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2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: What Do You Want To Know?

 
1,811 views Oct 30, 2012
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2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

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The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid sedan was never going to match the 50-mpg combined fuel economy rating of this year's mileage champ, the Toyota Prius.

When the new Jetta Hybrid was unveiled at January's Detroit Auto Show, VW executives predicted a combined rating around 45 mpg.

According to today's reports from a drive event, the hybrid Jetta still hasn't been officially rated by the EPA.


The car will be, its maker promises, a whole lot more fun to drive than the Prius.

Tomorrow, we'll find out whether that's true. We'll be driving Volkswagen's first mass-market hybrid car--so this is your chance to give your questions before we do so.

Drop the things you want to know into a Comment, below, and we'll try to get answers to them either from VW executives or during the drive itself.

The new hybrid sedan is the third version of VW Group's hybrid system, which is fitted to a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 (in the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and Porsche Cayenne Hybrid) and a 2.0-liter four (in the upcoming Audi Q5 Hybrid).

The Jetta Hybrid uses a 150-horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine--the smallest ever fitted to a Jetta in the U.S. market--plus a 20-kW (27-hp) thin electric motor system mounted between the engine and transmission.

Power is sent through the automaker's seven-speed DSG (dual-clutch) automated gearbox.

For Volkswagen buyers, the hybrid offers another way to get high fuel economy--in addition to the company's lineup of TDI diesel models.

We're hoping the company will have a Jetta TDI to test against the new Jetta Hybrid. Meanwhile, which one would you choose?

The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid will arrive at dealers late this year, with a base price of $24,995.

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Comments (16)

  1. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 10/30/2012 4:15pm PDT

    0-60mph time,
    1/4 mile time,
    Max EV mode miles and speed.

    Can it fit three child seats in the back?

    truck space.

    How much does MPG drops with 2 full size adults in the car?
     
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  2. fb_522123060 avatar Kent Steinbrenner Posted: 10/31/2012 12:57am PDT

    Since it’s using the 1.4 L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, do we know whether it will be able to use regular gasoline, or is premium suggested (or required)? It seems like all of VW’s other turbocharged engines want premium fuel. Since people who drive hybrids tend to want to save some money while also saving fuel, you would think that VW would err on the side of allowing regular fuel with this engine.

    I saw the trunk of this car at the Orange County Auto Show. The rear seats do fold down, but there is a battery hump in the trunk—it blocks about half of the vertical space next to the back of the rear seats (the hump is not that wide, so the rest of the trunk is fine, but it’s there, nonetheless).
     
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  3. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 10/31/2012 5:25am PDT

    @Kent: "Premium fuel is recommended," as with other VW turbo cars. Good question.
     
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  4. fb_100004101846277 avatar Adrian Tatum Posted: 10/31/2012 10:14am PDT

    Does the engine use the Atkinson (or Miller) cycle?
     
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  5. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 10/31/2012 3:25pm PDT

    I doubt it. Atkinson cycle engine is kind of "over rated" in my opinion. It is nothing new. Invented about 120 years ago... Hasn't been popular due to its low torque and low power per volume design until now b/c its higher efficiency and lack of power and torque are okay in hybrid application with electric motors as the main "low speed" drives.

    I don't think the electric motor in the Jetta is powerful enough to compensate for the lack of power in Atkinson cycle engine unless VW is willing to "lower" its hybrid performance to other "class leading" MPG hybrid's level.
     
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  6. fb_629637578 avatar Daniel Watkins Posted: 2/28/2013 12:43pm PST

    If the Jetta Hybrid had a stronger electric motor (more than the existing 20KW), then they could have put in an Atkinson cycle engine and could have boosted the MPG another 10% or so. I wonder why they chose not to, production costs probably.
    There is a reason why the Prius gets 48MPG real world average and they are thinking of using turbocharging in their next gen Prius.
     
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  7. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 10/31/2012 4:50pm PDT

    @Adrian: No, it's turbocharged so according to the VW engineers, Atkinson Cycle wouldn't make sense.
     
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  8. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 10/31/2012 5:33pm PDT

    low exhaust pressure in the Atkinson cycle engine doesn't really make sense to "power" an exhaust based turbo...
     
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  9. vdiv avatar Vladi Ivanov Posted: 10/31/2012 11:27am PDT

    Small steps in the right direction... Wonder why VW did not include a small diesel engine.
     
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  10. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 10/31/2012 3:21pm PDT

    Cost in engine and added cost to meet the more strict emission requirement in the US.
     
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  11. rkisler avatar Rich K Posted: 10/31/2012 4:28pm PDT

    John, is this a clutched ISG, or is it more line Honda's ISG (IMA in Hondaspeak) which is always directly connected? In a related question, is the ISG able to move the car by itself and, if so, under what conditions?
     
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  12. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 10/31/2012 4:51pm PDT

    @Rich: Yes, it's clutched on both ends, like the Hyundai-Kia system. And, yes, the 20-kW electric motor can move the car on its own under light loads. (More details to come in my full test report.)
     
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  13. MrEnergyCzar avatar Mr EnergyCzar Posted: 10/31/2012 8:07pm PDT

    No plug, no sale...

    MrEnergyCzar
     
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  14. rachelr avatar Rachel R Posted: 11/29/2012 11:36am PST

    I have a deposit on one that is sitting on the dock in the US but has not been sent to the dealer yet. I was originally told a delivery date of November 15, then end of November, and now maybe December. When will they actually get delivered to dealers?
     
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  15. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 11/29/2012 12:05pm PST

    @Rachel: Volkswagen told me that Jetta Hybrids will arrive at VW dealers "at the very end of the year," though they wouldn't get much more specific than that. I suspect that means Dec 20-30, or perhaps very early January depending on transportation times from the port.
     
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  16. fb_100000719011892 avatar Robert Muske Posted: 4/18/2013 11:35am PDT

    I test drove one and was TOTALLY impressed with it! I wonder HOW it can start so quietly without a starter mtor???? and if it stil lhas an LEAD ACID battery hiding somehwere that needs tobe jumped if the car willnot start! Also I woudl like MORE info about the turbo ATKINSON CYCLE engine in there, and how it ADDS the torque from teh ELECTRIC ENGINE to the GAS engine (?) IT has a 1.4l 170HP engien with a 50+ electric motor. I want to know EXACTLY how the power plant really works and a diagram of how the ATKINSON cycle engine really is!
     
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