Beetle TDI Real World MPG

RedBug

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Location
New Hampshire USA
TDI
2014 Beetle Convertible - sold back
Last fuel up was only around 40mpg.

My fuel economy seems to be most affected by wet roads, drive throughs, AC and traffic jams.
(The more than occasional use of the S mode can't be helping either...)
 

1958 harry

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 29, 2009
Location
England
TDI
Beetle
September 2012 2.0 tdi with 6sp manual, 9860 miles.

UK based so all town driving really! 44.7mpg on average.
 

misteroboto

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Location
Springfield, VA USA
TDI
11 JSW 13 Beetle TDI
About 6K on the clock, mix of city and mostly highway. About 36 city 45 highway. Max mpg 68 in heavy volume traffic moving at a steady 40 mph. Very similar to my wife's 11 Jetta.

Pretty happy with the mpg, but I miss the 600 miles per tank I used to get in my b5. is there a way to vent the tank? Another concern I have is if I ever have to use a truck sized nozzle to fill up it might easily become a mess as the tank filler seems too small.
 

RedBug

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Location
New Hampshire USA
TDI
2014 Beetle Convertible - sold back
About 6K on the clock, mix of city and mostly highway. About 36 city 45 highway. Max mpg 68 in heavy volume traffic moving at a steady 40 mph. Very similar to my wife's 11 Jetta.

Pretty happy with the mpg, but I miss the 600 miles per tank I used to get in my b5. is there a way to vent the tank? Another concern I have is if I ever have to use a truck sized nozzle to fill up it might easily become a mess as the tank filler seems too small.
Check the local BMW dealer for a fill adapter.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
About 6K on the clock, mix of city and mostly highway. About 36 city 45 highway. Max mpg 68 in heavy volume traffic moving at a steady 40 mph. Very similar to my wife's 11 Jetta.

Pretty happy with the mpg, but I miss the 600 miles per tank I used to get in my b5. is there a way to vent the tank? Another concern I have is if I ever have to use a truck sized nozzle to fill up it might easily become a mess as the tank filler seems too small.
No venting possible with these new engines.
 

divedeep

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Location
Barrie,ont
TDI
Beetle
I drive like an animal, 20 MPH + and get 40 mpg on the highway. I don't do a lot of city driving so cant help anyone out that way.
 

Mitch

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 9, 1999
Location
Groveland,FL,USA
TDI
98 New Beetle / 03 Beetle DSG
I have only filled up once, got 41+ and 561 miles on the 13.5 gallons. On my second tank, the computer seems to think I will make it about 580+ miles.

I drive conservative, at around the posted speed limit and my driving is about 50/50 city/hi-way.

Planning a long road trip in a few weeks, not sure if I will try to drive extremely slow for extreme mileage or just drive normal.
 

Spoolin'Jim

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Location
Appleton, Wi
TDI
2006.5 Jetta TDI, 5 speed, Pkg. 1, White
Took a road trip last weekend and drove the first half with the top down at 70-75mph. The computer showed 42.5mpg for the first stint. The rest of the trip was with the top up at the same speed, and got around 44.2mpg. The only place to fill up on the way back had B20, so we'll see how this tank goes. Hopefully it wont mess anything up.
 

Spoolin'Jim

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Location
Appleton, Wi
TDI
2006.5 Jetta TDI, 5 speed, Pkg. 1, White
Oh, and it seems possible to get the filler neck filled with fuel if you are patient. I just kept filling up slowly until fuel came past the trap door in the filler neck. Since you have to have the nozzle in the whole way, its hard to tell when its about to spill over. No fuel seemed to be going onto the ground afterwards, so I think this is an acceptable fill method to get the most in the tank. Wish it was as easy as my Mk5, but oh well.
 

RedBug

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Location
New Hampshire USA
TDI
2014 Beetle Convertible - sold back
From what I have read...
VWOA only authorizes B20 in 1 state.

B20 will apparently cause dilution of the oil over time. Keep an eye on the level of the oil as it will increase. If you keep using it, you will need to change the oil sooner...

I am guessing that 1 tank full won't matter but check with your dealer.
 

Mitch

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 9, 1999
Location
Groveland,FL,USA
TDI
98 New Beetle / 03 Beetle DSG
My bug is just about a month old, we took a trip up to North Georgia and then to Savannah before returning home, just over 1500 miles. We left with a full tank and were able to make the trip with only filling up twice on the trip but were on fumes when we got home, averaging just over 40 mpg and about 525 miles per tank.
 

JDSnead

Active member
Joined
Feb 7, 2003
Location
Homewood, Alabama
TDI
2000 New Beetle 5-speed, 2001 New Beetle automatic, 2011 JSW DSG, 2013 Beetle TDI DSG, 2014 Beetle TDI DSG, 2015 Passat TDI 6-speed manual
My wife has put 4200 miles in the 10 months she's been driving her 2013 TDI DSG coupe. 100% city driving. Has about 9 miles to her office.

Her average is 30.2 mpg over the 13 fillups.
 

skyking1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2003 beetle 2002 beetle
Thanks all. We test drove a DSG car today, because that was what they had on the lot. We would hold out for a manual trans in any case. We drove a manual Golf to see how the combo works afterward.
 

SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Took the Beetle to the Fest instead of the Golf and got 51MPG on the way up and 48.8 MPG on the way back. That is WPB Florida to Bethel Maine. Most of the trip was 68MPH and A/C on.

Jason
 

Hintertux

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Location
Fort Walton Beach, FL
TDI
2013 Beetle TDI DSG Candy White
So far the overall reported average is 37.1, but my daily commute average is typically 41+.. My commute is about 18 miles half of which is highway.

I have been seeing my reported average sneak up as I am not playing with the car as much as I get used to it.

The Sport mode shifts in a much more aggressive way but eats into my MPG. When I use the paddle shifters it is fun but it does not feel like a manual. My 97 B4 was a manual and I have never had an automatic car before. My 97 B4 averaged about 44 MPG on my commute.

I live in Florida so my AC is almost always running. I suspect that as time goes into the cooler months my MPG will climb some.
___________
11/1/2013 At three months the over all average is up to 38.2 now and my daily commute is over 42 now. 2900+ miles now
 
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cevans

TDIClub Enthusiast, TDI Parts Ninja Vendor , w/Bus
Joined
Sep 24, 2002
Location
Hingham, MA
TDI
2015 Beetle Conv. TDI 6-Speed & 2006 E320 CDI
Took the Beetle to the Fest instead of the Golf and got 51MPG on the way up and 48.8 MPG on the way back. That is WPB Florida to Bethel Maine. Most of the trip was 68MPH and A/C on.

Jason
Good data point! Thanks Jason.
 

stembridge

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Location
Midwest
TDI
2013 TDI Beetle Convertible
I'm now at about 8,700 miles on my TDi convertible (manual) and seem to be settling in at ~41 back and forth to work and ~44 on longer highway trips.

es
 

RedBug

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Location
New Hampshire USA
TDI
2014 Beetle Convertible - sold back
9/28 477.8 miles 11.041 gal.
43.22 mpg

Last tank filled early

10/03/13 382.4 miles 8.976 gal.
42.6 mpg.
 

Jutta

New member
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Location
Dwight Ontario
TDI
VW Beetle
A tank of diesel gets me over 1000 km in the fall and almost 900 sporting Hakka R snow tires in February using a 2013 manual Highline Beetle TDI in Ontario Canada. Oil changes are now done about every 7 K after the first 20 K with changes done more often.
 
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Debra Morgan

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Location
Columbus Ohio
TDI
Memories of a fantastic 2015 Jetta
Seems stupid now, but it makes sense that the MPG number would be lower with the top down...and that would be reflected in the EPA MPG number.

The rag-top probably has a higher drag coefficient than a sleek roofline.

In My Miata I get 34 on the highway with the top up, 29 with the top down. Drag makes a huge bit of difference in a convertible. A freinds Mustang convertible also sees a similar sizeable drop.
 

RedBug

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Location
New Hampshire USA
TDI
2014 Beetle Convertible - sold back
My bug was replaced in December with a 6 speed manual.
The new one sat most of the winter.

Here is the calculated fuel economy per fill up in April.

Tank 2 40.15 mpg (464.4 miles/ 11.567gal)
Tank 3 41.31 mpg (480.1/11.623)
Tank 4 42.32 mpg (546.4/12.910)
Tank 5 43.03 mpg (452.9/10.526)
 
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