LOS ANGELES, CA and AJAX, ON, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - The 2009 Jetta TDI Clean
Diesel has been awarded the 2009 Green Car of the Year(R) by Green Car Journal
at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The editors at Green Car Journal nominated five
vehicles that represented the year's best-of-the-best 2009 green vehicles, and
announced that they have chosen Volkswagen's Jetta TDI Clean Diesel as the
best-of-the-best and awarded it their 2009 Green Car of the Year(R).
For this honour, the Jetta TDI Clean Diesel topped the other Green Car of
the Year nominees: BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid, and
smart fortwo. According to Green Car.com, "this is the first time that a clean
diesel model has been awarded the title Green Car of the Year(R)". The jury
included editors from Green Car Journal, automotive icon Carroll Shelby,
'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno, Sierra Club executive director Carl Pope,
Natural Resources Defense Council president Frances Beinecke, and Ocean
Futures Society president Jean-Michel Cousteau.
"The Volkswagen Jetta TDI rose to the top as Green Car Journal's 2009
Green Car of the Year(R) for some very important reasons," said Ron Cogan,
editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. "Hybrids
have dominated the discussion of environmentally positive vehicles in recent
years. The highly fuel efficient, 50 state emissions certified Jetta TDI shows
that advanced clean diesel has arrived and is poised to change this dynamic.
With its affordable price point, refined ride and handling, and high fuel
economy, the Jetta TDI shows that hybrids now have a strong competitor in the
marketplace."
In an interview with Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press, Cogan added,
"The Jetta TDI epitomizes what the Green Car of the Year(R) honor is all
about. It raises the bar significantly in environmental performance...the kind
of fuel efficiency offered by gasoline-electric hybrids but in a more
affordable way". Prices for the 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel start at $24,275
for the sedan and at $25,775 for the wagon.
The Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel and Jetta Wagon TDI Clean Diesel
showcase the best of both worlds: an alternative fuel vehicle with no
compromises. Fuel efficiency, performance and convenience come standard with
both the Jetta Sedan and Jetta Wagon TDI Clean Diesel models, which meet
Canada's as well as the United States' most stringent emissions standards in
California.
Transport Canada estimates that the 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel mated
with a 6-speed manual transmission registers a highway fuel consumption rating
of 4.8 L/100 km, allowing for more than 1,100 km of driving between fill-ups
on only 55 litres of fuel.
Earlier this year, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel set a new
Guinness World Record for Lowest Fuel Consumption as it averaged 58.82 miles
per gallon (U.S.) (4.0 L/100 km, or 70.58 miles per Imperial gallon) as it
traveled through the 48 contiguous states of the U.S. Furthermore, the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Volkswagen Jetta
with their highest safety rating: a Top Safety Pick.
The 2009 model year Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel and Jetta Wagon TDI
Clean Diesel come with a New Vehicle Warranty for 4 years or 80,000 kilometres
(whichever comes first), a Limited Powertrain Warranty for 5 years or 100,000
kilometres (whichever comes first), and a Limited Warranty against Corrosion
Perforation for 12 years unlimited distance. Volkswagen's 4-year unlimited
distance 24-hour Roadside Assistance(x) also comes standard.
(x) Roadside Assistance is provided by Professional Dispatch Group,
Welland, Ontario.
The Volkswagen 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel and Jetta Wagon TDI Clean
Diesel went on sale in Canada in September.
About Volkswagen Canada:
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Founded in 1952, Volkswagen Canada is headquartered in Ajax, Ontario, and
is part of Volkswagen Group Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG,
headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest
producers of passenger cars and is Europe's largest automaker.
Volkswagen sells the City Golf, City Jetta, Rabbit, GTI, New Beetle, New
Beetle Convertible, Jetta Sedan, Jetta TDI Clean Diesel, GLI, Jetta Wagon,
Jetta Wagon TDI Clean Diesel, Eos, Passat Sedan, Passat CC, Passat Wagon,
Tiguan, Routan, and Touareg 2 through 130 independent Canadian Dealers. Visit
Volkswagen Canada online at www.vw.ca.