2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI Long-Term Road Test

What's so cool about the 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI? When you drive it, you almost never think about the fact it's a turbodiesel.

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ed341

Normally?

kirkhilles_

... and how much are you paying per gallon of diesel?

cynic783

you forgot to tell us if it is "torque rich" overused automotive journalism cliche of the decade

fordson1

Diesel fuel is more expensive, but given that the LT TSI Passat is going to average maybe 27 mpg, diesel would have to be around $5.25 a gallon to erase the TDI's advantage in fuel costs.

oxmead

I would think you know that VW wants no more than 5% bio diesel to be used. How do you handle that when a larger percentage is all that's available?

expensivehobby

Right now I'm paying $3.65 where at the same pump unleaded premium is about $3.40 or a little more. Last spring and summer diesel was five cents LESS at the same pump than premium, which was needed for the car we traded in. Regular is clearly down now, maybe $3.13. So far, however, with our mix of driving we have had exactly three tanks with under 40 mpg over 9200 miles of ownership. Maybe we get 27 with a similar car which takes regular, and my wife could not stand the engine stop feature of hybrids and some of the gas models.

We do notice it's a diesel. There is a coarse engine noise, though its largely muted and not enough to be intrusive. It doesn't have the power of our old X3, but in most situations it has enough and at lower speeds more than enough. Torque may be a cliche but it is also an undeniable, tangible fact.

toamatoro

I had a 2013 VW Passat TDI SEL Premium, fully loaded, and I heard a strange whistling noise. So I scheduled an appointment for service. Then, on the expressway, the car loses power and it starts smoking out the back! Any help?

hybris

You know that this thing drives just like any other modern diesel truck out there right?