Volkswagen Touareg - Diesel vs Hybrid test

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Sun 28 Oct 2012 13:50
Volkswagen Touareg - Diesel vs Hybrid test - unthrottled

www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2011-vw-touareg-v...t

Found an interesting comparison test in Car and Driver. While full size V6 SUVs might seem irrelevant to most of a UK audience, the power/weight ratios are comparable with 'ordinary' 4 cylinder cars.

The hybrid was more expensive than the diesel version and heavier. However it did have a better weight distribution and considerably better acceleration. But the TDi spanked it in terms of fuel economy at virtually all steady speeds.

This was 'only' the 225 hp version of the 3.0 TDi. I think the higher output European versions of this engine would have matched the hybrid in acceleration, giving a clean sweep to the oil burner.

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Sun 28 Oct 2012 14:00
Volkswagen Touareg - Diesel vs Hybrid test - RT

In theoretical terms, a hybrid will always be less efficient at steady speed - there are efficiency losses at all stages and hybrid just adds more stages.

Even at non-steady speeds, the energy regained from regenerative braking can never quite match the energy used in acceleration.

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Sun 28 Oct 2012 14:15
Volkswagen Touareg - Diesel vs Hybrid test - unthrottled

here are efficiency losses at all stages and hybrid just adds more stages.

Quite. It can only 'win' in a test skewed towards very low speed driving (cough! NEDC) where the losses incurred in the extra stages are outweighed by the losses of running the engine in close to idle conditions.

Regenerative braking actually contributes surprisingly little to the official MPG figures of vehicles fitted with the device

Edited by unthrottled on 28/10/2012 at 14:18

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Sun 28 Oct 2012 23:58
Volkswagen Touareg - Diesel vs Hybrid test - jamie745

Whether you buy one which hums or one which clatters, the fact is you're still driving a car called a Toe-Rag.

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