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Diesel or Hybrid?
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Diesel or Hybrid?
From fastdriver on May 27, 2008
I'm in the market for a new car and I can't figure out whether a diesel or a hybrid is the next step. I drive a long way to work on the highway which is the only reason I'd consider a diesel, but I don't do much city driving. Anyone have experience with the Volkswagen Golf Diesel?
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Comments & Votes for this comparison
Displaying 1-84 of 84 comments | Add a comment
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on May 28, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 29, 2008
2006 TDI is dirty.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on May 29, 2008
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Anonymous on May 29, 2008
have you looked at the price difference between diesel and gas?
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 29, 2008
Price is not all that much different, with the cost of fuel and mileage I would go with the Prius.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 30, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on May 31, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 3, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 5, 2008
Just look at current fuel prices, Toyota vs. VW reliability, and an objective test such as the recent Edmunds test. Prius, no contest.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 7, 2008
diesel rocks
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 7, 2008
amazing car
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Joe voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 9, 2008
You said it yourself, mostly Highway Driving? TDI. Mostly city driving? Get the Toyota.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 9, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 9, 2008
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Anonymous on June 9, 2008
TDI, its gonna last longer than the prius, you'll have to swap out the batteries and what not. also VW/Audi is the biggest maker of diesel engines and make very reliable engines, long lives if you take care of them.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 11, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 12, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 12, 2008
Notice what the price of diesel is, these days? There's your answer. The TDI might even get a tad better mileage than the Prius, but the considerably higher price for diesel eliminates any advantage there. Get the Prius. You won't be sorry.
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FuelCell voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 14, 2008
Diesel may still keep us relying on fossil fuels, but the advancements in the technology are giving us better emissions and mileage. So for now, I would buy diesel.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 15, 2008
Highway driving, no contest, get the Diesel
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 18, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 22, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 22, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 23, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 24, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on June 26, 2008
If cutting cost is your goal, the Prius is the way to go.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 27, 2008
All highway - diesel (TDI) All city - Prius
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on June 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 3, 2008
Personally, TDI all the way. Depends on what you're looking for. A TDI will get better highway mileage than the Prius but Diesel is well over $5/gal now (in CA). Even so, the TDI has more torque (idles at 500 rpms) and has less "parts" to break down. You also have the option of running on biofuel (think refined canola) to reduce your carbon footprint. The TDI does however require more maintanence (usual oil changes, etc). While we're not sure what the Prius would need in 3-5 years cuz its so new. There are rumors that the cost of the battery pack out-weighs the benefits of the hybrid. Check out www.tdiclub.com for more TDI info.
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Anonymous on July 3, 2008
One more thing. Keep in mind that the average driver in the US still thinks that diesel fuel produces that crazy black cloud from the exhaust so from a pure numbers prespective, the Prius will win. You are in essense comparing David to Goliath. Check out www.biodiesel.org while you're at it.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 5, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on July 11, 2008
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peter kalinski voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 13, 2008
Will not need a battery that cost a mint and if your smart you can buy a blader and put it in spare tire wheel well that will give you twice the amount of fuel so if you go on a long distance drive you will be covered--look at the amount of trucks on the road thay are diese--maintain the engine and it will run longer and cost less to maintain than the Pruis--I have owned at least 40 deisels in my life-pete
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Zursch voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 20, 2008
Hybrids cost too much and have too many issues - they've been building these diesels in Europe for ages and they get better mileage than the hybrids in the real world, and have great performance as well.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on July 20, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 26, 2008
Diesel gets great overall mileage, doesn't decrease with load/stress on engine, and can be converted to run on greasel or biodiesel
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 27, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on July 28, 2008
it rocks
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on July 28, 2008
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Orion voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on August 1, 2008
Man, diesel prices are high, but maybe they will come back down...plus, the simpler the better when it comes to just having a good long-commute vehicle...wait til the next generation of hybrids and then go that route...
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on August 1, 2008
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Swagman00 voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on August 2, 2008
If you go with the TDI, opt for the stickshift. The O1M Automatic tranny has numerous problems from 80,000 to 180,000 that usually require complete replacements. You will recieve better mileage with the manual as well.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on August 8, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on August 17, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on August 25, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on September 3, 2008
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Austin Lakewood voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 16, 2008
save on the sticker and get the Golf! Then get it converted to bio diesel and get fuel for free!
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 17, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 17, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 17, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on September 17, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 18, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 18, 2008
I hate me some Prius... go with the Golf (aka Rabbit, aka GTI)
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on September 22, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 23, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 23, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 24, 2008
i think is bettter
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Celia voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on September 24, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 25, 2008
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CaliforniaCarLover voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on September 25, 2008
They've grown on me...
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on September 25, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 26, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on September 27, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 1, 2008
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automoblog on October 3, 2008
The Vee-Dub will be more fun and have more power. On the highway, you might get similar fuel economy between the two, but any city driving the hybrid will win hands down. Guess I should have voted for the VW.
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automoblog voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 3, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on October 5, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 8, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 14, 2008
This car has been around for many years in Europe and people still drive them after 20+ years, it is a good quality car, very low maintenance and good mpg. I am not sure what happens to prius batteries once they get older I am sure engine will work more and thus produce worse and worse mpg in the long run.
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 18, 2008
why wouldn't there be a diesel/electric hybrid.....
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Anonymous on October 20, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 20, 2008
One more thing. Keep in mind that the average driver in the US still thinks that diesel fuel produces that crazy black cloud from the exhaust so from a pure numbers prespective, the Prius will win. You are in essense comparing David to Goliath. Check out www.biodiesel.org while you're at it.
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automoblog voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on October 20, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 22, 2008
much better on highways
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Doga on October 25, 2008
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Doga voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 25, 2008
Tradition, safety, durability, quality proven.
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fjakle voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4dr HB GLS TDI Manual on October 29, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on November 27, 2008
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Anonymous voted for the 2006 Toyota Prius 5dr HB on December 13, 2008