TDi Jetta named Green Car of the Year for 2009
And the 2009 Green Car of the Year award goes to … The Jetta TDi
Normally, this award from Green Car Journal magazine is a sleeper award. Part of the problem is that there can be no repeat winner. Last year, there were so few candidates that the award went to the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid… what??
But this year, the award’s traditional nod to a hybrid took a back seat to the Volkswagen Jetta TDi.
The Jetta TDi gets 41 mpg highway fuel economy, placing it ahead of several hybrid competitors, while the Jetta’s clean-diesel technology keeps tailpipe emissions low. Many people report numbers even higher than the 41mpg mark. The sticker price of $21,990 is cheaper than most hybrid offerings. In short, the Jetta TDi is among the cheapest ways to get good mileage while still driving a relatively luxurious package.
“It’s an important time for green cars,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of greencar.com, as he announced the winner of this year’s Green Car of the Year competition.
“To qualify for consideration as a nominee, a vehicle must exhibit characteristics that substantially raise the bar in environmental performance and be in production by Jan. 1 of the award year,” said the guidelines on the Green Car Journal Web site. “Plus, a potential nominee must be driven by Green Car Journal to allow experiencing driving dynamics first-hand.” Those qualifying this year were the BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid, Smart Fortwo and Volkswagen Jetta TDI.
In accepting the award, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby described the Jetta as “good, clean diesel fun. The Jetta delivers exceptional fuel economy with a dynamic driving experience at an affordable price.” He said Volkswagen has sold 8,000 units of the Jetta TDI in the United States since its debut in August. Mr. Jacoby promises more TDis are on the way, guaranteed by the Touareg on display inside the Volkswagen booth.
In 2004, NCDübs came to life in order to bring together enthusiasts of VW and Audi within the North Carolina region.