mmarshall

For gas mileage, yes.....it is not as slanted towards performance as the GS 460H and LS600H. It's basically the same system found in the Highlander hybrid.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Add some heat and water and we've created ideal conditions for plant life...

SLegacy99

Which is why they should adapt that system to the ES. Mmmmmm ES400h.

The Highlander hybrid is alot slower than the RX400h. The RXh is certainly quicker than the 350, but youre right in that its no Cayenne with a big V8.

xknowonex

iTrader: (2)

I wonder if most of you guys, as car enthusiasts, would care about this? How many of us on here would finalize our purchase decision based on how much a car pollutes?

I personally can care less. As long as it passes smog, I am fine

kit cat

iTrader: (6)

I think as a car enthusiast, we should at least take interest in topics like these. Sure, it won't the single deciding factor when buying a car, but I think it's good to be conscious of what's going on.

mmarshall

I fully agree. Both the government and public in general have become obsessed with this matter. The average car, today (large trucks and buses are another matter), emits less than 1% of the tailpipe and gas-vapor emissions of the 1960's vintage car I grew up with....especially the monster-carburated muscle cars. Morons like Adrianna Huffington, with her childish and idiotic rants against SUV's, have influenced public opinion way out of proportion......even California Governor Arnold Schwarzneggar gave up his Hummers beacuse of her.

SLegacy99

Agreed. It is important to me, but not the most important thing. I had a friend who had Jetta TDi and the back of that thing was gross, I would never buy a car like that.

mmarshall

You may not like its looks, but a colleague of mine owns a Jetta TDi, and, at moderate crusing speeds, gets 55-60 MPG on the Interstate. That's damn good mileage (better then most hybrids), even with $4.00 a gallon diesel fuel.

I'm with you, though, in that I'm not sure I'd own one myself. The electronics and wiring on VW's are junk.

SLegacy99

Really? This guy says he only gets around 40 mpg doing highway cruising and its a 5MT.

mmarshall

What speeds is he cruising at? At moderate, legal speeds, a diesel Jetta, if it is running properly and not overloaded, should do a lot better than that.

bagwell

most of that is due to the hybrid technology....

I'm glad my Audi TT is way up on the list and is a blast to drive AND averages about 34mpg!!!

wonderful 2.0T powerplant!!!

LexBob2

FWIW, the '06 Jetta diesel with 5 speed manual transmission is EPA rated at 30 mpg city, 37 mpg hwy and 33 mpg combined.

mmarshall

Well, tell that to Mark (my colleague). He gets between 30 and 40 in town and over 50 on the road.

Here is the data from EPA for the 2006 Jetta TDi/Manual. It reports a high of 54 MPG on the road from actual owners....Mark has actually done better then that a couple of times.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calcu...umn=1&id=21892