Volkswagen has admitted that 11 million of its cars worldwide are programmed to cheat on emissions tests, including 8.5 million vehicles that will be recalled in Europe and another 482,000 cars in the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the cars with 2-Liter four-cylinder diesel engines can still be driven, even though they can spew ozone-causing nitrogen oxide at 10 to 40 times the legal limits. But affected models will need changes to software and even hardware. 鈥?2009-2014 Jettas, 2010-2014 Golfs, 2012 to 2014 Beetles known as Generation 1 of the diesel engines. About 325,000 cars. Will take one or two years to fix because they need software and hardware changes that are now being designed. Hardware could include a larger catalyst to treat nitrogen oxide, or a treatment system using the chemical urea that would require a small storage tank. 鈥?About 67,000 2015 Jetta, Golf, Beetle and Passat cars known as Generation 3. Fix could be ready in January. 鈥?In addition, thousands of 2016 diesel models are stranded at ports around the nation because the EPA has not certified their emissions control systems. VW has withdrawn its application for certification and says there's software on the cars that heats up a catalyst that wasn't disclosed to the EPA. The government is investigating whether this software is a second computer program designed to cheat on the tests.
Q: CAN I JUST KEEP MY CAR WITHOUT GETTING IT FIXED? A: You could, but eventually you would violate the Clean Air Act by spewing too much nitrogen oxide. And if you live in a state that has a pollution test, you run the risk of being caught. Q: I'LL TAKE THE MONEY AND BUY A NEW CAR. ARE THERE OTHER CARS THAT PERFORM LIKE A VW DIESEL? A: Your choices are limited because VW had a lock on lower-cost diesels in the U.S. Mileage of gasoline-powered cars has improved in the past few years, and it's comparable to what diesels used to get. Tom Backer, general manager of a VW dealer in White Plains, New York, says he'll try to sell returning owners on a turbocharged, gas-powered VW Jetta that gets 38 to 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Q: CAN I BUY A NEW VOLKSWAGEN DIESEL? A: Volkswagen can't sell its 2016 diesels because there isn't an approved repair ready yet. They could go back on the market when fixed, but you run the risk of reduced performance depending on the repairs. Q: IS VW OFFERING SPECIALS FOR RETURNING OWNERS? A: VW plans to offer specials for returning owners after the buybacks begin. Dealers could kick in even more. 1,000 on top of any offers from Volkswagen. Q: WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE?
Since I bought my dream car 1.5 years ago, my car hunting radar got fuzzy for a bit amidst wonderings of what, if anything, was next? I had a sports sedan and an unstoppable truck, what else could you need? Well, with both cars struggling to get 20mpg on the highway, the entry of a Jetta TDI to my brother鈥檚 fleet got my mind churning. He and his girlfriend made a trip from Seattle to San Francisco, with a spacecase on top, and averaged 56 mpg. I was sold, and now these days when I think of what car I really want next, the recurring image is a Mk4 Jetta TDI Wagon. Eminently useful and frugal, it would be the perfect counterpoint to the E28 M5. Today鈥檚 example is what I will eventually be looking for: low-mileage, manual, and very clean. BEING SOLD ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, THESE CARS HAVE BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ESPECIALLY A 5 SPEED MODEL! THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST! 12k, but low-mileage examples are becoming rarer by the day, so it鈥檚 a bit of a seller鈥檚 market. It may not have mind-blowing power and speed, but its specific brand of performance is equally admirable.
Habanero Orange paint looks just right on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta R-Line. On other trim levels, not so much. Have you noticed the trend toward affordable and sporty looking cars? In most cases, they don鈥檛 offer upgrades in terms of performance. Rather, they provide the styling changes and nicer wheels that are commonly a part of a more fun version of the vehicle, but with just a few extra features in order to keep the price low. That way, they look good on the outside without breaking a buyer鈥檚 budget. Volkswagen鈥檚 approach is the R-Line trim level. With the 2019 Jetta R-Line, VW installs styling changes that include a unique black grille, black side mirrors, and revised bumpers. Split-spoke 17-inch wheels with a gray finish add to the sporty appearance, as do fog lights with a corner illuminating function. Inside, the Jetta R-Line gets 2-tone leatherette seats in a black and Storm Gray scheme, and a black headliner.
The driver faces a leather-wrapped R-Line steering wheel, and this is the only Jetta variant equipped with Volkswagen鈥檚 XDS Differential, an electronic differential lock from the racy Golf GTI that improves traction and handling through brake-induced torque vectoring. What鈥檚 the price of the Volkswagen Jetta R-Line? 895 to ship it north from VW鈥檚 Puebla, Mexico assembly plant. Volkswagen lightens the mood inside of the Jetta R-Line by adding 2-tone black and Storm Gray seats. The R-Line鈥檚 infotainment system is basic, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but little else. Though it competes with compact cars, the redesigned 2019 VW Jetta is really roomy inside, and the 14.1 cubic-foot trunk is sizable enough for a family of four. Despite the R-Line鈥檚 black headliner, this cabin looks and feels spacious thanks to the Storm Gray seat inserts. An oversized sunroof helps, too. Standard dual-zone automatic climate control worked well during testing, but mild fall weather did not challenge it either way. In hotter conditions, the Jetta鈥檚 leatherette tends to trap sweat. For cold days, heated front seats are standard. Drivers enjoy 6-way manual seat adjustment and a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, so finding a comfortable driving position is easy.
