Apace In The Crowd: The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium w/4MOTION

The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium w/4MOTION.

They told us this was coming and we're here. We live in a crossover SUV world. They are the biggest selling single type of vehicle after pickup trucks, and pretty much every manufacturer makes one or more of them---in varying sizes.

As you can imagine, in that crowded a field, it's tough to stand out. And that brings us to the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan.

A GTI For The Family: The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI.

The Volkswagen Jetta is all-new for 2019, bigger on the inside and outside, with sleeker styling. It's a more aggressive look that pairs well with the GLI, the most sporting of the Jetta lineup.

Off Into The Sunset: The 2019 Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition Cabrio

The 2019 Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition Cabrio.

You probably saw the articles and videos earlier this year---“Volkswagen Beetle ends production after 70 years!”  I hate to be a buzzkill, but I hate hype and inaccuracy more, so indulge me a moment, please. 

The Volkswagen Beetle that started production 70 years ago ended production 40 years ago. There was a whole big farewell for that one, too---in 1979.  And the triple-white Final Edition convertibles are still on the street in a whole lot of American towns.

Once that one went away, there wasn’t a Beetle for sale in America for 19 years---until the arrival of the 1998 New Beetle, which had zero in common with the original apart from a rounded body.  The engine was in the front, not the back, it was water-cooled, not air-cooled---it was a rounded Beetle-inspired body on the chassis of a Jetta.  But we’re not mourning the retirement of that car after a 21-year run, either.  Its last year was 2011.

No, the model that we’re saying goodbye to is the current Volkswagen Beetle---which has been in production since 2012.  But “Volkswagen Beetle ends production after 7 years” isn’t much of a headline, is it?

30 Minutes With: The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line w/4MOTION

The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line w/4MOTION.

Publisher's note: Normally, the cars you read about here at TireKicker are loaned to us by the press fleets of the various manufacturers for several days. Seven is typical.  Occasionally, we'll get a longer period of time, and sometimes it'll only be three or four days.  Our "30 Minutes With" series features cars we spent half an hour driving during the just-concluded Western Automotive Journalists Media Day in Monterey, California.

Needless to say, these are quick drives and brief impressions that we hope to be able to flesh out with a full review of the vehicle at some point in the near future.

Media Days is a driving program, with journalists taking cars from the staging area at Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley over Laureles Grade and back or off-road on the acclaimed Land Rover Experience on the grounds of Quail Lodge.

My tenth and final drive for the day was the new 2019 Volkswagen Arteon.

The Rabbit Lives: The 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0T Rabbit Edition

The 2019 Volkswagen GTI 2.0 T Rabbit Edition.

We've sung the praises of the Volkswagen GTI here at TireKicker before---in fact, just last year, when we drove the fully loaded 2018 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn and were not the least bit deterred from our admiration by the sticker price which read $37,020 as tested.

So imagine how we feel about the same usefulness, a shade more performance and very nearly the same fuel economy for about six grand less.

Wagens Ho: The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen SE

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen SE.

The station wagon lives!  Left for dead 30-some years ago as minivans, then SUVs and now crossovers gobbled up the share of the market devoted to family haulers, a handful of wagons survive.  And, as Darwin would have it, they are the fittest members of the breed.

Among those, the 2019 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, which may stand the best chance of any of them of convincing Millennials in their child-bearing years that crossovers aren't necessarily the best choice.

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To: The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible 1.8T Dune

The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible 1.8T Dune.

For the better part of 20 years now, carmakers have been indulging in nostalgia...making new cars that look a lot like old (50s-60s-70s) ones.  Mustang, Camaro, Jaguars and Thunderbirds from the aughts...all meant to evoke what those cars used to look like.  It all arguably began with the 1998-2011 New Beetle, and continues with the current generation Beetle, which has seen 50s, 60s and 70s Edition models...and now the Dune, which is named after and is nothing like a variety of old-school Beetles VW had virtually nothing to do with, other than providing the donor vehicle for some shade tree modifications.

What's The German Word For "Price Cut"? The 2016 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL Premium

The 2016 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL Premium.

In a business based on forward momentum, it shouldn't be a surprise that most of the time, prices move up from year to year.  Staying even with cost increases, exchange rates and sometimes more than a little hubris when the manufacturer senses it has a product for which customers will pay more all contribute to sticker price creep.

Sometimes it's several hundred dollars.  If it's only a hundred bucks, we'll comment on it (as we did last week in our review of the 2017 Kia Sorento SXL AWD V6) as being an instance of admirable restraint.  And we'll call attention to it when the price remains unchanged.

So imagine our surprise and delight to find that the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL Premium costs $775 less than the 2015 model we reviewed a year and a half ago.

Beaucoup Bucks Beetle: The 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible R-Line SEL

2016 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible R-Line.

Behold the most expensive Volkswagen Beetle Convertible one has ever been able to purchase new from one's local VW dealer.  The modern-day descendant of what was the ultimate "cheap car" of the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s is not cheap in any of its guises...the base Beetle's $19,795 starting price works out to nearly $2,700 in 1966 money, adjusted for inflation.  That year, the base price was $1,585.

Even so, the price tag of the 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible R-Line SEL is a bit of a shocker.  It is $36,050.  That's almost $5,000 in 1966 money, adjusted for inflation.  Which would have bought you a 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible or two 1966 VW Beetle convertibles, the latter from which you would have had hundreds of dollars left over.

Executive Transport: The 2016 Volkswagen CC R-Line Executive w/ Carbon

The 2016 Volkswagen CC R-Line.

It's amazing what a sleek roofline can do for a car.  The Volkswagen CC is basically a Passat  with a slicker roof, lower stance and different taillights...but it generates "ooh"s and "aah"s and "how much?" like no Passat ever has.  And guesses as to its price, even by people who have a pretty good grip on which cars cost what, are almost always in the $50,000-$60,000 range.

Might The Long Road To Redemption Begin Here? The 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium

The 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf.

There is no question that Volkswagen has a long road ahead of it in recovering from the TDI emissions cheating scandal, and that it really has only just turned onto the on-ramp.  Not only does it have to repair a global brand image, but it needs...in a hurry...to salvage whatever cred it has in the green community.  The e-Golf could help.

Regarding Volkswagen

Having been sidelined for a month with a combination of strep throat and a bronchial infection, I may be the last automotive journalist to weigh in on the Volkswagen TDI cheating scandal.  But better late than never.

As you most likely have read, the Environmental Protection Agency has accused Volkswagen of inserting code into their TDI Clean Diesel models that sensed when the car was in emissions test mode, and only activated its emissions control system when it was.  Volkswagen has admitted it's true.

In normal driving, the emissions controls switched themselves off, performance and fuel economy were enhanced and the cars, according to the EPA, emitted as much as 40 times the legal amount of certain pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, which have been linked to respiratory problems including, but not limited to, athsma.  11 million cars with the VW and Audi brand are affected.  Almost half a million of those are believed to have been sold in the United States since 2009.

Volkswagen's CEO has resigned.  Others will no doubt lose their jobs.  Owners of the affected cars have been promised their vehicles will be recalled and brought into compliance.  In other words, they'll be as clean as the law requires, but most likely slower and less fuel-efficient.

The cars affected are the 2009 to 2015 TDI Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Beetle and Audi A3s, and the 2014 to 2015 Passat, all with the 2.0-liter TDI engine.  We here at TireKicker have reviewed the 2010 Golf TDI, the 2014 Passat TDI, the 2014 Beetle TDI, the 2015 Audi A3 TDI, the 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI and the 2015 Golf TDI.  Apart from our driving impressions and observations regarding speed and fuel economy, which were unknowingly based on the same trickery that fooled the EPA and the world for six years, we stand by our observations about the cars in terms of styling, construction, handling and features. And we stand by our reviews of other VW/Audi product with other engines and thus not under the current cloud.

While we are disappointed that Volkswagen would stoop to cheating, we remain objective in our evaluation of their products going forward, as we do with every vehicle we review. Some with an appetite for snark may interpret this as going easy on VW.  But justice for VW should be and will be focused and far more serious than a couple of cheap shots in a review.  We'll be keeping our eyes on the road and bringing you straightforward information you can use.

Sincerely,

Michael Hagerty
Publisher/Executive Editor, TireKicker

German For Hybrid: The 2015 Volkwswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL

The 2015 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid SEL.

As with the just-reviewed 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring, Volkswagen's Jetta Hybrid is taking a different path from the "look at me" hybrids...cars like the Toyota Prius that proclaim their difference with styling that stands apart from more conventional cars. As we've noted before, it's a risky path, as hybrid buyers seem to want to call attention to their purchase so that friends and strangers alike know they've chosen to save gas and pollute less.

Why The Beetle TDI Is The Most Beetle-Like Of All

Volkswagen Beetle TDI.

For a car that is an exercise in nostalgia, there is very little that really connects the current-generation Beetle with the one that captured America's hearts from 1949 to 1979.  As I illustrated in my review of the Beetle R-Line this summer, the current Beetle is a much larger car, with styling meant to evoke rather than emulate the original.  It is certainly much more complex, much more expensive (even when adjusted for inflation, today's Beetle costs nearly double what the original did at any point in its production) and, as every wag who used to own one will point out---the engine is in the wrong place.

Where The 2014 Volkswagen Beetle Fits Today

The 2014 Volkswagen Beetle R-Line.

There is great ambivalence about the Volkswagen Beetle.  Not the original and not the New Beetle, but the current model, which replaced the New Beetle two years ago.  It was thought the more angular, less round, less cute design would boost sales, and to an extent it has, but this is still nowhere near the phenomenon the original Beetle was in the 1960s.

The May sales figures for the United States show the Beetle selling 29th among small cars, lagging behind such automotive rarities as the Hyundai Veloster, Nissan Juke and Buick Encore. Dodge sells nearly three times as many Darts.  And the Dart is not a car that is setting the world on fire.

eBay Auctioning Purported Kevorkian Bus

How's this for a used car sales pitch: " Only driven by a little old man on his way to kill people".

Yep...just in time to cash in on the HBO movie "You Don't Know Jack" starring Al Pacino, a 1968 VW Bus purported to be the one owned by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who assisted in more than 100 suicides before being sent to prison for 8 years, is up for bid on eBay.

From the auction description:

The vehicle drove in under it's own power but the engine had a rod knock. The vehicle most likely is not roadworthy and if anyone were to try to use this as a vehicle used on the road, it would have to be brought up to current standards. We are telling you that this bus is absolutely not safe to drive. All safety systems on the vehicle would have to be completely overhauled. Although the vehicle may actually move and stop under its own power, it's not being sold as a drivable bus.

Vehicle is in substantially "as used" condition with the exception that it does not have the original steering wheel. VIN numbers etc. etc. match the title. All paperwork is proper and signed with Jack's signature.

Want in? The auction ends Thursday (4/29) at 12:01:02 PDT. Go here.

TireKicker Time Machine: 1966 VW Type II Transporter

Some vehicles just produce an involuntary smile whenever I see them...the VW Type II Transporter (or Bus) is pretty close to the top of that list.

Sure, they were noisy and slow (and one stranded me and a group of other 12 year olds on a 100-degree afternoon for several hours)...but finding one in either unmolested or reasonably restored condition is a real treat.

Truth is, you don't see many of these as anything other than basket cases or hippie van re-creations (and occasionally both)...so something that looks like it's still 1966 is a wonderful thing.

The tip-off that it's a 66?  There are only two clues. Can you spot them? Hit "comments" if you think you know.

Needing a few spares for your camper or beetle? Access a wide range of VW parts online at www.worldcarparts.co.uk

Volkswagen Golf TDI Review

As good as the new Volkswagen Golf is...there are two three-letter combinations that can make it even better.

One is "GTI".

The other is "TDI".

                          

TDI is VW's clean diesel engine. And as much as we love it in the Jetta sedan,  it's a revelation in the new platform Golf.

Volkswagen Golf Review

35 years ago, Volkswagen revolutionized the concept of the small car with the original Golf (sold here for many years as the Rabbit). The basic shape and proportions are still recognizable, but the changes have been evolutionary, and it's easy to write off each generation as not having changed that much from the one before.

Big mistake.

It's impossible to overstate the refinements the 2010 Golf brings to the game....the leap forward it represents from last year's model, and how much better it is than virtually everything in its size and price class.

Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review

A lifetime of exposure to noisy, smelly city buses and 18-wheelers (not to mention passenger cars of the 70s and 80s) has given diesel a bad reputation.

Time to shake that once and for all. And a great way to do that is with a drive in a Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

TDI is Volkswagen's clean diesel engine...a terrific marriage of ultra-low sulfur fuel and a technology that burns fuel so efficiently, there's very little waste.

Kneel down by the tailpipe of a running TDI and there's no diesel odor whatsoever.

The 140 horsepower made by the 2-liter four-cylinder engine isn't a world-beater, but diesels are all about torque...and the TDI makes 236 pounds per foot of it...it's a cliche, but it really does pull like a locomotive.



Inside, the Jetta TDI is all business, no frills...but not cheap or austere. Everything is logically placed, falls easily to hand, and moves with a solid, high-quality feel.

The big payoff here is mileage. The EPA says 29 city, 40 highway...and we managed 42 and a half in a week of 50/50 urban freeways and surface streets, which makes it as good as our real-world experience with both the new Honda Insight and the Mercury Milan Hybrid.

Where the Jetta TDI pulls ahead is in the value equation. $22,830 base price (our tester had a six-speed automatic for $1,100 and a sunroof for $1,000...which, after destination charges, put the bottom line at $25,640.) and diesel longevity...250,000 miles is equivalent to 100,000 miles or less in a gasoline engine. 400,000 miles or more is not uncommon.

It doesn't scream "hey, look at me, I'm saving the planet!" the way Toyota Priuses (Prii?) and Insights do...it just gets the job done...and there's a very good chance it will be doing that job a lot longer. The Jetta TDI earns its place not only on TireKicker's Top Ten Fuel Savers, but also on TireKicker's Top 20 Cars.