Volkswagen BlueMotion range review
BlueMotion range will soon include six models
Author: David Miles
Published: 30 April 2008
With ‘green’ issues high on the agenda for car manufacturers and the buying public - both with increasing road tax charges based on CO2 emission levels and the increasing price of fuel - Volkswagen UK is currently undertaking a tour of the UK for the motoring media to sample the growing range of their BlueMotion models.
VW Polo BlueMotion
The Polo BlueMotion range of three- and five-door models, with Polo1 and Polo2 specification levels, are available at prices starting from £12,125 and rising to £13,540.
All models use 1.4-litre, three-cylinder TDI turbodiesel engines with a five-speed manual transmission. Power output is 80PS with maximum torque of 195Nm from 1,800rpm. Top speed is 109mph with 0-62mph taking a reasonable 12.8 seconds. The official combined fuel economy figure is 74.3mpg with 99g/km of CO2 emissions.
The hilly and traffic congested roads around Bath, typical motoring conditions, saw my test car return 58.4mpg. Pretty good for real-life driving and the car is sure to do better on a longer journey.
Although the ratios are longer for all BlueMotion models in third, fourth and fifth gears, the relatively high torque or ‘grunt’ from these turbodiesel engines means no lack of power for acceleration or reduction in flexibility at low in-traffic speeds.
Less visits to the expensive fuel pumps and no road tax to pay for makes the compact Polo BlueMotion an ideal commuting car, easy on the pocket, easy to drive and easy to park.
Standard equipment includes anti-lock braking, central locking, front and front-side airbags, front electric windows and alloy road wheels. BlueMotion 2 equipment includes air conditioning, remote central locking, alarm and leather covered steering wheel.
VW Golf BlueMotion
If a larger car is needed the Golf BlueMotion 1.9-litre TDI range could be the choice with three and five door hatchbacks, the slightly more roomy Golf Plus or the load carrying Golf Estate as choices. By far the main sellers are the Golf Hatchbacks and these range in price from £15,570 to £16,750.
Around 65 per cent of Golf BlueMotion buyers will opt for the Match trim and my 1.9-litre TDI with diesel particulate filter, five-door model weighed in at £16,750. For that price the specification is pretty high with ant-lock braking, stability and traction control, lots of airbags and alloy road wheels with low rolling resistance tyres. The 1.9-litre TDI engine has 105PS of power with 250Nm of torque from 1,900rpm. Top speed is 116mpg, 0-62mph takes 11.3 seconds and the combined cycle fuel economy is officially 62.8mpg. My test car, again using Bath’s busy and hilly roads, returned an acceptable 46.9mpg. CO2 emissions are 119g/km giving a road tax bill of just £35. The Golf is a very popular car in the family sized hatchback market. It has the up-market status missing with other volume selling models and the Golf’s handling capabilities are legendary in its class. So the image and looks are right and with BlueMotion technology so are the running costs.
VW Passat BlueMotion
Moving further up the BlueMotion family tree are the much larger Passat models, a large four door saloon and a big load carrying estate. Both models use the same design 1.9-litre TDI 105PS turbodiesel engine as the Golf BlueMotion models. The Passat BlueMotion saloon costs £17,270 and the estate £18,405. For conventional non BlueMotion Passat models three out of four customers go for the saloon body option because it is a popular fleet and business car rather than a retail purchase. The power output and torque are the same as the Golf BlueMotion models. However the top speed is 117mph but because extra size and weight the acceleration time for 0-62mph takes a little longer at 12.1 seconds. The combined fuel economy is 55.4mpg, 43.4mpg in real-life for my test car, with CO2 emissions of 136g/km. Weight takes its toll in the emissions area and pushes the Vehicle Excise Duty road tax up to £120.The specification of the Passat BlueMotion saloon is pretty good as it needs to be in the fleet and company car market. The level of safety equipment is first rate and only the £1,465 extra cost navigation system might be on the company car user’s wish-list. I would have expected giving the quite large Passat saloon the BlueMotion treatment with only a 1.9-litre TDI engine to make it slow and sluggish. Not so - the high torque and long gearing gives this car enough power and makes it a relaxed motorway cruiser, where most of its occupants spend their time. It can hold its own for acceleration as well on our congested roads. The Passat’s conservative looks might not be to everybody’s taste. But as a roomy, tax and fuel efficient company car, priced at an attractive £17,270, for the money it is a bit of a bargain.
MILESTONES
Volkswagen Golf Match BlueMotion 1.9 TDI 5-Door (Best selling BlueMotion model)
Price: £16,750
Engine/transmission: 1.9-litre TDI ‘Pumpe Duse’ turbodiesel, four-cylinder, 105PS, 250Nm from 1,900rpm, five-speed manual gearbox
Performance: 116mph, 0-62mph 11.3 seconds, 62.8mpg (46.9mpg actual), CO2 119g/km, VED Band B £35
Tax liability: 13%
Insurance group: 6E
For: Low fuel consumption, low CO2 emissions, low road tax, retains good driving performance, superb handling, low insurance rating, high Golf must-have image rating
Against: Looks expensive against the much larger Passat BlueMotion saloon
With climate change awareness growing and governments determined to cut CO2 emissions from transport, the hunt is on for greener cars. Our rundown presents the least polluting vehicles by emissions.
With cars emitting less than 120g/km of carbon dioxide exempt from the Congestion Charge and paying less road tax, car buyers are increasingly looking to small, green cars.
The future is Blue when it comes to green motoring.
BlueMotion, Ecomotive, EfficientDynamics, ECOnetic, Blue Lion. All are fuel-saving systems installed on the greenest cars from the biggest car manufacturers - but are they worth it?
Volkswagen says its eco Polo BlueMotion models emits nearly four tonnes less CO2 per year than a standard turbodiesel Polo.
advertisement
The ‘Tumbler’ Batmobile – as seen in The Dark Knight - is always cause for much discussion amongst Bat fans. Some though go that much further, by making their own Batmobile. These people often carry American passports. | 21/08/2008
The Trident Iceni two-seater sports car can hit 62mph in under four seconds, top out at 200mph and record 100mpg at a constant 30mph, according to its makers - Trident Performance Vehicles. | 21/08/2008
Is this the fastest MINI in the world? At 650bhp from the 1.6-litre engine we certainly hope so. | 21/08/2008
The new MINI John Cooper Works has already claimed the title of Best Hot Hatch 2008, awarded by Auto Express, despite only having been ons ale for a month. | 21/08/2008
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been crowned Best Luxury Car at the Auto Express New Car Honours for the third consecutive year. | 21/08/2008
|18/08/2008
The new seven-seater Nissan Qashqai+2 will go on sale in mid-September, costing from £17,199.
|18/08/2008
Our third batch of Supercar exotica from the last decade comes in the futuristic form of the Lamborghini Reventon.
|18/08/2008
Peugeot has revised the 407 saloon, SW and coupe for 2009, with the new model going on sale in September with exterior and interior enhancements and new low-CO2 diesel engine.
|18/08/2008
New Dodge Journey 5+2 SUV Crossover targets families on its August launch, by adding a couple more seats, extra storage and rear conversation mirrors. All from £17K.
|18/08/2008
UK motorists risk custodial sentences for driving whilst distracted, as new powers to imprison drivers using mobiles and programming sat nav handed down to courts.
|20/11/2007
Around 400 people a day risk damaging their car by misfuelling, and filling up with gas is a mistake that could cost thousands. So what do you do if you´ve filled up your diesel car with unleaded petrol?
|06/12/2007
Fuel protests similar to those that brought the UK to a halt in 2000 are being planned by a breakaway group of disaffected hauliers, according to press reports.
|28/03/2008
Volkswagen has been forced to issue a statement on the Polo singing dog advert after complaints that the dog was mistreated. VW says the animal was not harmed.
|16/10/2007
Top Gear in hot water again over smoking ban breach after Clarkson and May spark up Porsche ´911´ pipes.
|14/07/2008
If looks alone guaranteed success for any car, the Mazda RX-8 would be a sellout. The 1.3-litre rotary engine with 229bhp is a big plus too.
Search Motortorque:
No readers comments
Be the first to write a comment on this article