze diesel, 1.0L Ecoboost Ford Focus hatchback and Honda Civic hybrid. Golf TDI wagon prices are at the high end of the group.
The A3 TDI competes with luxury compacts like the Buick Verano turbo, Lexus CT 200h hybrid and Mercedes-Benz CLA 250. The Audi falls in the middle of the price range.
The A3 TDI did not have memory for the driver’s settings, a disappointment in a car priced above $42,000.
The Golf station wagon and A3 sedan are compact cars, based on the VW group’s MQB architecture. The new architecture will underpin a wide range of VW group vehicles around the world. That makes it surprising VW engineers did not equip it with a USB port. You need a VW adapter to plug a smart phone or music player into their entertainment systems.
Despite sharing many structural elements and having nearly identical wheelbases, the cars look nothing alike. The Sportwagen looks like a stretched Golf hatchback, with a longer cargo compartment and a more upright tailgate.
The A3 taps the looks of Audi’s larger and more expensive A4 sedan. With a forward leaning stance and crisp character lines running along its sides, the A3’s styling says the littlest Audi is a legitimate luxury car.
Both cars deliver fine handling, with responsive steering and a suspension that keeps them stable and secure in quick maneuvers. The Golf wagon has more road noise at highway speeds than the A3.
Both interiors are wrapped largely in soft-touch materials that look and feel good. The Golf has simple controls for most functions and a small touch screen in the center stack. The A3 features a rotary controller and several buttons in the center console in lieu of the touch screen. The system works pretty well, though I occasionally accidentally activated a touch pad built into the dial.
Both cars’ voice recognition systems required more steps than the best competitors do.
They have nearly identical EPA fuel economy ratings. Linked to a manual transmission, the Golf wagon scored 31 m.p.g. in the city, 43 on the highway and 35 combined. The A3’s dual-clutch automatic raises the ante to 31/43/36. The different combined figure is due to the EPA rounding its test results.
You’re not likely to beat that economy without a hybrid, and few of them deliver the exciting acceleration and effortless highway cruising that are diesel’s hallmarks.
The combination of performance and economy is diesel’s trump card, because the fuel frequently costs more than regular gasoline in the U.S. The EPA estimates a 1.0L Ford Focus will have the same annual fuel cost as the Sportwagen, despite the Ford’s lower combined rating of 33 m.p.g.
The tides of history may not be in diesel’s advantage, but for now at least, the technology’s performance, economy and cost deserve consideration.
Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com or 313-222-6731. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan.
Behind the Wheel
2015 Volkswagen Sportwagen TDI
Front-drive five-passenger compact station wagon
Price as tested: $32,035 (excluding destination charge)
Rating: ★★★ (Out of four stars)
Reasons to buy: Fuel economy; practicality; performance
Shortcomings: No USB port; inconsistent voice recognition; audio quality for hands-free calls
2015 Audi A3 TDI
Front-drive five-passenger compact sedan
Price as tested: $42,400 (excluding destination charge)
Rating: ★★★ (Out of four stars)
Reasons to buy: Fuel economy; styling; interior look and feel
Shortcomings: No USB port; voice recognition; price
Competitive EPA fuel economy ratings
(Manual transmission where available, front-wheel-drive models)
Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL: 31 m.p.g. city/43 highway/35 combined. Diesel.
Chevrolet Cruze diesel, automatic transmission: 27/46/33. Diesel.
Ford Focus hatchback SE Ecoboost: 29/40/33. Regular gasoline.
Honda Civic hybrid w/Nav: 44/47/45. Regular gasoline.
Source: www.fueleconomy.gov
Comparative base prices (excluding destination charges)
((Manual transmission where available, front-wheel-drive models)
Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL: $30,345
Chevrolet Cruze diesel, automatic transmission: $25,660
Ford Focus hatchback SE Ecoboost: $20,445
Honda Civic hybrid w/Nav: $26,235
Source: Autotrader.com
Competitive EPA fuel economy ratings
(Automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive models)
Audi A3 TDI S Tronic: 31 m.p.g. city/43 highway/36 combined. Diesel.
Buick Verano turbo: 21/30/24. Regular gasoline.
Lexus CT 200h: 43/40/42. Regular gasoline.
Mercedes CLA 250: 26/38/30. Regular gasoline.
Source: www.fueleconomy.gov
Comparative base prices (excluding destination charges)
(Automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive models)
Audi A3 TDI S Tronic: $ 32,600
Buick Verano turbo: $29,215
Lexus CT 200h: $32,200
Mercedes CLA 250: $31,500
Source: Autotrader.com
Golf Sportwagen TDI Specifications as tested
Engine: 2.0L 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 150 hp @ 3,500 r.p.m.; 238 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 r.p.m.
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Wheelbase: 103.7 inches
Length: 179.6 inches
Width: 70.8 inches
Height: 58.3 inches
Curb Weight: 3,199 lbs.
Where assembled: Puebla, Mexico
Audi A3 TDI Specifications as tested
Engine: 2.0L 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 150 hp @ 3,500 r.p.m.; 238 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 r.p.m.
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Wheelbase: 103.8 inches
Length: 175.4 inches
Width: 77.2 inches, including mirrors
Height: 55.7 inches
Curb Weight: 3,241 lbs.
Where assembled: Gyor, Hungary
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