Real world gas mileage, VW diesel or?

[scottmandue]

I commute 40 miles a day so I need a cheap/reliable/appliance type transportation.

Totaled my Hyundai last year and replaced it with a 2015 Nissan Versa note(wife got stuck on it when she saw the 40MPG on the window sticker... Me: "uh, that is just for comparison, that is not real world mileage dear.)

Long story short I am getting around 33-34 mpg with my lead foot, I could probably get 35-36 if I drove like a granny.

Versa:
+Pros
+Cheap to buy
+Good gas milage
+Power everything
+Good electronics, cruise control, blue tooth, buttons on steering wheel
+Small so easy to park and drive in traffic and I got the hatch back with flip down rear seat so there is limit hauling ability.

Cons:
-Cheap build quality in and out, noisy on the freeway, suspension creaks and moans when cold, rear headliner is pulling away from weather stripping (not that big of a deal but bugs the OCD in me).
-There are motorcycles out there with more HP that this little thing.

I will have to stick with this car for a few years to make it worth our while

However my inner OCD child is already considering my next car.

I know this board has a love hate relationship with VW in general and particularly the VW diesel.

However to my knowledge a VW diesel is the only way to get 30-40MPG without going to a hybrid.

Please note the VW is pretty much the only diesel game in town in small car in SoCal.

So any of you driving a diesel, what sort of real world gas milage are you getting?

TIA

[1990C4S]

Jetta ALH. Real world every day combined actual 44 (US) MPG.

You can baby it and get 50+ mpg. I beat on it and get 44. 80-85 mph on the highway.

[pavulon]

Cruze TD. 50mpg at 50-60mph on hwy routinely on an 80 mile round-trip commute. Best was over 60 mpg. It's not sexy enough to get much more than ridicule here though.

The second gen cruze TD is due out soonish.

[porsche4life]

Ford C-Max hybrid.

I love a VW diesel but they are maintenance heavy and after diesel gate, not as easy to find.

[speeder]

I drive a 2006 Jetta TDI w manual trans and love it, I never check the fuel mileage. It's probably mid-30s to 40 in town and up to 50 on the highway. It's just really, really good and I love driving the car.

I don't understand your question/dilemma at all though. You seem to think there is only a 1 mpg difference between driving your car w a lead foot and "like a granny"?

It's probably more like a 10 mpg difference if not more. And the difference in fuel cost between something that gets mid-30s and mid-40s w today's fuel prices is chump change. When I'm deciding whether to take my VW TDI or my 3/4 ton 4x4 to Mammoth and back, that's a difference.

[aigel]

You are just tired of driving the **** box, aren't you? That's good fuel mileage, like Denis says. Changing into another car will incur cost that will be more than what you may save.

Not that it matters, after the diesel scandal, but my 6 speed 2011 Golf TDI readily gets in the high 30s in traffic and mid 40s on the interstate going 70+. The only savings there compared to a gas sipper or hybrid is on the open road. And of course it has much more respectable driving characteristics than any hybrid or econobox.

G

[VFR750]

Chevy sonic sedan

6'2" Heavy footed son gets well over 40mpg at going about 70.

A lot of nice features like Bluetooth. Good build quality and surprisingly roomy for four adults of 150-175 lbs range.

Drove it 1300 miles from Orlando to Windsor and averaged 45 mpg

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Cruze TD. 50mpg at 50-60mph on hwy routinely on an 80 mile round-trip commute. Best was over 60 mpg. It's not sexy enough to get much more than ridicule here though.

The second gen cruze TD is due out soonish.

But can you get a Cruze TD in SoCal?

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Ford C-Max hybrid.

I love a VW diesel but they are maintenance heavy and after diesel gate, not as easy to find.

A guy at work drives one and loves it... I like the look of the Fusion better.

Originally Posted by aigel

You are just tired of driving the **** box, aren't you?

G

Why yes, yes I am my Hyundai Elantra drove like a Cadillac compared to this thing.

The first ten miles of my commute is 60-75 MPH, the second half is 5-20 MPH, the on board computer says my average MPH is 26. With a 1600cc motor just trying to keep up with traffic often involves putting the pedal to the floor.

To those of you who say it "isn't so bad" I challenge you to rent a Versa for a couple days and report back what you think of the vehicle.

I guess what I am really looking for is comparable gas mileage in something that isn't so gutless/soul sucking/emasculating... I would love a Golf TDI but it doesn't seem like people sell them.

[aigel]

Why not another Elantra? Seems like you can get a nice one for 10k and they ride well and arent as gutless ...

G

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

But can you get a Cruze TD in SoCal?

definitely.

[KNS]

Good luck finding a VW scandal diesel, they're being snapped up by flippers who are selling them back to VW for a profit. VW is aware of it (for instance - same guy keeps coming back to the same dealer to trade in diesels, etc), but they're not doing anything about it.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by aigel

Why not another Elantra? Seems like you can get a nice one for 10k and they ride well and arent as gutless ...

G

I would love another Elanta... the one I totaled was my third... they are roomy, comfortable, and a comfy ride... I though I was being frugal but turns out they are a pretty decent economy car. And reliable, in +20 never a breakdown.
Hyundai also make a Sonata hybrid worth looking at.

I am off to do a web search on the Cruz TD

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by pavulon

definitely.

Hmmm

Cars for Sale: Certified 2014 Chevrolet Cruze in Diesel, Fontana CA: 92336 Details - Sedan - Autotrader

[speeder]

Originally Posted by KNS

Good luck finding a VW scandal diesel, they're being snapped up by flippers who are selling them back to VW for a profit. VW is aware of it (for instance - same guy keeps coming back to the same dealer to trade in diesels, etc), but they're not doing anything about it.

Could have sworn that it needed to be the registered owner/original owner/something.

[aigel]

Denis, you are right, I thought so too. I am confused as well. There was a jalopnik article on it posted on the VW diesel thread that looked well researched. They have to buy the cars back from someone, but I would have imagined that the extra $ on top of the buy back price would not be available if you owned it after the scandal broke.

G

[mjohnson]

My 2016 Mazda 3 - the faster one, whatever it's called - gets a lead-footed 34mpg on the cheap gas. It could be faster, but for what speed it has it's fun to drive. Awesome dynamics - it always seems to want to go faster whenever the road curves...

Not a hybrid or a diesel, just a normal car. Four door hatchback manual transmission - as they all should be.

[aigel]

The fastest 3 would be called a Mazdaspeed3 and get in the low 20s on a good day. Ask me how I know. Fuel was not the main expense. Traffic tickets were!

G

[masraum]

Originally Posted by mjohnson

My 2016 Mazda 3 - the faster one, whatever it's called - gets a lead-footed 34mpg on the cheap gas. It could be faster, but for what speed it has it's fun to drive. Awesome dynamics - it always seems to want to go faster whenever the road curves...

Not a hybrid or a diesel, just a normal car. Four door hatchback manual transmission - as they all should be.

I really don't think you're talking about the fast one which is turbocharged, I believe with 260ish hp. I think there may be an option called Skyactive or something like that in Mazda that mean's you've got the high output motor without being the full on hotrod. Maybe that's the one that you've got.

Originally Posted by aigel

The fastest 3 would be called a Mazdaspeed3 and get in the low 20s on a good day. Ask me how I know. Fuel was not the main expense. Traffic tickets were!

G

Yeah, I don't think he's talking about the MS3.

I had a MS miata, which wasn't nearly as crazy as the 3, but I could get 8-10mpg better by changing my driving. I did that once for a week or two as an experiment. It was boring.

[masraum]

I had a buddy that had a new jetta or passat (can't remember which) diesel. I think he was getting mid to high 40s when it was brand new, and had heard that once the motor broke in, it should be up around 50+. I don't know if he ever saw that change or not.

[gprsh924]

Your commute is 10k miles a year. Even if you doubled your MPG to 70, you would only save like $500 per year in fuel costs. You'd never recoup your cost to switch cars. Mileage is bad reason to buy a new car, the justification just isn't there.

If you want better car, that's understandable.