In a fearsome battle the Volkswagen Passat TDI beat all comers, topping the hybrids, trouncing cars with efficient CVTs and absolutely trashing the one with a downsized, turbocharged engine. It appears diesel power and an old-fashioned manual transmission is the most economical configuration on the highway today.
When it comes to fuel economy the Passat does very well. In city driving it can extract 31 miles out of a single gallon of low-sulfur diesel, beating all comers in this test by a wide margin with the exception of the Avalon Hybrid. But where this sedan really shines is on the open road. According to the EPA, the “People’s Car” delivers 43 miles per gallon on the expressway, the best in this Top 10.
SEE ALSO: 2012 Volkswagen Passat Review
The Passat is capable of holding 18.5 gallons of fuel, and when you do the math that works out to a butt-busting, bladder-bursting range of nearly 800 miles! Theoretically this Volkswagen’s legs are long enough to stretch clear across the Eastern Time Zone from New York City to Chicago in America’s heartland! How’s that for driving range?
