Mileage Challenge 5.4: The Results

Our latest mileage challenge had editors logging more than 300 miles each in three hybrids and a diesel: the 2010 Honda Insight, 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid, 2010 Toyota Prius and 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. We tallied up all the numbers and corrected for a brief photography stint between Legs 2 and 3. (Angling cars around for the camera — complete with rapid stops, starts and idling — has a way of dinging your mileage, and it’s not representative of real-world driving.)

The results were striking.

Mileage Challenge 5.3: Dizzying Displays

Most people think all of the advanced technology in today’s hybrid cars is under the hood. While automakers continue to enhance new engines, batteries and drivetrains, they’re also working on ways to wrangle the one factor they can’t control — the driver.

To gain maximum efficiency in a hybrid, a driver must be taught to drive properly so fill-ups are few and far between. In the crop of cars we tested on our mileage drive, there were a dazzling array of displays to teach people to drive as green as possible.

Mileage Challenge 5.2: Avenues and Interstates

Our latest mileage challenge took three hybrids — the Honda Insight, Mercury Milan Hybrid and Toyota Prius — and one diesel, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, from Chicago to Fond du Lac, Wis., and back. The total distance came to just over 300 miles: The first 38 miles were in urban gridlock, the next 230 miles or so consisted of relatively open highway driving and the final 35 miles took place in afternoon interstate traffic.

As in our other mileage challenges, the ground rules remained largely the same: Four editors filled the tires to their recommended pressure, kept windows and sunroofs closed, drove as we normally would and switched cars at each leg to control for driving habits. But this being a challenge with hybrids there were some added things to look out for that could sway the results.

Mileage Challenge 5.1: Hybrid vs. Diesel

Despite gas prices averaging below $2.50 a gallon nationwide, hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles are as popular as ever. The redesigned Toyota Prius is one of the country’s best-sellers, and Volkswagen’s TDI diesel was in short supply after it debuted at dealers earlier this year. With interest in these types of vehicles still high, we held another mileage challenge with the most popular of these cars and included both hybrids and VW’s most efficient diesel.

VW Diesels Doing Well Versus Hybrids

Automotive junkies know that modern diesel engines in fuel-efficient cars can be more fun to drive — while delivering high mileage — compared with modern hybrids. That’s why Volkswagen has relative hits on its hands with diesel versions of its Jetta sedan and wagon.

In July, VW sold 3,865 Jetta TDI sedans and 1,932 TDI wagons. Honda’s all-new Insight hybrid has been off to a slow start, posting another lukewarm month of sales for July: 2,295. Ford’s hybrid versions of the Fusion, Milan, Escape and Mariner totaled 5,353 sales in July.

However, the Toyota Prius set a sales record during a Cash for Clunkers-fueled July, with sales of 19,173. VW may have a ways to go to catch up to the Prius, but compared with other hybrids — and even other VW models, like the new Tiguan crossover (1,088 sold) and CC sedan (1,413) — diesel Jettas are doing very well.

The Jettas are the best example of what diesel engines can do in small, relatively affordable packages. Besides large trucks, most diesel offerings are found in German luxury cars and SUVs. The low price of diesel this summer also has to be taken into account, but perhaps all this will lead to other automakers bringing the technology to smaller cars.  

MotorWeek Names 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Best of the Year

The diesel-powered Volkswagen 2009 Jetta TDI is MotorWeek’s Best of the Year 2009 Drivers’ Choice award winner. MotorWeek cited the Jetta TDI’s fuel efficiency and performance as the major factors influencing the decision. The TDI also won Best Eco-Friendly car.

MotorWeek’s Drivers’ Choice Awards evaluated 150 vehicles based on a range of factors — everything from price value to technology perks, and although the Jetta TDI won top honors, a number of other vehicles nabbed awards as well.

The winners will all be featured Friday on PBS’ MotorWeek show. For a full list of winners, check after the jump.

Cars.com Videos: 2009 VW Jetta TDI, 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, More

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: Forget all your misconceptions about diesel cars, the Jetta TDI is a diesel that’s as clean as a gas engine, Joe Wiesenfelder says.

2009 Hyundai Elantra: If you want a car with cargo room but an SUV is just too big for you, Bill Jackson says you should consider the Elantra Touring, a hatchback with good ride quality.

2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG: Based on the entry-level C-Class, the C63 has an aggressive-looking exterior that’s backed by a 6.2-liter V-8 engine, Mike Hanley says.

2009 Ford Mustang: Mike takes a look at the last year of the current Mustang. It has an optional glass roof on some trims and offers modern styling cues that mix well with this Ford’s retro look.

View and share all of Cars.com’s videos via YouTube.

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Diesel is attempting a comeback in the U.S. now that clean-diesel technology has proved viable — and it’s come at a time when everyone is eyeballing the mpg rating on a car’s sticker. Yes, diesel-fuel chugging Volkswagen Jetta TDIs get considerably better mileage than their plain-Jane gasoline counterparts, but they also tend to cost more. Are there other disadvantages to owning a diesel car? Although he’s already taken on the wagon version of the Jetta, Joe Wiesenfelder takes you through his thought process when it comes to driving the 2009 Jetta TDI. Click below to read his full review.

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Expert Review

VW Touts Jetta TDI's World-Record 58.52 MPG

For the past few weeks, Volkswagen has been hyping a road trip. One couple, Helen and John Taylor, set off to cross the country in a new 2009 VW Jetta TDI and traveled across the lower 48 states in 20 days, covering 9,419 miles. Their diesel-powered Jetta returned an average of 58.82 mpg, which set a Guinness World Record (previously 51.58 mpg).

VW was a little miffed when the EPA rated its new TDI 30/41 mpg city/highway. Clearly the diesel engine is capable of more than that on the highway. One user on the EPA’s website rated their average mileage at 49 mpg in mostly highway driving. However, the Taylors have admitted that they employ added mileage-saving techniques, like watching their speed. We don’t know if that should be considered “real-world” testing.

While new EPA rules have brought mileage estimates much closer to reality for hybrids and gasoline engines, new diesels may have gotten the shaft. Recently, Popular Mechanics also conducted a road test and found the Jetta TDI to get about 32/45.4 mpg city/highway. The publication pitted it against a Toyota Prius, which scored lower on the highway. 

The truth about mileage probably rests somewhere in between. We’ll test a TDI sometime in the near future and will report our findings right here. If you have a new TDI please let us know what kind of mileage you're getting.

Weekend Athlete: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

I drove the new Jetta SportWagen the day after I drove a Porsche Cayman S and — sorry boy-racer types — I'd much rather have this wagon than the Cayman S. It was more comfortable and more practical, which made it more fun for me to drive. It also had some surprising details that helped it score well on the Weekend Athlete tests.