I’ve had a few (very few) opportunities to drive diesel-powered test cars. My impressions were not favorable. The diesel engines were sluggish, dirty, smelly and loud. I’m sure others who’ve had brief encounters with diesel have a similar impression.
Yet there are those drivers out there who swear by a diesel engine. They’re the prevailing motivation for cars in Europe. Plus, you get better gas mileage driving a diesel.
So, why has there been such a sticking point in the mind of Americans?
Well, diesels were sluggish, dirty, smelly and loud. And that’s what Americans remember. But “were” is the operative word here.
With the new wave of clean diesels entering the scene, it’s time to get the word out: Today’s diesel isn’t what you think it is.
As Audi is getting ready to launch their new 3.0-liter TDI (Turbocharged Direct Injection) in the United States, they’re starting the first wave of education, getting journalists behind the wheel and back in the classroom, so to speak.
During Audi’s winter diesel drive in Toronto, Canada, I got to spend some quality time with a new Q7 that had the 3.0-liter TDI, and I have to say I walked away with a much more favorable impression, not only of the diesel engine but also the Q7.
Audi is touting their new TDI as “the world’s cleanest diesel.” However, it should be noted that there are other manufacturers out there who proffer their diesels as the world’s cleanest as well. And while I’m not prepared to launch into a detailed comparison, I can tell you a little more about Audi’s diesel.
Audi began producing their TDI 19 years ago and has now sold more than 4.5 million cars with these engines. The newest incarnation -- the 3.0-liter TDI -- will hit the United States in time for next winter housed in the Q7 and A4, and it will drive onto our shores with an ultra low emission system. For those of you out there looking for the green lingo, the vehicles carrying this engine will comply with the LEV II Bin 5 requirements.
Because of the highly efficient exhaust gas recirculation with this TDI, not only is turbocharging optimized, but engine emissions are also reduced. In fact, through this new engine, nitrous oxide emissions are reduced by up to 90 percent.
Consider also that the 3.0-liter TDI is more fuel efficient than it’s current gasoline-powered brethren. For example, the V-6-powered Q7 with the TDI should get 25 mpg on the highway, providing a fuel range of about 600 miles considering that the fuel tank holds 26 gallons. In contrast, the 3.6-liter V-6 gasoline engine averages 20 mpg on the highway for a fuel range of about 520 miles with a similarly sized fuel tank.
You might argue that, of course, a 3.0-liter engine that delivers 221 horsepower is going to be more fuel efficient than a 3.6-liter engine that delivers 280 horsepower. Duh. But you should also take into consideration that the TDI delivers 406 pound-feet of torque compared with the almost puny 266 pound-feet of torque delivered by the gasoline engine. And even though it has less horsepower, its 0-to-60-mph time is 8.4 seconds … just 0.2 seconds slower than the gasoline-powered Q7.
Audi claims that no other drive system has been able to beat the TDI when it comes to power and low consumption. The manufacturer even throws out a statistic stating that consumption by consumer-driven TDI cars is up to 35 percent lower than comparable cars equipped with a typical gasoline engine.
So, in the Q7 with the 3.0-liter TDI, you have increased torque, steady power, low emissions and excellent fuel efficiency. With a diesel. Has your attention been caught? Mine was.
My driving partner and I drove from Toronto to Niagra in a Canada-spec Q7 TDI on twisted back roads during a snow storm the plopped about 6 inches on us. I had the first stretch of road that did have some highway driving, and I was quite impressed with the smooth, even power produced by the engine.
Though the Q7 uses a six-speed automatic transmission, acceleration was not punctuated by gearshifts. There was no burst of neck-snapping speed upon pressing the gas pedal, but acceleration wasn’t sluggish or underpowered either. It is exactly what you’d expect from a large, seven-passenger SUV. In fact, my partner, who happens to own a 3.6-liter gasoline-powered Q7, commented that the TDI test model was peppier and better powered.
The engine sound in the TDI test vehicle was definitely discernable, but it was a far cry from the chugging, clumping diesels of yore. It sounded more like a steady purr.
During the second leg of the drive, the snow picked up and the back roads were quickly covered in white fluffy stuff. At one point, we saw a non-Audi SUV slide sideways after rounding a curve. Yet the quattro-equipped Q7 held its ground and performed well in the snow.
We spent a total of 4 hours in the Q7, swapping driving duties at the 2-hour point, and I have to say I was perfectly comfortable both as a driver and a passenger. In the driver’s position, I was able to adjust the seat for a good view out the front as well optimal distances from the pedals and steering wheel. As a passenger, the seat conformed to my body and kept my legs from getting tired.
Overall, I walked away with a much more realistic view of what drives a TDI-powered Q7. There was no blue plume of smoke escaping from the tailpipe, and the vehicle arguable drove better than its gasoline equivalent. When you bring in the clean and efficient factors, you have a vehicle that paves the way toward a more environmentally friendly future.
While I don’t think diesel is the end-all, be-all fuel solution, I do think it’s one of the paths we can take to less gasoline dependency. And as Audi pointed out, the EPA estimates that the United States could conserve more than 500 million barrels of crude oil per year if just one third of all passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles were equipped with modern diesel engines.
In all, that seems pretty good idea to me.
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