JoseSpring
23-07-2009, 07:53 PM
I've had my car, a Golf GT 1.4TSI 160 now for almost 6k miles.
This week I was up in Scotland with work and hired a Golf GT 2.0 TDI 140 for 4 days. All this seems a wasted opportunity unless I briefly offer my views on the pro's and con's of each model. So, here goes:-
Noise
The diesel is much quieter than diesels of old. But it is still a diesel.
Whereas you really can forget that the petrol is on when its idling, you'd have to be a bit mutton to not realise the diesel is turning over.
Things are better under acceleration, but the petrol still wins in terms of refinement.
Speed
The diesel wasn't the slouch I expected, though it was definately not as spritely as the petrol. My previous car was a 1.9TDI Passat, and the 2.0TDI wiped the floor with it. But when I picked my own car up from LHR this afternoon my face filled from ear to ear with a grin as I remembered what I'd left behind.
Economy
Here we get to the diesels's forte. Assuming a similar level of accuracy between the 2 trip computers, the diesel was returning an average 45mpg compared to the petrol's 35mpg, saving almost a 3rd. Impressive.
So, in summary:-
Petrol
Faster and more refined. Uses more fuel.
Diesel
Slightly slower and still a diesel at the end of the day, albeit as quiet as diesels come. Impressive fuel economy
I guess this is kind of what I should have expected!
This week I was up in Scotland with work and hired a Golf GT 2.0 TDI 140 for 4 days. All this seems a wasted opportunity unless I briefly offer my views on the pro's and con's of each model. So, here goes:-
Noise
The diesel is much quieter than diesels of old. But it is still a diesel.
Whereas you really can forget that the petrol is on when its idling, you'd have to be a bit mutton to not realise the diesel is turning over.
Things are better under acceleration, but the petrol still wins in terms of refinement.
Speed
The diesel wasn't the slouch I expected, though it was definately not as spritely as the petrol. My previous car was a 1.9TDI Passat, and the 2.0TDI wiped the floor with it. But when I picked my own car up from LHR this afternoon my face filled from ear to ear with a grin as I remembered what I'd left behind.
Economy
Here we get to the diesels's forte. Assuming a similar level of accuracy between the 2 trip computers, the diesel was returning an average 45mpg compared to the petrol's 35mpg, saving almost a 3rd. Impressive.
So, in summary:-
Petrol
Faster and more refined. Uses more fuel.
Diesel
Slightly slower and still a diesel at the end of the day, albeit as quiet as diesels come. Impressive fuel economy
I guess this is kind of what I should have expected!