VW CrossBlue Diesel Hybrid concept introduced at NAIAS

[waspie]

Don't these motors and batteries use cooling systems? Why not heat the engine with the wasted heat? Surely they've thought of this

 

[meerschm]

plug in hybrid would be the key. for short trips don't even start the ICE.

need to go over the river and through the woods, fire her up and cruise

bonus is when you need to pass and the electric provides the kick you need.

complicated, but gee, this is a vw, remember?

 

[GammaRae]

I guess this instead of the Alltrack from TN for this market. Hmmmm... Also read they'll likely offer it with the 2.0 only (yay!) or maybe even a 1.6 (Whaaa..?). Anyway, I'd think the 2.0 platform would be quite low on the bugs. The hybrid? No thanks.

 

[truman]

^^ wanna tell folks in Europe that?

I doubt that remote start and let the car warm up for 20minutes before getting in is very popular in Europe.

 

[mo_focus]

this is a perfect soccer moms CUV. Most SUV's have given up the macho look and ride for the CUV's that are softer and look more pleasing to the ladies!
Ford Explorer
Nissan Pathfinder
and now this!

Honeslty i think they are right on the money! We are looking for a replacement. We like to have 1 big car and 1 small car to fullfil our needs. Currently I have Golf/Jetta TDI's and cadillac SRX. 3 cars and hopefully with a CUV that gives great gas mileage number can be reduced to 2.

17mile range will also allow us to drive this thing around to get groceries and get the kids from daycare without running the tdi engine. This is perfect! i just wish they will keep it up and actually produce it and price it within range. By being a plug-in, there is 6000$ rebate in Ontario, so that might help a bit.

 

[frugality]

Ug.

Lee.

I can't say that about many Volkswagens. Looks like an Explorer or a Flex. Heck, the Chrysler-made Routan looks more like a 'Dub. (well, maybe....)

 

[Dooglas]

I doubt that remote start and let the car warm up for 20minutes before getting in is very popular in Europe.

I doubt that TDI diesel/electric hybrid small sedans are very popular in Europe either.

 

[DPM]

Manufacturers would sure like them to be, tho.

No, I was alluding to the fact that people here just drive cars. Short run to the shops? Engine doesn't warm up? Who cares!

 

[German_1er_diesel]

I doubt that remote start and let the car warm up for 20minutes before getting in is very popular in Europe.

Remote start is actually illegal in Europe for emissions reasons, and manuals advise owners to never let a cold engine idle for extended periods.

 

[bhtooefr]

Although, in the countries where it matters, there's always diesel and gasoline-fired heaters.

 

[powerfool]

Diesels get better MPG when they're warmed up, as opposed to cold, correct? Or is it not enough of a difference to matter?
What I'm thinking is while you're driving around on electric-only for the first 17 miles, is the engine running at all (and therefore warming up)? Or does it cold start when the electric runs out?
Or am I completely back-asswards on how these things work?

I would have to think that you are going to want to drive it until it warms up. Even the Prius does that, and it is gasoline.

I know a lot of people don't approve, but I drive my Jetta with me being stop/start by turning the key slightly off, placing back in the "on" position without cranking and coast in neutral until I need to go again and bump start it. It works fine when warmed up... I wouldn't dare do it on a cold engine. The amount of time you are coasting is not enough to cool off the engine enough to worry about, even in cold weather... we are talking about coasting just over a mile, maximum, in most conditions. I guess if you were in the mountains and going downhill you could go for a long time... but you could also probably coast in gear without slowing down in that scenario, too.

I am ready to trade in the Traverse on this. We bought it just over a year ago to replace our minivan hoping we would get slightly better fuel economy, but we get slightly worse. My wife was driving 60 miles per day (as I normally do) and it was 85-90% highway... she got 18-19 mpg when it is rated for 24 mpg highway... We love the overall feel of the vehicle, but if I could get something just north of 30 mpg, that would be great.

 

[Max Period]

On the dashboard, this car is going to have a power meter similar to the one found on Jetta Hybrid (and the Citoren/Peugeot diesel hybrid crossovers).

 

[luked]

I would have to think that you are going to want to drive it until it warms up. Even the Prius does that, and it is gasoline.
I know a lot of people don't approve, but I drive my Jetta with me being stop/start by turning the key slightly off, placing back in the "on" position without cranking and coast in neutral until I need to go again and bump start it. It works fine when warmed up... I wouldn't dare do it on a cold engine. The amount of time you are coasting is not enough to cool off the engine enough to worry about, even in cold weather... we are talking about coasting just over a mile, maximum, in most conditions. I guess if you were in the mountains and going downhill you could go for a long time... but you could also probably coast in gear without slowing down in that scenario, too.
I am ready to trade in the Traverse on this. We bought it just over a year ago to replace our minivan hoping we would get slightly better fuel economy, but we get slightly worse. My wife was driving 60 miles per day (as I normally do) and it was 85-90% highway... she got 18-19 mpg when it is rated for 24 mpg highway... We love the overall feel of the vehicle, but if I could get something just north of 30 mpg, that would be great.

Just curious, do all of the standard systems (power steering, anti-lock brakes, esp, heat/ac, etc) work when you are coasting without the engine running?

 

[kjclow]

The couple of rental prius that I had, nothing would stop running when the engine shutdown. The Honda hybrids had an "eco" button which would shut off the AC if the engines wasn't turning.

 

[powerfool]

Just curious, do all of the standard systems (power steering, anti-lock brakes, esp, heat/ac, etc) work when you are coasting without the engine running?

That would be a negative, sir. Yes, it is certainly a risk. Heat works for a little while until the coolant in the heater core cools down, but as I stated, it isn't for a very long time. The slowest I get when I coast is 40 mph, so steering works pretty well without it.... but I grew up driving cars from the 70s and there wasn't power steering in them, either.

Hybrids and BlueMotion-type systems take all of these ancillary systems off of the drivetrain and have them run on a separate electric motor, which would be great.

 

[powerfool]

Ug.

Lee.

I can't say that about many Volkswagens. Looks like an Explorer or a Flex. Heck, the Chrysler-made Routan looks more like a 'Dub. (well, maybe....)

Really??? It looks just like a Touareg, to me.

 

[dan30thz28]

Hey,
I'd love it, but if they throw a 4 cylinder TDI engine on it, I don't think that's adequate power for a vehicle of that size, twin turbo or not. Maybe a small V6 TDI engine would be perfect...like a detuned version of what's in the A6 and toureg? From everything I've heard, the TDI/Hybrid is not how they plan on releasing it. It's a TDI (no particular engine named), or a V6 gas engine. I'd want whatever TDI engine they're offering but I'm hoping that they put the V6 TDI engine in it, so it will be able to get out of it's own way.

 

[powerfool]

Well, the 2.0 isn't a 5% increase over the 1.9 in our ALHs.... I can't imagine that they would not offer it as a diesel-electric hybrid... I mean look at the numbers! It is phenomenal. They want to become the largest automaker in the world... a large CUV for the North American market that gets that kind of fuel economy is certainly going to draw attention.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Looks interesting in person - definitely shaped like a Flex, which I think is a good thing for what it is trying to be.

The buzz at the show seemed pretty good... I overheard several positive comments from random people.

 

[kjclow]

I had a hotel in Seattle that used the flex as their courtesy car. I was impressed with it, for what it was. I was hoping this would be more in line with the size of the tiggy.

 

[atc98002]

I had a hotel in Seattle that used the flex as their courtesy car. I was impressed with it, for what it was. I was hoping this would be more in line with the size of the tiggy.

Never get a 3rd row in something the size of a Tig.

 

[torqueit]

I saw it as somewhere between the Tiguan and the Toureg in size and I'd expect it to be in the middle on cost as well.

If they can deliver around $40K, I might be a buyer.

 

[Sandhopper]

If they bring this to market with a TDI my RX is a goner...

 

[Jayg]

Don't these motors and batteries use cooling systems? Why not heat the engine with the wasted heat? Surely they've thought of this

You'd think the electric motor would work like a frostheater, heck even the Prius has a heater for the ICE coolant to be up to temp pretty much immediately and its been like that for at least 10 years.

 

[Benjamin]

They are telling us this is about the size of an Audi Q7, the Q7 is a foot longer and a few inches wider then the t-reg. The biggest difference I can see between the cross blue and a t-reg is that the t-reg can tow 7700 lbs, the Cross blue is going to be a lot less.

If you want a V6 diesel and 7 seats go get a Q7 or similar. I don't need to tow with this and can live with less power and more fuel economy. I have an 08 Jeep GC with a V6 diesel with 215 hp and 376 ft/lbs of torque that my wife drives most places. My modified 2000 jetta spanks this thing with double the fuel economy and once moving leaves the jeep in its soot. I am sure the newer TDi's would be fairly similar and I would have got one for her if they offered it in 4motion.

Before this was mentioned I was starting to write off VW for my wifes next vehicle, now this has jumped up to the top of my list. I know not to be a VW beta tester and get the first year, but this is a step in the right direction for VW.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

The CrossBlue is bigger than a Touareg. The Cross Coupe is about the size of a Tiguan.

 

[dan30thz28]

Hey,
One of my friends works in the finance department for a VW dealership. He said they are planning to go ahead with production of the crossblue. It will have a TDI engine as well as a gas engine and will start in the low $40,000's. at that price point it looks like I will be getting a used one. But I like it better than the Jetta sportwagen as of right now.

 

[tomo366]

 

[kjclow]

Thanks for the pictures. That really helps cement my thoughts on the thing. I would rather have the cross coupe in the diesel or diesel hybrid. I don't need anything the size of the cross blue.

 

[G60ING]

Profile pictures please The wifey and I are diggin this...can't wait to see what the production versions look like