Camry Hybrid vs '09 Jetta TDI, opinions?

vw for the win.

 

I have been a diesel fan for 30 years. I presently own 3 diesel vehicles. My mid 90's S350 MB gets over 30 mpg for a 4300 lb car. I have a client with a TDI. He claims 55 mpg and only one battery to change every x years. In the next couple years several manufactures will be offering diesels. The only advantage owning a hybrid in my area of New York is that you are able to drive the HOV with only the driver.

 

No comparison... VW TDI! The DSG gearbox is amazing, as are the modern European diesels. Try one and you'll love it, they make perfect daily drivers. We have 2 TDIs and they HAVE been bulletproof - Forget the VW "reliability rating" - We've never had any problems, and neither have the half dozen other friends & family who have them as daily drivers. They're great cars for the money, with excellent fuel economy and reliability.

 

My wife has a Camry hybrid, and this summer her mom got a "2006" Jetta TDi (with a production date of December, 2006). No comparison- the Jetta gets better mileage, more fun to drive, and more clever design. And cheaper!

When we bought the Camry, my wife was determined to get a hybrid. After she spent some time driving the Jetta, she admitted that she wished we had considered the Jetta before she got the Camry.

And I'd guess the new Jetta will be better yet.

 

Hybrid= good mileage some of the time
TDi= good mileage all of the time!

I would go with the TDi eight days of the week. Plus all that torque has got to be great.

 

If there are any downsides to modern European diesels I haven't found them. I LOVE them!

I believe ALL diesel sold in US gas station pumps now is ULSD, so no, that's not a problem at all.

I live in FL so I can't help you with cold weather starting questions, but I do have a family member in the NE with a Passat diesel and he's never mentioned any problems.

Yes the DSG with the TDI is fun - The TDI engines have an amazing amount of torque, they feel a lot quicker than they are, but they're a load of fun to drive and I agree with you, the DSG gearbox is by far the best automatic transmission ever.

Here's a forum you might want to read, and I'm sure someone there can answer your cold weather starting questions... http://www.tdiclub.com/

 

TDi and DSG ftw!

Seriously, my dad had a diesel VW in the mid-1970s. It was a great car and he put over 200K miles on it. Properly maintained, a diesel should last several hundred thousand miles, the rest of the car will wear out before the engine does.

The hybrid is still relatively new in passenger cars. The gasoline burning part of the hybrid will be typically Honda, that is: tried, true and tested. The electric parts of the powerplant could last a long time <or> the life of the warranty plus one day. Nobody knows for sure.

As for performance, I road tested the 2008 Hybrid Civic. It was very smooth and relatively quiet, but it did not have very much power for merging or passing. The gas mileage is more realistically in the high 30s/low 40s on the highway at 70 mph. A considerable amount of the trunk is taken up by the "cell" (read: battery) and the arm rest that appears in normal Civics is eliminated by the placement of the battery behind the back seat.

I would also consider the dealer network where you live. Some Honda dealers are very good, others are arrogant pricks. VW dealerships are more sporadic then Honda dealerships. Parts for both are expensive when the warranty runs out.

I hope this helps. Good luck!