Posts Tagged ‘Volkswagen’

2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Review and photos by
Peter Bleakney, Autos.ca

It’s hard not to like the 2011 VW Golf TDI. While I’m a sucker for the sporty and all-round excellent 200-hp GTI, the pragmatic side of me would surely win out if I were kicking tires in a V-Dub showroom. I’d go with the super-smart four-door TDI clean diesel; and not only because it gets outstanding fuel economy.

2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI

2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI

But while we’re on the subject of parsimonious diesel-sippage, at the end of my week of mostly highway kilometres I still had a quarter tank of diesel and the average fuel economy display read a heart-warming 5.7 L/100 km.

With a base price of $25,275 in Comfortline trim (the base Trendline Golf is gas-only), the six-speed manual four-door Golf TDI is the least expensive diesel-powered car in Canada, and it punches well above its weight when it comes to refinement and road manners. (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | Comments Off

2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline 4Motion

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

Review and photos by
Greg Wilson, Autos.ca

Considered a “premium” compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV), the Volkswagen Tiguan occupies the high end of the CUV market with suggested retail prices ranging from $27,875 to over $42,000 fully loaded. In fact, well-equipped Tiguan’s are priced close to luxury CUVs like the Acura RDX and BMW X3.

2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline 4Motion

2011 Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline 4Motion

What makes the Tiguan worth more than many other CUVs? Much of it has to do with the Tiguan’s standard 200-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the same engine used in the sporty GTI and Audi A4. But though this is a great engine with generous turbo-induced low-end torque, it isn’t the most powerful engine in its class by any means. The V6 engines in the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4, for example, beat it by 40 and 69 horsepower respectively. According to AJAC, the Tiguan (4Motion, 6-speed auto) has a zero to 100 km/h time of 9.2 seconds – downright slow compared to the 269-hp Toyota RAV4 V6 (4WD, 5-speed auto) with 6.7 seconds! And according to the EPA, the Tiguan isn’t even as fuel efficient, with 12.4 city/9.4 hwy vs 12.4 city/9.0 hwy (L/100 km). The kicker is that the RAV4 V6 costs about the same or less than a Tiguan. (more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | No Comments »

2011 Volkswagen GTI

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

Review and photos by
Greg Wilson, Autos.ca

Unless you’re exceedingly wealthy and have a five-car garage, you probably don’t own a different car for your every mood – an economy car for commuting, a sports car for the weekend, a minivan or SUV for family excursions, a luxury car for evenings out, and a pickup truck for cargo duties. For most of us, it’s necessary to compromise with a more practical and fuel-efficient vehicle that gets the job done, but isn’t necessarily too exciting.

2011 Volkswagen GTI

2011 Volkswagen GTI

But there is a vehicle that’s as sporty as a sports car, has room for a family of four or five, is easy to park, offers reasonable fuel economy, and can carry a lot of cargo – for a price that starts under $30,000.

Yes, it’s the VW GTI, voted 2010 Canadian Car of the Year by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). This German-built Golf derivative features VW/Audi’s potent 200-hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine enabling it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds (AJAC track tests) and from 80 to 120 km/h in just 4.6 seconds (with optional DSG transmission). The turbo engine’s maximum torque of 207 pound-feet starts at just 1,700 rpm, giving it excellent throttle response. (more…)

Tags: , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | 1 Comment »

2011 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

Review and photos by
Greg Wilson, Autos.ca

As the only diesel-powered compact wagon available in Canada, the VW Golf wagon TDI offers a rare combination of outstanding fuel economy, generous cargo capacity, and everyday driveability at a price starting under $30,000. The fact that this alternative fuel wagon was voted Best New Family Car in the 2010 AJAC Canadian Car of the Year Awards, and the VW Jetta TDI sedan was voted Best New Family Car in 2011, says a lot about how good today’s diesel engine technology has become.

2011 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI

2011 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI

It’s amazing, really, that Volkswagen is still the only automaker in Canada offering diesel engines in vehicles priced under $30,000. Sure, you can get a diesel engine in a $50,000 BMW 335d or a $70,000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class or a $50,000 Dodge pickup, but where are the affordable diesel cars? Now that we have ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel, and cleaner, quieter and more powerful diesel engines, past objections to diesel engines no longer apply. Even so, vehicle manufacturers are reluctant to offer diesels in Canada. The first generation Smart Fortwo model had a small diesel engine, but it was discontinued in the second generation car in favour of a small gas engine, primarily because Smart’s surveys showed that American buyers didn’t want diesels – so we didn’t get one either. Apparently, Canada is just too small a market to justify a Canada-only diesel car. (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | 2 Comments »

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Highline V6

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

Review and photos by
Haney Louka, Autos.ca

Volkswagen Canada tells us that the 2011 Touareg is lighter and consumes less fuel than its 2010 predecessor. Such information is typically met by scepticism; auto scribes and potential buyers alike will scratch their heads immediately and question what it is that’s been sacrificed to make this a greener Touareg.

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Highline V6

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Highline V6

The short answer is, well, nothing. Our 3.6-litre Highline tester sports the same 280-horse V6 engine as last year. Towing capacity is unchanged at an impressive 3,500 kg. Actually, major exterior dimensions have increased and interior volume has followed suit.

But we can only conclude that the old Touareg’s seats must have been stuffed with lead because even with the increase in size, the new car is actually 195 kg (nearly 430 lb.) lighter than before. This isn’t some fad diet we’re talking about here, but rather a Jared-the-Subway-guy-style transformation. (more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | No Comments »

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Saturday, February 19th, 2011

Review and photos by
Greg Wilson, Autos.ca

Still the only diesel-powered compact sedan priced under $30,000 in Canada, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI returns for 2011 with an all-new sedan bodystyle, a new interior, and a new unit body platform that, for the first time, is not shared with the Golf.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Perhaps of equal importance to buyers is that the 2011 Jetta TDI’s suggested retail price has dropped by more than $3,000: from $27,175 to $23,875 (Comfortline trim), and from $30,875 to $26,655 (Highline trim) (last year’s base Jetta TDI Trendline trim is not offered this year). However, keen observers will notice that some standard features were deleted or made optional for 2011: in the Comfortline trim, the premium radio with six-CD player, touch-screen, and satellite radio is now part of an option package ($1,300), and the power reclining driver’s seat is now manually operated; in the Highline, standard leather upholstery has been replaced by “leatherette”. Leather seats are now optional ($895), but at the time of this writing, were not yet available. As well, rear side airbags, which were standard, are no longer offered. Still, despite some de-contenting, the 2011 TDI’s much lower price makes it a better value – not to mention the fact that it’s a brand new vehicle design. (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | 6 Comments »

2011 Volkswagen Jetta Trendline+

Sunday, February 13th, 2011

Review and photos by
Greg Wilson, CanadianDriver.com

The differences between the all-new Volkswagen Jetta and its predecessor could be summed up in four words: price, positioning, platform and personality. With a starting price of $15,875 for the base model, the 2011 Jetta 2.0L Trendline undercuts last year’s base Jetta 2.5 Trendline by $6,300 thanks to its smaller and less powerful 115-hp 2.0-litre base engine and fewer standard features. The lower pricing also changes the Jetta’s market positioning dramatically, allowing it to compete directly with popular sub $20,000 compacts like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. And with an all-new unit body platform that’s now different from the Golf’s, the new Jetta has distinct ride and handling characteristics, more interior room, and an independent Jetta “personality.”

2011 Volkswagen Jetta Trendline+

2011 Volkswagen Jetta Trendline+

The key to the 2011 Jetta’s lower base price is its venerable 2.0-litre SOHC 8-valve iron block four-cylinder motor, an engine that’s been around for decades. With only 115 horsepower and fuel economy numbers of 9.1 city/6.0 highway (L/100 km, manual transmission), the 2.0-litre engine is the least powerful and the least fuel-efficient engine in its class. (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Gallery, Reviews | 3 Comments »

2006-2010 Volkswagen Jetta

Saturday, September 11th, 2010

By Chris Chase; photos by Greg Wilson,
CanadianDriver.com

The fifth-generation Volkswagen Jetta – known among enthusiasts as the MKV (say “Mark five”) – was a bit of a throwback when it was introduced in 2005 as a 2006 model, being closer in proportion to the second- and third-generation models, with its long hood, high decklid and, inside, a huge trunk.

2007 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

2007 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Critics, though, thought it looked too much like a Corolla, which, admittedly, it did.

Regardless, it was still a Volkswagen, which meant it was a nicely-built car praised primarily for a driving feel and interior quality a step above economy cars like the Corolla; the Jetta continued to be positioned upmarket from other compacts, and priced higher too.

The 2006 Jetta’s base engine was a 2.5-litre five-cylinder making 150 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque. Transmission choices in the then-new Jetta were a five-speed manual and an optional six-speed automatic. (more…)

Tags: , ,
Posted in Gallery, Used Cars | 1 Comment »

ICONS – Part 2

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

.

Models That Have Stood The Test of Time
 

Michael Schlee

 

This is a continuation of the previous post ICONS – Part 1. To summarize, car Icons represent a manufacturer’s ideals, technology, passion and purpose. Okay, that may be overstating things a bit, but for the most part it is true.

Porsche 911

Porsche 911

So what qualifies as car as an Icon? Many great cars have come and gone in North America over the years, such as the Countach, Viper, Supra, Chevelle, Cobra, etc. But the question is, where they truly icons? Great cars, yes; amazing cars even, but true long lasting icons? They were all important during their time in history, but for one reason or another, they were all discontinued. Also, being that we live in North America, we are only dealing with icons that made it to our shores.

 

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in News, Gallery | 1 Comment »

CIAS Tour: Volkswagen

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

 

Touring the Volkswagen Display at CIAS

By Michael Schlee

 

It’s not often that a manufacturer’s auto show display will have 3 generations of one car model (and all for sale in the same year too). But Volkswagen has it;

Photo: Michael Schlee

Photo: Michael Schlee

 

the current Rabbit (Golf V), the City Golf (Golf IV) and the upcoming new Golf (Golf VI). Besides the golf party, Volkswagen has all their other models at CIAS including the new Touareg TDI, recently introduced Routan and the Tiguan.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Gallery, News, Toronto 2009 | No Comments »