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VW Jetta Diesel vs. Toyota Prius Which Is The Best At Saving Your Hard Earned Dollars?

Agent009 submitted on 9/24/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 2:47:35 PM

60 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: www.popularmechanics.com

As oil prices spiked over the summer, consumers had exactly one choice if they wanted to buy themselves a supercar in terms of fuel economy: the Toyota Prius.

There were so few options in the marketplace that Ebay saw record numbers of used economy cars and hybrids flood its auction pages. But what about a brand-new clean diesel ride? We drove the Volkswagen Jetta TDi in Europe right after VW introduced it here last fall—at which point many expected this would-be Prius-beater to arrive Stateside in June. It didn't.

Well after a long season at the pump, VW unleashed the 2009 Jetta TDi on the United States last week. So we picked up our new diesel ride and decided to take it right into battle against its natural hybrid foe (before Toyota's 2009 model gives way to the 2010 plug-in hybrid Prius), to the tune of a two-day, 474-mile efficiency showdown.

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VW Jetta Diesel vs. Toyota Prius Which Is The Best At Saving Your Hard Earned Dollars?

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I would like to see this test done in the winter in the north east!
— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:03:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

The article says the Jetta diesel is much quicker and a better drive than the Prius. Too bad VW doesn't yet offer the stop/start and brake regeneration functions that the BMW diesels have that greatly improve city mileage.

"But tax credits aside, when it comes down to which of these two popular efficient cars is more fun and more comfortable to drive everyday, it's an easy pick: We like the Jetta TDi"

— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:22:57 PM | | Votes: 7

Turbo- the start stop technology is not available on BMW diesels that I know of. (I imagine someone will correct me if I am wrong)
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:42:40 PM | | Votes: 1

You wouldn't want start/stop tech in BMWs anyway, once the engine cuts out, it might not always cut back in :) they can't even get the airbags to work right...
— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:51:39 PM | | Votes: -11

Auto001- Well at least BMW isn't buying back models from owners, because of rust issues.
— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 4:07:42 PM | | Votes: 14

Agent009, in Europe the BMW 318d and 320d with manual transmission come standard with AutoStart/Stop and Brake Energy Regeneration. See top of page 3 here

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/3series/sedan/2005/_shared/pdf/3series_sedan_datasheet.pdf?download=true
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 5:17:41 PM | | Votes: 8

auto001, BMW again finished well above average in the latest JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study. They had 164 problems per 100 cars compared to Honda's 177 problems per 100 cars.

http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pdf/2008115.pdf
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 5:23:19 PM | | Votes: 12

i would view buying back a 15 years old model because of rust issue as a responsible act.
can you imagine how many problems a 15 years old bmw would have? would you seriously believe bmw in 1995 made cars that have absolute NO common problem at all, that is, if they are still drivable.
— ghosthunter (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 2:05:16 AM | | Votes: -8

I see plenty 1995 and older BMW's on the road you Moron. Stop hating. It isn't a good look for you.
— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 9:01:47 AM | | Votes: 5

BMW would leave them high and dry.
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 9:41:24 AM | | Votes: 1

You mean where where the diesels have a tougher problem starting due to the cold weather??

HOWEVER, I would much rather have a Jetta TDI because it is a much higher quality car.
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:07:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

no, I think he meant about heating the car

current diesels shouldn't have any problems starting
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:14:19 PM | | Votes: 6

i can't get a Prius just because of the Jacks that drive them. I don't think the Jetta is trying to be the best fuel economy winner. If they were doing that they would have brought the 1.2l TDI to the US
— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:15:48 PM | | Votes: 6

yes my dad's 2006 Jetta TDI works great in Utah in the cold of winter. He drives about 70 miles a day and averages 49mpg up the canyon
— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:17:14 PM | | Votes: 10

Utah? Come on, try Winnipeg. In winter, it get to be worse than -40 C which works out perfectly to -40 F. The Jetta is no doubt the nicer car, like I said before. I am just not convinced about diesels in my climate. Forgive my ignorance about diesels, but I know tractors (as in semis) have trouble starting in these conditions, such as where I live, because the diesel oil becomes quite thick at low temps.
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 9:20:17 PM | | Votes: 1

Winnipeg has the highest TDI prices in Canada.
And I look at the badges on Jettas everywhere, and Winnipeg seems to have more diesels than anywhere out west (I pass through Winnipeg driving from Vancouver to Ontario each year).
You only have problems with Bio-diesel in the cold ... regular diesel is fine.
And Regular was $1.29 a litre, but diesel was $1.22 a litre in mid-August around Winnipeg ... yet another saving.
— DieselRules (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 2:24:17 AM | | Votes: 2

Thanks for the info, DieselRules.

How's the Anatolian doing?
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 9/27/2008 6:26:34 PM | | Votes: 1

The Jetta diesel is not only a better drive and a more economical car but it will also last twice longer than a Prius. VW > Toyota.
— Star (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 3:51:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

So much for VW > Toyota, and lasting twice as long...
that link will prove your point:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080924.008/spied-volkswagen-robust-prototype-needs-a-breakdown-service
— Luxurious (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 11:55:20 PM | | Votes: 1

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/100.000-km-dauertest-vw-touran_58765.html
— abcd (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 3:39:02 AM | | Votes: 0

The day a VW outlasts a Toyota is the day we declare peace in the middle east.
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 9:42:54 AM | | Votes: -5

http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?image=consumerreportsjettarabcl9.jpg
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 11:29:31 AM | | Votes: 1

Driver: "Frame looked like Swiss cheese."

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/15880247/index.html (Video)
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 11:33:48 AM | | Votes: 2

What is Toyota's warantee against rust?
VW offers 12 years, and has since the 1980s.
They spend nothing on claims.
Toyota sells more new cars, but there are lots more OLD VWs on the road than old Toyotas.
Try to explain that.
— DieselRules (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 2:27:13 AM | | Votes: 0

I would be driving a Jetta TDi now if they had it last year :(
— monkeyrun (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 4:36:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

I would be caught dead in the prius. Lots of owners get better mpgs than what the epa says.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 5:15:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

In the jetta that is. I wonder if it'll still have a stick shift.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 5:16:05 PM | | Votes: 1

The prius should be pitted against other petrol(gasoline) cars ..
Anyway, doesn't diesel cost more and how long to recoup the price difference, and not to mention the number of miles required to beat the petrol hybrid
— mpls (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 5:29:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -8

I'm just waiting for the diesel hybrid - it would render the Prius pointless.
— quizz (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 9:37:22 PM | | Votes: 5

The wide gap between gasoline & diesel prices is no longer true, my friend. Some stations in my area (Richmond, Va.) are selling diesel fuel for LESS than premium unleaded. The highest variance I have seen recently is where diesel sold for $0.30 per gallon than premium gas.
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 9:22:49 AM | | Votes: -1

Correction - The highest variance I have seen recently is diesel selling for $0.30 per gallon MORE than premium gas.
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 9:25:08 AM | | Votes: 0

Your constant trolling is annoying.
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 5:57:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9

Its a shame that you make BMW fans look bad. No wonder BMW gets the worst owner rep from guys like you. And work on your puncutation and grammar skills.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 6:19:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8

amazinBimmer has staying power. His schtick is a constant. It almost begs the question: Is amazinBimmer actually an AGENT!? How long has he been here now?? YEARS!!!!!!! That is one LONG, CONSISTENT, joke. Determination, or a special interest to see more hits/responses? HMMMM!
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 9:22:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

more amazinIGNORANCE. did you get an education? or did somebody just inject your brain with this garbage?
— steve27t (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 11:09:46 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

I wish Toyota would have a diesel Prius option. Although, even then he Jetta would still handle better and be more comfortable.

I'm planning to go plug in or all electric as soon as possible. Electricity in Santa Clara is only $0.07-$0.08 per kilowatt hour.
— SanJoseDriver (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 6:59:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

It's amazing how unbiased a review is when he Europens aren't the ones writing it.

"much faster" equates to 8.5sec vs the Prius' 10 seconds. The Jetta is still slower than a Toyota Sienna.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/04/first-drive-2009-volkswagen-jetta-sportwagen/

I doubt anybody minded that the E46 320i took 9.8 seconds to hit 100km/h.

It's nice that the driving was actually 50/50 to highlight how baddly inefficient diesels are in the city. SUVs and highway (for small engines) is where diesels should stop.

Fun-to-drive depends. My bros 2000 Celica gets 27mpg combined and it'll run circles around a Jetta. I doubt a Jetta is any more fun than a Corolla, its just the image that the Germans like to convey.

I wonder why they pitted a "Loyalty" Jetta against a fully-loaded Prius other than to make it seem like the Prius is still overpriced. Good thing for VW that diesels can't sell, or else they wouldn't qualify for that rebate either.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 8:20:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -13

Your bro drives a chick car that gets from 0 to 60 in ...forever. It will definitely not run any circles around any Jetta.

Like you probably know but refuse to accept VW has waiting lists for the diesel Jettas, so don't celebrate yet.

The Prius is OVERPRICED... with options or not, considering how little car you get for your money.

A Jetta diesel absolutely destroys the Prius on all counts. Toyota needs to go back to the drawing board.
— Star (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 8:41:36 PM | | Votes: 6

huu, a 1.5s difference 0 to 60 is a huge difference. And the Prius may have been more expensive but they said the Jetta had the better cockpit.

"So where was the more pleasurable place to spend those 11 hours around La La Land? Inside the Jetta—its more traditional cockpit and far more luxurious materials make the new car as cozy as the Prius is cold."

"And the few times we did flat-out acceleration runs to 50 mph or so, it was clear that the Jetta is much quicker. The TDI will even chirp the tires, under the right circumstances."

"When we absolutely needed to punch the throttle to merge with traffic, the Jetta left the Prius behind. Shift the DSG into Sport mode, and it will downshift rather brilliantly as you enter a sweeping bend. The Jetta's drivetrain almost encourages you to burn fuel—that is, it's actually fun to drive. And the same cannot be said for the Prius."
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 8:55:41 PM | | Votes: 7

'"much faster" equates to 8.5sec vs the Prius' 10 seconds. The Jetta is still slower than a Toyota Sienna.'

Your point? The Jetta TDI is not a performance car. Does the Sienna get 50MPG on the highway?

"It's nice that the driving was actually 50/50 to highlight how baddly inefficient diesels are in the city. SUVs and highway (for small engines) is where diesels should stop."

Also nice that they put the Prius on the highway where it was embarrassed by the Jetta.

"Fun-to-drive depends. My bros 2000 Celica gets 27mpg combined and it'll run circles around a Jetta."

An old Volkswagen Coraddo SLC will get 20MPG in the city and 30 on the highway, and will put any Celica to shame in terms of fun. Once again... your point? How is this related to anything? The VW Jetta is much more fun to drive than any COMPETING Toyota product.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 10:49:15 PM | | Votes: 7

Also... yes, 1.5 sec is a huge difference. It's the difference between a GT-R and a 335i.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 10:50:44 PM | | Votes: 5

huu76.. "Fun-to-drive depends. My bros 2000 Celica gets 27mpg combined and it'll run circles around a Jetta. I doubt a Jetta is any more fun than a Corolla, its just the image that the Germans like to convey."

............................................................................................................................................................................................

HAHHAAHAHHAAHHAHAHAAH!!!

I am sorry but that is just way too funny.

The Corolla is a joke in the fun-to-drive department compared to the Jettas.

I own an 04' Corolla. Sure, I spank it every day and all that, but it has rattles like you wouldn't believe, in places it shouldn't, like door panels, vents, other random trim pieces, and also the engine whistles and the techs at various dealerships have no idea what is whistling when the car is in drive or park. However, they will try and convince me that I need to replace the window regulators to remove the rattle from my doors for $500.00-$600.00 after 60-70k KM (at the time... last year or so..).

Toyota just isn't what it used to be and had I known this, I would have chosen a VW instead of this shitty car lacking the enjoyment that my friends' Jettas, Golfs, A4s, Mazda3s, Volvo S40s, and 3ers have!

I am quite sick of Toyota these days - especially since they were presented to be the "common sense" choice these days.

huu76, you are definitely wrong when you say that the Jetta being more fun than the Corolla is simply a perception issue. You could not be more wrong. Drive and you will know. Go on. Drive them!
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 1:19:40 AM | | Votes: 4

Peoples are buying BMW becouse it`s fun to drive but nobody will ever consider buying VW Jetta diesel if he wants fun to drive car .

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article731958.ece
— abcd (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 3:49:32 AM | | Votes: 0

so, the EPA was right after all.

i am so glad that they acutally test both cars the same condition, same place, same speed. or else someone will jump out and say one of the follow three things:
"my 7 years old jetta easily gets 60 mpg..."
"prius sucks, it averages less than 40 mpg..."
"EPA sucks for diesel cars.."

i totally believe you can achieve 60 mpg in a jetta, or average less than 40 mpg in prius, and you may exceed EPA rating everytime. but ON AVERAGE, epa's 31/40 seems fair for jetta (remeber EPA test simulates part of traffic conditions), and 48/45 seems accurate for prius.
— ghosthunter (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 9:45:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Diesel around here costs about $1.00 more a gallon than gas. Why in hell's name would I get a diesel?
— senorgato (View Profile)

Posted on 9/24/2008 11:05:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

The real question is, why in hell's name is it that expensive? It puzzles me, seeing as diesel fuel used to be CHEAPER than regular gas.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 12:55:42 AM | | Votes: 0

Talk to the DOJ.
Would you pay $5 a pound for flour if bread was $4 a pound?
It is criminal to sell diesel for more than gas: a an extract of oil that consumes more oil to produce, and thus is much more costly to refine.
If diesel was priced fairly, it would be 75 - 80% the cost of gas.
But the oil companies are scared shi*less that you will buy a diesel then, which means you're buying 1/3 less fuel that costs 1/4 less ... 2/3 the fuel * 3.4 the price means 1/2 the revenue for the oil companies.
So, who are they trying to help: you, or their shareholders?
Seriously ... it is criminal to charge more for diesel.
Call the DOJ. The big-oil execs need to visit the crow-bar hotel for a while; diesel needs to be 20% less than gas; and eventually you can kiss arab oil good-bye!
— DieselRules (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 2:37:51 AM | | Votes: 0

Qoute from the article "The Bottom Line
It appears clear, no matter what the driving conditions, that the Toyota Prius will return around 44 mpg—if driven with a sane right foot. That's impressive, and that means the Prius remains the most fuel-efficient car on the market. The Jetta falls short in pure city driving, but it does meet (and barely beats) the Prius when it comes to highway fuel economy in our testing."

End of story.

ps. diesel is very Expensive where I live which is OC, California. Diesel cost even more than Premium gas per gallon, unreal.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 1:48:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

not to mention if there is ANY traffic congestion, the Jetta will fail in short.

bottom line: if you can average your speed at 65 mph, then Jetta would be better off in term of bragging rights. (but not your wallet).

I spend 85% of my daily comm on freeway, yet my average MPH is 37 (i drive 70~80 on freeway), i have no idea how you can average 65 MPH over a day. one stop light will bring you average MPH done by a huge amount.

btw, is it really fair to compare a brand new car to a 5 years old car?
— ghosthunter (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 2:00:49 AM | | Votes: -1

Well, ghosthunter, the Prius in that test was brand-new. Granted, the car was redesigned in 2004, but older designs are compared against new designs all the time if they are still in production.
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 9:39:23 AM | | Votes: 2

I'm disappointed that they didn't test both cars on back roads where the driving is neither stop and go city driving nor steady sate freeway cruising. The Prius obviously has the advantage in the city where the motor shuts off at a stoplight and steady state cruising on the freeway only requires power to overcome drag but I think the diesel would have done much better on back roads where you have to accelerate often and rarely come to a complete stop. I'm sure the upcoming comparisons will prove me right.
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 1:32:36 PM | | Votes: 0

Hyundai,
I have driven a diesel jetta before, the older boxy ones that look a lot more sporty than the VW Corolla copy. The old one was neither fast nor sporty compared to the 1.8T.

star,foxy, the other guy,
1.5 sec is fast, but at 8.5 seconds, that's nothing to brag about. the 7-passenger Sienna will out drag a diesel and it may not get the same mpg, but it'll carry more passengers. It'd take 2 Jettas to haul the same # of people in a Sienna, how much oil do 2 diesels burn vs a mini-van? You can also ram a Jetta into a sienna and still have room for 2 people.

Celica may be a chick car, but so are BMWs. You losers conveniently forget that the bro also drives an A6 which I might add fairs poorly in a a foot of snow.

VW should try and scam as many people as possible before the new Prius comes out and sends diesels back to the industrial revolution. They should ban diesels in small passenger cars outright, you can almost fuel 2 Prius' with the amount of oil a Jetta TDI wastes in a year.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 8:43:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

You're delusional. What kind of mileage does a fully loaded Sienna get? Here's a review from AutoCar magazine of the (European) BMW 320d with BMW's Efficient Dynamics technology that includes auto stop/start and brake energy regeneration and it gets a combined mileage of 48 miles per US gallon (57.6 miles per imperial gallon) and it does 0 to 62*mph in 8.1s! No hybrid can come close to matching that kind of mileage and performance.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/BMW-3-Series-320d-(175bhp)-SE/235162/
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2008 10:51:16 PM | | Votes: 0

Why are you even talking about a Sienna?

And why are you trying to downplay the fact that the Jetta is so much quicker/more fun than the Prius? Honestly, can you EVER say Toyota does something wrong? Or that a competing product is superior?

You try to make it look like WE'RE the blind ones. HA!

"You losers conveniently forget that the bro also drives an A6"

???

"which I might add fairs poorly in a a foot of snow."

Or maybe he's just a bad driver. Hm. Learn to spell "fares," also.
— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 12:58:24 AM | | Votes: 1

What's this BS about the Jetta using a lot more fuel if you're stuck in traffic?
There's a new feature called the ignition switch.
People with a brain use it to turn the engine off if stopped for a while.
Amazing, but you don't need a computer to turn the engine off!
— DieselRules (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 2:42:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

AmazinignorantSOB. No YOUR the loser, ignorant, arrogant, superior, condescending.

Its amazin the shit you post here considering you make out you are intelligent.

"my maids son drives a cololla" ?????? You win the award for the biggest JERK on this site, by a mile!!!
— steve27t (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2008 5:01:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

dieselrules,
How long do you suppose your starter will last if you turn it over 10x a day more often than it was designed for?

The only reason the Germans are clinging to diesels is because they're more profitable to make. Old, cheap to make technology coupled with higher premiums = more profit from stupid people.

If diesels are so great, why are they only bringing surplus inventory over to N.A. now?

www.fueleconomy.gov
check it out, Jetta TDI consumes 11.6 barrels of oil a year, Prius just 7.4. The TDI is only 3 barrels shy of consuming the same oil as 2 Prius'. Burning 50% more fuel to get less mileage sounds like a solid plan to alleviate your dependence on oil.

s4,
If you've ever seen, let alone driven an expensive car, you'd know 18" low profile tires with low clearance means you're basically a plow in the snow, same thing with the 18" low profiles on the Celica, just another plow in teh winter. But of course, it's poor driving and nothing to do with reality.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/28/2008 12:00:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

i think vw jetta betta we have a toyota and they suck
— lambo98 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/28/2008 11:17:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

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VW Jetta Diesel vs. Toyota Prius Which Is The Best At Saving Your Hard Earned Dollars?

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