The Perception of Diesel: 2009 VW Jetta TDI

"It's all about perception," noted Jim Gill, Head of Product and Technology Marketing for VW. We were at the introduction of the 2009 VW Jetta TDI 'Clean Diesel' in Santa Monica, California last week. Gill was talking about how different age groups perceive diesel.

More specifically, he mentioned that VW is marketing the Jetta TDI to a demographic that's 35 and younger. Why? Because they don't have a memory of "bad diesel", they're environmentally hip, they want a car with go--the TDI has lots of torque-- and they can afford it. The starting price for the Jetta TDI is $21,990.

The story is that clean diesel provides approximately 30% more fuel economy, 25% less greenhouse gas emissions and about 50% more torque. (For example, the 2009 Jetta TDI packs 263 lbs-fit of torque.)

Mention diesel to a jaded baby boomer and they'll probably snort a stream of negatives;

It smells like sulfur. Clean diesel low sulfur fuel has 97% less sulfur than other diesel fuel.

It's dirty. The dirty, smelly, smoke associated with old diesel engines was the result of unburned or partially burned fuel. Advanced emission-capturing technology reduces the amount of C0 2 drastically. What comes out of tailpipes from clean diesels is clean.

It's noisy. Pilot injection quiets down the engine and provides more torque then equivalent gas-based engines.

"We're not starting from scratch," Gill added. VW is celebrating its 32nd anniversary of diesel power. And clean diesel is a brand new game.

To note, the cost of diesel can run up to .58 cent more than gas. However, the pay back comes in fuel economy. For example, EPA estimates for the new Jetta TDI are 29 city and 40 hwy; the AMCI real world tests came in at 38 city/44 hwy.

In the final analysis, while the 2009 Jetta TDI costs a couple of thousand more than its gas version, you'll get a $1300 tax credit.

Plus, the folks at VW say that the resale value on diesels is more than 80%.