1998 Vw Jetta Gl 2.0l 4 Cylinder Auto Great On Gas Low Mileage 1 Owner on 2040-cars

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Cruze Diesel Road Trip reveals the good and bad, but no ugly

Most of us have strong opinions on diesel-powered cars based on our perceptions of and experience with them. I used to thoroughly dislike oil burners for their noise, smoke and lackluster performance, and the fact that they ran on greasy, smelly stuff that was more expensive than gasoline, could be hard to find and was nasty to get on your hands when refueling. Those negatives, for me, trumped diesel's major positives of big torque for strong acceleration and better fuel economy. Are any of those knocks on diesel still valid today? I'm not talking semis, which continue to annoy me when their operators for some reason almost never shut them down. At any busy truck stop, the air seems always filled with the sound – and sometimes smell – of dozens of big-rig diesels idling endlessly and mindlessly. Or diesel heavy-duty pickups. Those muscular workhorses are far more refined than they once were and burn much less fuel than their gasoline counterparts. But good luck arriving home late at night, or departing early morning, without waking your housemates and neighbors with their clattery racket. No, I'm talking diesel-powered passenger cars, which account for more than half the market in Europe (diesel fuel is cheaper there) yet still barely bump the sales charts in North America. Diesel fuel remains more expensive here, too few stations carry it, and too many Americans remember when diesel cars were noisy, smelly slugs. Also, US emissions requirements make them substantially more expensive to certify, and therefore to buy. But put aside (if you can) higher vehicle purchase and fuel prices, and today's diesel cars can be delightful to drive while delivering much better fuel efficiency than gas-powered versions. So far in the US, all except Chevrolet's compact Cruze Diesel come from German brands, and all are amazingly quiet, visually clean (no smoke) and can be torquey-fun to drive. When a GM Powertrain engineering team set out to modify a tried-and-true GM of Europe turbodiesel four for North American Chevy Cruze compacts, says assistant chief engineer Mike Siegrist, it had a clear target in mind: the Volkswagen Jetta TDI 2.0-liter diesel. And they'll tell you that they beat it in nearly every way. "I believe we have a superior product," he says. "It's powerful, efficient and clean, and it will change perceptions of what a diesel car can be." The 2.0L Cruze turbodiesel pumps out 151 SAE certified horses and 264 pound-feet of torque (at just 2,000 rpm) vs.

The VW diesel scandal is now a Halloween costume

Can't figure out what costume to wear at your upcoming Halloween party? Love cars? Have a bunch of auto enthusiast friends who appreciate a super timely joke? Well, fear not. You're set for this season. HalloweenCostumes.com presents the VW Diesel Scandal costume, complete with toxic gas mask, fuel canister, and a cute little car blowing a plume of smoke. It's a full do-it-yourself job, and the site shows all of the necessary parts you'll need to make your very own scandalous outfit. And no, we aren't sure why the male model isn't wearing a shirt. "I'm a car guy and a Passat driver before it broke down, so I never wanted to make light of the VW scandal. I actually really like the brand," HalloweenCostumes.com's Marlon Heimerl tells Autoblog. "But I'm also an environmentalist and marketing manager for a Halloween company. So fair is fair, just doing our job." "The biggest news stories and scandals in particular always find their way to the top of the list for the topical costumes of the year," HC's vice president of marketing, Troy Eaves, writes to Autoblog. "Sure, car scandals happen all the time, but on a much smaller scale both in terms of the total number of cars effected, and the actual parts in question are usually replaceable through a recall. This one was much larger scale, affected millions of consumers, and the damage can't really be undone. This rings 'big costume' for the Halloween industry." Credit where credit is due, this is pretty funny. Now, bring on the Sexy VW Diesel Scandal treatment.

Weekly Recap For 4.22.16 | Autoblog Minute

Senior Editor Greg Migliore recaps the week in automotive news, including a look at the latest from the VW diesel emissions scandal, spy shots of the latest Honda CR-V, and more. Ferrari Honda Volkswagen Crossover Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video emissions scandal diesel emissions scandal