Published September 21, 2012
By Philippe Crowe
Volkswagen’s redesigned Passat is a success in the U.S., and this success is in part due to its diesel model.
Volkswagen of America reported this week that 77,524 Volkswagen Passat sedans have been sold year-to-date, making 2012 the best year of Passat sales ever in the United States.
This number surpasses the previous total year sales record, established in 2001.
Approximately 20 percent of all Passats sold in the United States are equipped with the TDI Clean Diesel powertrain, which is unique in the midsize segment.
This best-year milestone comes on the heels of the best August sales month for Passat to date, with 10,900 units sold.
The Passat TDI version—the only clean diesel option in the segment—is rated by the EPA at 43 miles per gallon on the highway, 31 miles per gallon in the city, with the manual transmission, giving a range of almost 800 miles. That’s New York to Chicago or San Francisco to Seattle, on one tank.
Acknowledged mileage experts John and Helen Taylor recently set a single-tank long-distance driving record by taking a Passat TDI from Houston, Texas, to Sterling, Virginia—that’s a distance of 1,626 miles—on one tank of Clean Diesel fuel.
The 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel inline four-cylinder engine produces 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The TDI engine is equipped with a Selective Catalytic Reduction System (SCR) that fulfills emissions requirements in all 50 states.
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