2012 ford focus

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by tjts1

...The Prius has a much lower cost per mile and a bigger interior.

Interesting. Mrs A is about to get a Prius to replace her Octavia (same as Jetta, different badges) - she thinks the interior will be smaller and is having second thoughts...

Originally Posted by tjts1

You can get a Honda Insight for $4000 less than a Prius or a Jetta.

You wouldn't want to though, have you driven a new Insight ? Also that interior compared to a Jetta - uuurgh

Its the other way round here - the Prius is a good £2-3K more than the equivalent Diesel and gets similar mileage, and is slower.

Originally Posted by NHRABill

...t was not just the emissions that cause the problem it is a safety factor as well. There are safety restrictions that would add hundreds of lbs. to a car to meet the standards and also kill that desirable super high MPG many of us here want...

I get that and question it at the same time. A lot of the models from Hyundai, Kia etc. are exactly the same models, just with a Diesel option. We even get Diesel Chevrolet Cruze's. The Toyota models are on similar platforms, the last European Honda Accord was also known as the Acura TSX in the US.

Emissions maybe - not insurmountable though and the same unit can be used in other markets like the EU. Or maybe it is just a niche as has been tapped.

Still seems odd from outside the US.

EDIT - The question was inspired by this list on TDIClub. Note the number of models sold on both sides of the pond.

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Interesting. Mrs A is about to get a Prius to replace her Octavia (same as Jetta, different badges) - she thinks the interior will be smaller and is having second thoughts...

I don't know what the octavia is like but the US jetta has the same passenger volume and much smaller trunk than the prius. The Jetta has become a bit of a joke. For the 2011 redesign they brought back the 2.slow 8 valve engine and drum brakes. I'm sure they'll have type 1 air cooled option soon.

Originally Posted by Arragonis

You wouldn't want to though, have you driven a new Insight ? Also that interior compared to a Jetta - uuurgh

Several through Zipcar. The interior quality puts the jetta to shame. Early 2010s had issues with the start/stop response but 2011s are much better. I think the dealers have a software update for the 2010 insight.

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Its the other way round here - the Prius is a good £2-3K more than the equivalent Diesel and gets similar mileage, and is slower.

Thats the price of the additional emissions equipment to meet EPA and CARB standards. There is no way the 140hp TDI is going to match the Prius 50mpg city on the US cycle. It can barely do 30mpg. Then you have to factor in the 10% premium of diesel fuel over gasoline and you end up with a lot of cheaper non hybrid gasoline fueled cars like the Focus, Civic, Elantra etc that make the TDI pointless. VW would be better off selling a fuel efficient gasoline engine instead. If everybody else can do it...
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...son/index.html

[Arragonis]

vs



Horses for courses I suppose

[Arragonis]

[QUOTE=tjts1;242058]For the 2011 redesign they brought back the 2.slow 8 valve engine and drum brakes. I'm sure they'll have type 1 air cooled option soon. [/IMG]

I can't see it on the website, just the 4v 2.0 140 - exactly same hp & lb/ft figures as our 2.0.

Originally Posted by tjts1

Thats the price of the additional emissions equipment to meet EPA and CARB standards. There is no way the 140hp TDI is going to match the Prius 50mpg...

The Prius gets good urban all the time, but the stop-start Diesels are getting very very close just now.

I wonder if European buyers are financing the lower cost of the Prius in the US compared to Europe ? At its current cost its a niche thing, although as I tapped Mrs A is getting one. We have an estate to the boot space is pretty good.

We shall see.

As I tapped in my original question I just wondered. For the US Diesels are a niche, for Europeans that niche is Hybrids - at the moment.

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

vs



Horses for courses I suppose

Yeah the Insight is much nicer. Same for Prius too.


And while we're at it Elantra


Focus


I think VW has realized that they can't compete on quality in the US market so they've decided to dumb down all their products. Too bad because everybody else is upping their game.

[Arragonis]

Even the Chinese are at it.



As for the Insight, they could have decided where to put the Sat Nav before arranging the shape of the panel it fits into - it looks like an add-on.

As I tapped - we all have different tastes...

...and I hope Mrs A is into grey a lot for her Prius.

[Arragonis]

PS - a Honda 'liker' has an Insight on loan.

Another driver likes it.

[tjts1]

A fun read about diesel Jettas in America.
2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI joins Autoblog's Long-Term Garage — Autoblog

Due to a slow leak from the oil pan, our car had been running without oil for quite some time and both the engine and turbocharger seized. Now, it's important to note that no warning lights were present on the Jetta letting us know about the low oil, but we must admit we may share some fault here.

[Arragonis]

Or indeed from the same report, about the changes...

The reason is not so much how the designer's hand has changed the car's look, but rather how the bean counters and product managers have completely changed what the Jetta is. It's no longer a premium compact sedan with a price to match. Now it's a near-mid-size four-door with an ultra-competitive base price.

Jetta fans and auto journalists have been less than enthused with the changes. Buyers, however, apparently disagree. Sales of the new Jetta through April are up 68.8 percent. So which camp is right?

We could swap stories all night. But I'm 7 hours ahead so I'll be in bed first

EDIT - But hang on a minute....

Pressed for time before a long trip, when we took the car in for its most recent oil change, we neglected to use Volkswagen's lovely free scheduled maintenance feature and instead took the car to a local lube shop, where the technicians struggled with performing the oil change on the diesel Jetta. They had a tough time removing the skid plate in order to get to the oil pan, and apparently neglected to properly re-install the plug on the pan. Still, in the two and a half months after the oil change, not a single Autoblog staff member noticed oil pooling in driveways or parking lots or observed any other telltale problems. In short, we remain full of questions about the reasons for the Cup Street's demise, as it continued to perform brilliantly up until the very end.

So letting potential bodgers at your product means its unreliable for everyone ? Hmmm.

Like I tapped we could go on forever.

Lets just agree to disagree.

Otherwise someone will come in with politics

[RH77]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

PS - a Honda 'liker' has an Insight on loan.

Another driver likes it.

Count yet another. I've owned one for over a year now and love the interior. It sets it apart from the competition in a good way -- controls and gauges are well placed for the driver. I don't have the sat-nav, which is what you will generally find at manufacturer websites to flaunt the high-end models.

The Whole Review