Daenesh Drives.: December 2009

1) Audi AG: 2.0L TFSI DOHC Turbocharged I-4

Audi AG’s 2.0L TFSI turbocharged 4-cyl. has had little trouble in the past winning over Ward’s 10 Best Engines judges, garnering a spot on the list each of the last three years.

However, with the introduction of the all-new ’09 A4 range, the auto maker tempted fate by trying to improve upon what already is one of the best I-4s in production.

Fear not, as the revised TFSI turbo-4 once again fortifies Audi’s pioneering spirit in direct-gasoline injection and variable-turbocharger technology by claiming its fourth-consecutive 10 Best Engines award.

While the aforementioned injection/induction systems, along with variable valve timing, a 2-stage intake manifold and electric-like throttle response, made last year’s winner hard not to love, various improvements seriously up the ante for this mighty little 4-cyl.

Although the new engine eventually will work its way into numerous Volkswagen AG and Audi models, it currently does battle in a premium segment dominated by larger, more-powerful 6-cyl. mills.

For that duty, its 211 hp (at 5,300 rpm vs. last year’s 5,000 rpm) comes up a little short. Yet, with modifications (including an optimized turbocharger; variable exhaust-valve-lift technology; revised electronic controls; a lower compression ratio (9.6:1 vs. 10.3:1); and refined internal components), torque jumps significantly to 258 lb. ft. (350 Nm) and comes in 300 rpm earlier.

That’s an improvement of 11 hp and 51 lb.-ft. (69 Nm), with peak torque staying tabletop-flat from 1,500 to 4,200 rpm.

Several Ward’s judges chide Audi for being lazy in the area of initial turbo response and not delivering the best fuel economy.

In its defense, however, the engine is hitched to a torque-converter automatic transmission, and efficiency usually takes a back seat when exploring a turbocharger’s performance.

In the end, praise for the old engine rings true for the new: highly advanced development, a sporty, yet efficient, character and the ability to mimic the dynamics of a much larger powerplant.

“If this is the future; I’m on board,” says Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.

And that very well may be the case, what with virtually every auto maker closely watching engine-downsizing trends as smaller cars and fuel-economy concerns become more relevant than chest-pounding horsepower figures.

With this second-generation TFSI engine, Audi shows its ability to lead by example, an example that portends the life still to be harnessed from the internal-combustion gasoline engine in the face of serious advancements in clean-diesel and hybrid-electric technology.

2) BMW AG: 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel

To say BMW AG’s new 3.0L inline-6-cyl. turbodiesel checks all the boxes for greatness would be putting it lightly.

Introduced in the ’09 335d sedan, as well as the X5 xDrive 35d cross/utility vehicle, no other engine this year captivated our seasoned panel of Ward’s 10 Best Engines judges the way BMW’s clean-burning diesel did.

From its ability to lay down a gutsy 425 lb.-ft. (576 Nm) of torque at 1,750 rpm – the bulk of which is available from just 1,500 revs – to the gratification induced by 30-mpg (7.8-L/100-km) figures accompanying such thrust, this one wonderful Teutonic torquemeister.

But its most-pleasing attributes come from its lightweight, all-aluminum construction and advanced compound-turbocharger arrangement, both of which hardly take away from the already stellar driving dynamics of the 3-Series platform.

Saddled with only a minimal weight penalty vs. the gasoline-fueled, twin-turbocharged I-6, the 335d can bob and weave with the best. And with its pair of turbos huffing and puffing in sequence, lag-free surges of acceleration are summoned with the greatest of ease.

In the diesel world, the BMW’s 88 hp/L was almost unthinkable just several years ago. Yet, lessons learned from this engine’s development have allowed the auto maker’s new 2.0L 4-cyl. turbodiesel in Europe to produce an astounding 102 hp/L.

The magic stems from the 2-stage compressor setup, whereby a small turbocharger spools up quickly for solid, low-end response, with a larger unit joining in at higher speeds to keep the juice flowing.

Although a slight diesel grumble emanates from the engine compartment at startup and idle, the clatter quickly subsides at speed, where the 335d actually is quieter than its gasoline counterpart.

Other technical highlights include the fitment of an AdBlue urea-injection system in the exhaust, which slightly reduces horsepower compared with the 278-hp European model, yet allows sales of the 335d to extend to all 50 U.S. states by meeting the toughest emissions standards in the world.

Combined with an oxidation catalyst and soot-trapping particulate filter, this diesel’s exhaust is cleaner than the surrounding air in many cities.

While our 335d tester definitely is more sport-oriented than the X5, CUV applications benefit the most from the diesel’s low-end grunt and speak to the flexibility BMW built into the engine’s design.

Although there is a substantial premium vs. 6-cyl. gasoline models, this efficient powerplant is an attractive value, particularly when factoring in the available federal income-tax credit of $900 for the 3-Series and $1,550 for the X5.

As Ward’s has concluded from previous evaluations of the new 335d’s I-6 oil-burner, this engine epitomizes the advancements in clean-diesel engineering and holds the best shot at erasing from the minds of American consumers the taboos associated with compression-ignition engines.

3) BMW AG: 3.0L DOHC Turbocharged I-6

Adding another pair of turbochargers, as well as six cylinders to this year’s rankings, BMW AG’s 3.0L twin-turbocharged I-6 achieves its third-consecutive spot on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list.

Arguably one of the best volume internal-combustion engines ever produced, the wonderful straight-6 turbo, along with BMW’s 10 Best Engines-winning 3.0L clean diesel, support the auto maker’s new direction to use advanced compressors and fuel-injection technology to extract the best performance and efficiency from its Ultimate Driving Machines.

The engine serves its purpose well as BMW’s answer to its competitors’ larger-displacement, normally aspirated V-6s, with the two fast-spooling turbochargers actually helping to produce more low-end torque than the Ford Mustang GT’s 4.6L V-8 of similar power.

And because of direct-gasoline injection and relatively low boost pressures, there virtually is no noticeable lag in power delivery, just immediate surges of thrust.

Hardly any negative comments made it on to the judges’ evaluation sheets this year, with a few minor protests noting observed fuel economy could have been better.

However, given the spirited performance of our 135i Coupe tester, as well as the lustful crescendo of sound emitted as rpm climbs, the BMW is difficult to drive moderately enough to maximize efficiency.

When pressed, though, the 135i easily achieves – and occasionally surpasses – its 25-mpg (9.4-L/100 km) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency highway rating.

This engine is extremely capable, whether in a sports car or in a cross/utility vehicle, and advanced enough to remain relevant for years.

Output easily could be increased beyond the current 100 hp/L and the likely near-term inclusion of start-stop and hybrid-electric capability greatly will improve fuel economy.

But it is the performance of BMW’s turbo-6 that once again garners the most praise, with the usual superlatives dominating water-cooler banter and the final tallying of scores.

While the price of entry is a tad steep ($35,600), it’s hard to argue with the 135i’s 5-second 0-60-mph (97-km/h) sprint. The powertrain’s all-around flexibility, high-tech design, respectable efficiency and emotional appeal, makes giving up the keys to this little rocket one of the hardest decisions Ward’s 10 Best Engines judges had to make.

4) Chrysler LLC: 5.7L OHV V-8

Putting a muscle-car V-8 on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list the same year gas prices topped $4 a gallon for the first time might seem crazy.

Indeed, certain judges argued V-8s had no place in this year’s competition. Their arguments held water in the fall when the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded across the U.S. was $3.86.

But by the time our evaluations were done at the end of November, fuel prices had fallen off a cliff, to a much more palatable $1.79 a gallon, capping a frenetic swing that tested family budgets, changed vehicle purchase decisions and altered the national psyche.

Even with expensive fuel, a number of Ward’s judges would have gone to the mat to place Chrysler LLC’s all-new 5.7L OHV Hemi V-8 on this year’s 10 Best Engines list. It is enormously satisfying, thoroughly entertaining and absolutely engaging in the two newest and most disparate applications we tested: the 390-hp Ram pickup and 376-hp Challenger R/T coupe.

The Hemi earns the honor not on pure emotion or brute force but with advanced new technology such as variable valve timing, which allows cruising in 4-cyl. mode about 40% of the time, twice as much as the previous-generation Multi-Displacement System cylinder-deactivation system. Thanks to this bit of engineering wizardry, the new Ram can cruise in 4-cyl. mode up to 70 mph (112 km/h), 10 mph (16 km/h) faster than the previous truck.

A number of Ward’s testers managed to top 19 mpg (12.3 L/100 km) with the Hemi, putting it in line with certain premium V-6s tested.

And the new active air intake manifold cracks open a whole new realm of performance for the Hemi. During normal driving, butterfly valves in the circular intake runners remain closed, allowing air to follow a lazy path to the combustion chamber.

But under hard acceleration, at about 4,000 rpm, the valves open, cutting in half the length of the intake runner and ramming more air into the engine. The effect is a potent kick in the tail, as if a turbocharger were kicking in.

The new Hemi does more work north of 4,000 rpm than it ever did before – and manages to do so without feeling taxed or winded. A sprint to 60 mph (96 km/h) in a Crew Cab Ram in less than 6 seconds is no small feat.

All the while, the Hemi lets out a glorious exhaust note that pushes buttons for every red-blooded American, especially in the Challenger.

“Can’t think of one thing I disliked,” judge Byron Pope raves after his night in the Hemi-powered Challenger.

Chrysler expects 65% of new Ram buyers to pick the Hemi V-8. The auto maker told us that in August when a trip to Citgo in a V-8 pickup cost upwards of $75, so a higher Hemi take rate is not out of the question.

For now, Chrysler doesn’t have the marketing budget to support the Hemi as it did to great effect when the previous-generation Hemi launched in 2002.

Regardless of fuel prices, there will be a place on the 10 Best Engines list for modern, fuel-efficient V-8s such as the Hemi as long as OEMs keep making them and as long as someone needs them, doggonit.

5) Ford Motor Co.: 2.5L DOHC I-4 HEV

Placing a hybrid-electric vehicle on the 10 Best Engines list is always a charged affair.

Only three auto makers have managed to crack the list this decade, amid questions from internal-combustion purists who want this competition to be only about engines, not tag-team systems that need electric motors.

This year, a fourth OEM joins that short list as Ford Motor Co. collects a trophy for its second-generation Escape Hybrid cross/utility vehicle, which benefits in no small measure from Ford’s all-new 2.5L DOHC I-4. The engine replaces the less capable 2.3L I-4 in the first-generation HEV.

With intake variable camshaft timing, the new 4-cyl. delivers a broader power band and operates on the Atkinson combustion cycle (similar to most other hybrids), which improves efficiency up to 10% over conventional Otto-cycle configurations by keeping the intake valves open longer.

This reduces the engine’s pumping losses by allowing a small portion of the fuel/air charge to flow back into the intake.

Mechanical changes include new intake and exhaust manifolds; a new intake camshaft; and higher-compression pistons (12.3:1) vs. the non-hybrid I-4 (9.7:1). The previous generation’s nickel-metal-hydride battery, continuously variable transmission and electric motor carry over to the new hybrid.

Most of these changes are indiscernible to the driver, but a smart new engine controller allows the driver to rapidly identify the considerable gains achieved by the new Escape Hybrid.

The new processor allows for smoother transitions between gas and electric mode and more EV-mode driving. The old Escape Hybrid might make it to 30 mph (48 km/h) on electricity, alone, but tuning refinements enable the new 5-passenger CUV to hit 40 mph (64 km/h) without consuming a drop of gasoline.

The same hybrid configuration also is available in the Escape’s platform mate, the Mercury Mariner.

Make no mistake, the Escape Hybrid is not a “performance hybrid” with whopping torque and high horsepower. Instead, this vehicle is all about great fuel economy.

We’ve tested too many hybrids that have failed to meet their federal mileage expectations, but not the new front-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid, which is rated at 34/31 mpg city/highway (6.9-7.5 L/100 km).

Even without extreme “hyper-mile” driving tactics, meeting and surpassing those numbers is not difficult. One Ward’s judge managed 39 mpg (6 L/100 km) in a mixed driving cycle and a staggering 46 mpg (5.1 L/100 km) in mostly city driving, without inciting road rage among other motorists who prefer to be ahead of poky drivers.

General Motors Corp.’s 2-mode hybrid in the GMC Yukon earned a 10 Best Engines award in 2008, but this year’s standard-bearer among hybrids is the ’09 Escape, which is about half the price and capable of twice the fuel economy, while still being a remarkably roomy and functional CUV.

6) General Motors Corp.: 3.6L DOHC V-6

Republican U.S. senators who see nothing but failure when considering a government loan to General Motors Corp. clearly know nothing about engines.

If they did, they would give GM the props it deserves for engineering, manufacturing and selling a stellar direct-injection gasoline DOHC V-6 that rivals the world’s finest 6-cyl. engines.

For the second straight year, the 304-hp 3.6L “high-feature” V-6, which first appeared in the Cadillac CTS, finds itself on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for its dazzling throttle response, competitive fuel economy, laudable low-end torque, impressive specific output (84 hp/L) and effortless power delivery.

And once again, this V-6 continues to run on regular unleaded fuel, which most engines of this caliber are not designed to do. When gas prices rise again, which they inevitably will, this factor, alone, is bound to clinch a few sales in GM showrooms.

This V-6 is a perfect fit for Cadillac, proving that a quiet idle and smooth, everyday cruising can go hand-in-hand with a throaty exhaust note and neck-snapping torque at just about any engine speed.

Premium 6-cyl. engines have been fierce combatants every year in our perennial evaluation of powertrain excellence. This year, the GM V-6 makes the cut, alongside Honda Motor Co. Ltd.’s 3.5L V-6 in the Accord, BMW AG’s turbocharged 3.0L I-6 in the 135i coupe and Toyota Motor Corp.’s 3.5L V-6 in the Lexus IS 350.

They’re all great engines, but GM will top them most of them in ramping up production of the 3.6L V-6 to power the high-volume Lambda-platform cross/utility vehicles, including the new Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook. It also will be the base engine in the new Chevrolet Camaro.

By 2010, GM says it will offer 18 models with DIG in North America, more than any other auto maker. Next summer, the ’10 Chevrolet Equinox CUV goes on sale with a choice of two new fuel-saving DI engines, a 2.4L I-4 and a 3.0L V-6, both of them eligible for 2010 Best Engines testing.

Derived from the 3.6L award-winner in the CTS, the 3.0L V-6 is rated at 255 hp and 214 lb.-ft. (290 Nm) of torque. The Equinox debuts at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Smartly, GM is betting big on DIG as a way to boost power and improve fuel economy and emissions. While critics suggest GM lags its competitors in embracing new technology, the 3.6L V-6 proves otherwise, already employing direct injection even though some competitors have yet to take the technology into production.

The 3.6L carries over its variable valve timing and phasing system on both intake and exhaust valves. New electronic controls improve the engine-management system and fuel-injection operation, while considerable effort has been paid to improving NVH characteristics, a trait that was praised last year.

Ward’s Dealer Business Editor Steve Finlay credits the V-6 in the CTS for “amazing performance. With engines like this, who really needs a V-8?”

If any gearheads win election to the Senate, maybe they’ll ask the same question.

7) Honda Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.5L SOHC V-6

The word “rocket ship” is rarely proffered on behalf of the Honda Accord, a fine car, to be sure, but known for reliability and practicality rather than sweaty-palm titillation.

Yet, more than one 10 Best Engines judge used that term to describe the 3.5L SOHC V-6 that powers the Accord coupe to its second consecutive 10 Best Engines award.

This 271-hp V-6 does so many things well. Its steady road manners might lull the driver into thinking this powerplant is sedate and timid.

But crack open the razor sharp throttle at any speed, and this engine, with Honda’s typical understated excellence, springs to life like a tiger hiding in the brush, pouncing on a hapless antelope.

This engineering masterpiece remains amazingly composed, even at the 6,800-rpm redline, without a hint of torque-steer in the front-wheel-drive Accord.

Channeling this power is a magnificently smooth-shifting 6-speed manual that cycles through every gear as if in complete harmony with the vehicle. The 1-2 shift satisfies with an ease and confidence unmatched by any production 3-pedal V-6.

The only reason for a buyer to bypass the manual is because Honda’s nifty 3-stage Variable Cylinder Management cylinder-deactivation system is limited to automatic-equipped Accords.

While most V-8s with cylinder deactivation can cut off fuel to half the combustion chambers, Honda’s system allows the 3.5L V-6 to function on six, four or three cylinders, depending on engine loads, saving even more fuel and creating a new level of performance.

Ward’s evaluated only the manual Accord for 10 Best Engines, which is no consolation prize, given the fatter power curve. Even without VCM, several judges managed 21 mpg (11.1 L/100 km) in spirited driving, better than other premium V-6s tested.

Honda’s 3.5L V-6 scores extra points for also being incredibly versatile, appearing in the Honda Odyssey minivan, Ridgeline pickup and Pilot cross/utility vehicle, as well as Acura luxury cars. Honda produces nearly all those engines in high volume at its plant in Anna, OH.

Ward’s judges eagerly heap praise on the Accord V-6.

“Plenty of power on hand,” writes Associate Editor Byron Pope on his score sheet. “I didn’t expect this much power in an Accord. Very impressive.”

Editor Drew Winter says the Honda powerplant “somehow seems faster and better than last year.”

A V-6 this good belongs in a car priced well above $30,000, but the Accord coupe can be had for $28,805.

This package totally speaks to the enthusiast buyer who wants practicality most of the time, but superior performance all of the time.

8) Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.: 4.6L DOHC V-8

It’s a bold move by Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. to roll out a new V-8 in a time of economic downturn and fuel conservation.

Yet, the new Tau 4.6L DOHC V-8 scores a first-time Ward’s 10 Best Engines appearance for the South Korean auto maker with an impressive mix of power, efficiency and affordability.

Unanimously praised for being a ton of engine for the V-8 Genesis sedan’s sub-$40,000 asking price, the Tau represents Hyundai’s longing to undercut the price of established luxury-vehicle players, while also flexing its engineering muscle.

With high levels of refinement permitting creamy runs up the powerband, the Hyundai V-8 feels much like the 4.6L Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. Northstar V-8s that influenced its design.

However, variable intake and valvetrain systems, as well as other advances in internal components, allow the 375-hp Tau to outperform all of its mid-level luxury rivals, including in the area of fuel economy.

And most of those rivals, namely from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, are considerably more expensive than the $54,000 price cap afforded to 10 Best Engines entrants.

In real-world driving, fuel economy approached a respectable 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) and the rear-wheel-drive Genesis never lacks passing power.

Performance is not blistering, though, and the Tau does not behave as if it wants to break free from its computer-controlled leash, leading some judges to criticize it as a “me too” engine created just for the sake of slapping a V-8 badge on the back of the car.

Indeed, the Tau makes little effort to forge a bond with the driver, preferring to go about its business of whirring away quietly under the hood.

Despite being a little short on emotion, the Tau is an engineering triumph for an auto maker venturing for the first time into the luxury market.

While some quibble that a supercharged or turbocharged version of Hyundai’s already solid 3.8L V-6 would perform just as well as a V-8, the auto maker is quick to point out it has greater things in store for the Tau.

Hyundai says the engine’s 6,500-rpm redline is adequate for the Genesis, yet it has the potential to spin up to 7,200 rpm. It also is compatible with direct-gasoline injection, cylinder deactivation, variable-valve lifting and forced induction, features the auto maker says will enter production in the near term to keep the Tau relevant.

Such forward thinking is commendable, especially considering Hyundai’s rapid ascension of the automotive hierarchy.

The timing for the Tau’s introduction could have been better, but it works beautifully in its Genesis application. It also has the built-in potential to improve over time and is hard to fault in terms of overall performance, fuel economy and price.

Now that’s 10 Best Engines material.

9) Toyota Motor Corp.: 3.5L DOHC V-6

Laying claim to its fourth-consecutive slot on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines roster, Toyota Motor Corp.’s 3.5L Lexus V-6 once again emerges as the engine to beat among a field of excellent V-6 competitors.

With a delectable balance of power, grace and technology, the engine powering the Lexus IS 350 is a favorite of several judges and impresses all with its class-leading horsepower, torque and fuel economy.

Not much can be said about this engine without directing attention to its unique fuel-injection system, comprised of separate port- and direct-gasoline-injection circuits.

Criticized by some judges as an over-engineered, “belt-and-suspenders” approach, the dual-stage fuel system improves all-around performance by taking advantage of the strengths of each technology.

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.’s larger VQ 3.7L DOHC V-6, for example, easily trumps the Lexus in top-end power without DIG, yet trails it in terms of torque output and observed fuel economy.

Even Honda Motor Co. Ltd.’s 3.5L SOHC V-6 and General Motors Corp.’s 3.6L DOHC V-6, both of which make a return to 10 Best Engines status, lag the Toyota mill in overall flexibility and outright power delivery.

However, unlike the GM V-6, which frugally burns regular unleaded, the Lexus’ high 11.8:1 compression ratio necessitates the use of premium fuel. And for all its DIG-infused torque, horsepower peaks at a relatively high 6,400 rpm.

Fortunately, the engine loves to rev to its redline and feels honed to near perfection in the process.

As noted last year, Toyota is making baby-step headway in infusing its products with a more-passionate connection to the driver. We find this Lexus variant of the Toyota 3.5L DOHC V-6 to be one of the best examples of that focus, particularly with the sweet-sounding optional sport exhaust.

Yet, not all are enamored by the melodies emanating from the car’s twin oversized tailpipes. While some judges favor the mechanically precise wail at full throttle, others find it to be droning and too loud at low speeds.

Regardless, this engine portends the auto maker’s eventual shift to DIG engines and provides its Lexus brand with a shot of vigor that is missing from other Toyota vehicles.

Although two impressive V-8s made this year’s list, high-output 6-cyls. such as this make it clear that a solid V-6 will continue to grow in importance as the keystone in many premium-powertrain game plans.

10) Volkswagen AG: 2.0L SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel

The last time an affordable diesel landed on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list, in 1997, a gallon of regular unleaded cost less than $1.25 and Americans were discovering the functionality of gas-guzzling SUVs and personal-use pickups.

At the time, diesels were as relevant as hybrids, which hadn’t even arrived yet in the U.S. True, VW diesels of the day were capable of 45 mpg (5.2 L/100 km) when the Toyota Prius was just starting production in Japan.

But consumers cared little about fuel economy, and that VW turbodiesel belched smoke during startup, although it was deliciously torquey.

Today, a modern, high-pressure common-rail European turbodiesel from VW sets a new standard with the all-new 2.0L SOHC I-4 that wins a 10 Best Engines award in its first year of eligibility.

Plus, the spunky-yet-quiet I-4 breaks new ground by meeting the strict Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standard without expensive (and inconvenient) urea-injection aftertreatment, which is necessary for larger diesels. Instead, oxidation catalysts and regenerating particulate filters do the job, allowing the all-new Jetta TDI to be sold in all 50 states.

Ward’s judges gushed about the new TDI.

“Any engine that delivers 36 mpg (6.5 L/100 km) with such great drivability and affordability deserves to be 10 Best,” Editor Drew Winter writes on his TDI scoresheet.

Steve Finlay, editor of Ward’s Dealer Business magazine, calls the TDI one of the best diesels he’s ever driven. “When word gets out about this one, it may make diesels mainstream in America,” he says.

Other judges noted the TDI felt punchier than its 236 lb.-ft. (320 Nm) torque rating, and the only smoke comes not from the tailpipe but from occasionally spinning tires. Plus, the stench and clatter of old-fashioned diesels are eliminated, distant relatives from generations long gone.

Diesels already have proven to last longer than gasoline engines, including hybrids, have higher resale values and are capable of 30% better fuel economy than conventional gasoline engines.

The only drawback to some is the premium for the diesel engine, which adds about $2,000 to the Jetta’s sticker.

But, starting under $22,000, it’s less expensive than a Honda Civic Hybrid and enormously more enjoyable to drive. Add in the snappy dual-clutch DSG transmission for an extra $1,100, and the Jetta TDI still is a bargain, especially after a $1,300 income-tax credit.

Expensive diesel fuel also is bound to scare off some buyers. But a few taps on the calculator should ease those fears. Take, for instance, a typical 2.4L 4-cyl. with a combined fuel-economy rating of 23 mpg (10.2 L/100 km). With regular unleaded averaging $1.64 a gallon in the U.S., that comes to $.07 per mile traveled.

Run the same calculation for the Jetta TDI, with its combined rating of 33 mpg (7.1 L/100 km). Diesel fuel averages $2.42 a gallon in the U.S., so the cost per mile is identical. And on roadtrips, the Jetta TDI will be king of the highway.

What more could anyone want? The new Jetta TDI clears all the environmental hurdles, is tremendously rewarding to drive, reduces carbon-dioxide emissions and lessens America’s need for foreign oil.

An affordable diesel is exactly what America needs now, along with more diesel pumps.