Fact: everyone hates refueling. That’s why racecar drivers refer to it as “the pits.” [Editor’s note: citation needed.] Matt Welch, owner and general manager of Auburn Volkswagen near Seattle, couldn’t agree more.
So when his dealership got one of the first 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI models to roll off the production line in Chattanooga, he decided to see how far he could drive on one tank of fuel.
Operating under the indisputable logic that two Passats are better than one, Matt invited his buddy Chris Meier to drive up from his dealership, Herzog-Meier in Beaverton, OR, to make the trip with him. With their new Passat TDI SEL Premiums topped off with clean diesel fuel, they hit the road and drove 484 miles before stopping in the Northern California town of Yreka—not to fuel up, but to sleep for the night. On the second day, they drove another 315 miles to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Even at 800 miles into the trip, neither car’s fuel light had come on. In fact, Matt drove north out of San Francisco and spent 90 minutes stuck in stop-and-go rush hour traffic before he decided to fuel up. When he did, he had driven 829 miles—and he still had two and a half gallons left in the tank. The Passat TDI boasts 43 mpg on the highway, but Matt was able to get an incredible 55 mpg on his trip. He estimates that, had he avoided the rush hour snarl, he could’ve made it 950 to 1,000 miles on a single tank.
But according to Matt, the best part of the trip was the journey itself. He says that to ride in the Passat TDI is to travel in style. “The back seat is so spacious that it’s like a first class cabin. We had people on laptops in the back seat with their legs crossed. There’s so much room in this car; it’s not a little econo box—it’s a luxury sedan.” Even with four people in the car and a total cargo weight of 1,000 pounds, Matt says that TDI engine offered an unbelievably smooth ride. To illustrate his point, he says, “We stood a Pez dispenser on the dashboard and drove for 100 miles. It didn’t even move.” The recently-married Matt adds that his wife wrote 75 thank-you cards “with perfect penmanship” while rolling down the highway in the passenger seat. Talk about efficiency!
Because of the additional torque and power provided by the TDI Clean Diesel technology, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard. The result? “There’s no sound at all,” explains Matt. “It’s quieter than a gas engine. There’s no smell, no noise and it’s a clean-burning diesel,” he adds. “The TDI is more than green; it has lower emissions than any gas car, and because it’s a turbo diesel, it gives you the performance of a sports car. And by the way: you can get 40 to 50 miles per gallon—in a luxury sedan!”
One of Matt’s favorite moments from the trip was when they pulled into a truck stop to stretch their legs. Their cars quickly drew a small crowd of truckers who asked, “Is that there really a diesel?” He assured them that it was, which prompted their next question: “Where was it built?” When Matt told them that it was built in Chattanooga, their faces lit up.
Matt’s obviously a believer in the power of clean diesel, and he looks forward to spreading the word and seeing more drivers experience the joys of TDI firsthand.
Tell us: what’s the farthest you’ve ever gone without refueling?
RELATED POSTS
“The import car built right here in America”: Motor Trend test drives the 2012 Passat
Did Somebody Say “Encore”? Science Channel How Do They Do It? returns to our new Chattanooga Plant
Look, Ma, we’re on TV: Science Channel How Do They Do It? goes inside VW’s new Chattanooga Plant
Loading ...
We’ve managed about 620 miles on one tank in our 2010 Golf TDI, without having to change our driving habits all that much.
Like John Morris i ordered my Passat TDI in July ( the 8th) and i am still witiang for it. Heard from my sales-rep at the dealership yesterday that my car is being transported on Monday Nov. 7. According to MapQuest it is about 780 miles from TN to NJ, does that mean I actually might have my car next week? I had a similar situation with my 2009 Jetta TDI, ordered it in mid-July received it end of Oct. The difference here is that I was told upfront that it would be Oct, and the car came from Mexico. Per my sales-rep she has had other dealerships here on the East Coast asking if they could have my car, the answer is no. I guess the next time VW has a new TDI model that I want I will temporarily move to CA. Love the cars, can’t say the same for the corporation. BTW, on what date did Matt Duchesne put a deposit down on his car? If it wasn’t before July 8th then by my calculations I bought my car before he bought his, so does that mean I get a trip to the plant in TN and all sorts of other goodies?
Please call us at (800) 822-8987, so we can look into this further.
Remember the VW Rabbit? My friend bought one in 1981 for close to 12k, a bit pricey at the time but, out of the box it got 55 mpg !!
What happened? That was a smooth running quiet car. Albeit, just a tad boxey and cramped it was an excellent car.
So, my question is.. if it ain’t broke why fix it? Or, should I say why did they stop making the car?
Only question I have is. Which transmission was used? Is the passat tdi dsg different gears than the golf tdi dsg?
I just purchased a Jetta TDi and am amazed at mileage that I get, both on the road and in city driving as well. My first fill up was after 557 miles on 11.4 gal of clean diesel. I am still shocked. Now after almost 2 months and 5500 miles the story keeps on getting better and better. Being a busy REALTOR I was somewhat worried in the beginning at how my clients would take to driving in a Jetta vs the previous barge (Honda Pilot) and the result is they love this car. Yes, I can not carry 8 and a couple of llamas, but 5 people fit nicely and everyone loves the car. VW has the answers solved on mileage, style and drive trains.
I’m guessing that the two Passats making the trip never went over 60mph. However, in our new Passat TDI, we have averaged 41.6mpg since taking delivery on 18 Dec. 2011. We live in a golf course community out in western Florida, so that mileage is mostly rural, but includes two trips to Orlando and all that traffic and one to Tampa. We are absolutely delighted with the car. Our other car is an 09 Audi A4, loaded. There is more Audi in this Passat than VW, and that makes us happy. So our only regret is that we bought the SE, and not the SEL. The dealer didn’t have one and we were told it would be another month before the model and color we wanted would be delivered. But, it’s a great car. Comfort, luxury, great mileage, nice gps, etc.
WE HAVE DRIVEN OUR PASSAT SE TDI FOR 3500 MILES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. ONE CONSUMPTION INDICATOR WAS SET TO 0 AT ABOUT 1K MILES AND HAS NOT BEEN RESET SINCE. ITS READING 45.6 NOW. THIS MILEAGE IS MOSTLY LOCAL HILLY DRIVING IN WINTER WEATHER. ON A SHORT 20 MILE TRIP WE GOT 6O MPG ACCORDING TO THE OTHER CONSUMPTION METER. WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE PASSAT. SIZE, ROOM (MY HUSBAND IS 6’3′) STYLE, ECONOMY, HANDLING, SAFTY, COLOR (GLACIER BLUE) ARE ALL PERFECT. WE ARE IN OUR 70S. WHEN THE WORD GETS OUT VW WILL SELL A TON. CANCELLED OUR SUBSCRIPTION TO CONSUMERS REPORT, THEY DIDN’T EVEN CHECK RATE IT. GO FIGURE.