How many MPGs can you eek out of a 2015 VW Golf TDI on a long road trip? How about a Guinness World Record of 81.17 MPG! This is precisely what Wayne Gerges and Bob Winger did after completing an epic 8,233.5 mile trip around the 48 U.S. contiguous states. The car consumed 101.43 gallons of diesel. What’s even more amazing is that the guys completed the trip in 16 days. That means they averaged over 514 miles each day. This is a testament to the machine and man.
Wayne Gerdes holds many other world fuel efficiency records. He beat his own record of 77.99 MPG that he set in a 2013 VW Passat TDI. The other noteworthy fact is that a hybrid car record is a lesser 74.34 MPG. It is clear that a turbo-diesel powered car is a better highway cruising companion than a gasoline hybrid. Although, the tables can turn if this competition was performed in heavy stop-n-go traffic.
The 2015 VW Gold TDI is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel that makes 150 horsepower @ 3,500 rpm and 236 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 rpm. It’s EPA rated at 45 MPG on the highway when equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission. It helps that the curb weight of the base car is a relatively low 3,080 pounds (even with the heavier diesel engine).
Watch this TFLcar review of the 2015 VW Golf Sportwagen TDI.
