2011 VW Golf TDI Vs 2011 Toyota Prius

It's like a bar fight between cars, with bragging rights awarded not only to the most fuel efficient, but to the best overall buy. So which one is it? Will a Toyota Prius hybrid gasoline fed vehicle muscle up enough MPGs to take on the VW Diesel powered pedal monster? This is really a debate about non-plug-in hybrids vs. diesel powered speed machines that manage to conserve fuel too. Web2Carz has ringside tickets to the fight of the year--diesel powered high efficiency vs gas powered hybrids.

The Toyota Prius has forged its way through the American collective conscious, captivating the hipsters, the grandmother environmentalists and the luddites--those who NEED to have the latest cutting edge technology saturated into their very existence. For good reason, the Prius has captured buyers, and has carved out its own cult of eco-mode drivers who love to be seen in the right lane--as you pass them by.

Maybe we are being too hard on the Prius, but possibly, people have not been hard enough. For a car that espouses a "green" look, it still runs on the black crude. Sure, it gets an MPG rating upward of 50mpg, it does so by eating up more petrol. If every car on America's roads was a Prius, we would still be talking about peak oil, drill baby drill, and energy independence.

Finally, what urks us most about the Prius is, well, it is not fun to drive. The car does not get its kicks off a fun driving experience, but rather, tries to hypnotize us all with the idea that driving green means driving the speed limit with no pedal power to go beyond it.

Bottom Line on the Prius:
Get one if you want better gas mileage for city driving, but leave it on the lot if you are looking at longer non stop-and-go commutes. Also, look out for the 2012 Toyota Plug-in hyrbrid, which may increase MPG by 100 times!

2011 VW Golf TDI

Overview MSRP: $23,000 MPG: 30 City/ 42 Highway Pros: Refined interior, hatchback versatility, fun to drive, the car looks good. Cons: Intermediate fuel efficiency, base models lack attractive options.

It seems the 2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI can offer Prius drivers what they are missing--exciting fun driving and racy sport handling. Diesel powered with a turbocharger, the Golf TDI is not all efficiency, as city MPG is considerably less than the Prius--but not by much. Highway mileage is about the same on average, with some TDI owners raving about better MPG than the hybrid counterpart.

Designed on the same platform as the award winning 2010 Golf GTI, the Golf TDI Clean Diesel delivers the same 2.0-liter turbocharged go-cart like bugger the VW enthusiasts have described as My Fast. With 140 horses and 236 ft-lb of torque, the 2011 Golf TDI leans more on the drivability side than eco--something prospective Prius owners may be downplaying.

Bottom Line on the 2011 Golf TDI
Right behind the Prius on highway mpg, the Golf is a serious competitor, and will offer drivers a bit more interior refinement, solid and fun driving experience, and better style. The use of diesel fuel is a price-point, as it is usually more affordable than gasoline. With outstanding consumer reviews, the 2011 Golf TDI seems like the best bet for those seeking a bite more power in their car, but still want to save money at the pump.