*Really* appreciate this comparison, this is such a time-consuming and monotonous task to execute on, but that's what makes the real-world comparison so valuable. Thanks guys!

I have a 2011 Jetta TDI manual and have gotten 52.3 MPG from St Louis to north of Indy, a total of 305 miles. I also have a 2013 Passat TDI with a DSG and have gotten on the same route 54.3 MPG! The computer shifts smarter than I do with the manual. I have had VWs since 77 and love them as they seem to go on forever. I sold my 2005 Jetta TDI when I learned I could sell the 8 year old car with 114,000 miles on it and still get $10,000 for it!!! The first VW that I got rid of before it went over 200.000 miles!!!

In the sea of compact family sedans sold in North America the Cruze is a jack of all trades, but that 2.0 Diesel engine is certainly a party piece of the car. I driven it myself and the pulling power of that engine is astounding.

this would have been better if they just put a measured amount of fuel that was the same in both cars and see which went further. this is just running two cars til they're empty

I own a 2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel, and I gotta say that Chevy hit a home run with this one. My best Fuel mileage for a 25 mileage average is 62.8 MPG driving 55 MPH. At 65 MPH, I averaged 55 MPG. I can't believe how well this car is made. It has lots of acceleration and handles like a dream. I am 6' 4" and 300 lbs, and there is plenty of leg room with the very comfortable heated leather power seats. Thank you Chevy!!!

Oh, c'mon, guys. The Jetta has a 14.5 gallon tank. the Cruze has a 15.6 gallon tank. Who are you trying to kid? The proper test would be to run out of fuel, then put in the exact amounts of fuel in each tank.

Cruze, 15.6 gallon tank, 747 miles=47.88MPG. Jetta 14.5 gallon tank, 617 miles=42.55MPG. The Cruze traveled 130 more miles with only 1.1 more gallons of fuel. Even if you filled the Cruze with only 14.5 gallons of fuel, it would still have traveled farther than the Jetta. The Cruze is more efficient, the Jetta costs more to drive.

WOW..nice job.. impressed how far you guys went just to see MPG..

I’m just bought a similar Chevy Cruze diesel, and I love it !

So what happened when you ran out of fuel? dont you need to bleed the fluel lines of air?

I've got a 2002 VW Jetta TDI with a 5speed manual. It's been significantly modified from stock yet still gets right at 50mpg tank after tank after tank.... 345,000 miles to date with no end in sight.

Vw Passat tdi with 800 miles of highway range enters the chat

The Cruze has a bigger tank, but NO spare tire. They placed the DEF tank where the tire should be.

holy hell, that's comparable gas mileage to my motorcycle while being able to tow my bike to the track and being comfortable as hell during winter and in the rain. I think I may buy one of these cars, not sure but I'm definitely sold on diesel.

The only way for this to be really accurate is to drive the same road, Same driver, one Gallon of fuel in the tank until each car runs out.

My god, that's 1202.18km for the Cruze. My current car (2003 Chev Cavalier 2.2 DOHC base) gets about 465km to a tank. I gas up once every 3 weeks or so normally. That's 2.58x the fuel economy of my car. Fuel up every 7.75 weeks? sign me up.

I made a roundtrip from Hialeah Gardens FL to Orlando in my 2009 Jetta TDI Sportwagen @ 70-75 mph with one single fill, 525 Miles!!!

Great video fellas!

was it hard to start up the cars once they were completely empty? does anyone else know from experience?

I used to have a 2011 TDI Sportwagen and it would routinely average 46 MPH on cruise controlled, flat highway driving at 77mph and fully loaded hatch area. If I drove 65, my mpg were well above 50. Heck, even in my 2017 GLI, I get 40 mpg cruising at 72mph.

2015 Jetta tdi. depending on where in my state I am driving and conditions ive maxed out at 59.3 mpg. the most i have gotten out of a full tank was on a 9 hour drive home from the beach, and daily driving the next week i maxed out at 55 mpg. and had to fill up at about 635 miles to the tank.

you guys helped me buy my next car thankx!

That is impressive! If i didnt love trucks so much i would definitely consider buying one of these.

1:04 Can anybody tell me what that device is stuck on the windshield?

I have a 2012 tdi Jetta I've topped it off at 14.5 gallons. I went from Dallas tx (east tx) to Amarillo (west tx) and back I did roughly 700 miles I still had a quarter tank left when I made it home I drove to work for the whole week on that I ended up pumping when the low fuel light came on which was around 780 miles pretty close to the 800. I could've gotten more but I drive in rush hour traffic on the way to and from work. 6 speed Manuel btw. I'm averaging around 60mpgs right now on the hwy.

Good examples. Goes to show how incredibly tiny both cars are. (Note: I have a 2000 Jetta TDI.)

i have 1.7CDTI and computer tells it can do 1120 km fully tanked. I think its huge.

Great video!

The 2006 Jetta TDI that I have averages 46 - 49 mpg. I wonder if the older 1.9 L TDI engine is a bit more fuel efficient. Mileage is tied to air temperature I note in my TDI. Optimal is 60 degrees for my Jetta. When temperatures climb to 90 degrees, mileage might be 44-45 mpg.

Does the Cruze also use a dual clutch transmission?

Being an owner of a 2014 cruze diesel, 46 mpg hwy is the least you will get with this vehicle doing 70 mph. If you drive 55-60 it will get over 50 mpg, flat roads with no wind. The fuel tank is 15 1/2 gal, but it will hold a total of 17 1/2 gal. It takes a while to stuff all that in there but diesel foams up when being pumped and takes a while to settle down. My car with a FULL tank will go 175 miles before the fuel gauge needle moves off of the full mark. I have gone 760 miles on a fill up and that is with 1 1/2 gallons still in the tank, with the low lite just starting to come on. Around 48 mpg,

Does the cruz come in a manual trans ! That's the comparison I want to see

Thanks for doing this video

Which one is reliable for daily driver?

Chevy cruze diesel is damn impressive! Thanks for the real world test!

I have 118k miles on my 2014 Cruze diesel. It has averaged slightly over 44 mpg. No issues other than preventive maintainance, oil changes, tires etc. It is just now finally needing a brake job. The original Hankook tires went 75k. Going to try for 150K then who knows??

diesels are awesome ,

fixed course with full tank and same gas station hose; but I do like this demo of it!

Guys, it's my understanding that running out of fuel on a Diesel is bad for the engine. Something about how lubrication is done by the engine itself?

I didn't hear what the gas tank capacities are, are they the same?

My beetle TDI 55 litre tank gets between 700 and 835 km to the tank. It's odd because the amount of shit ripping I do with it doesn't seem relative to the fuel economy

any way you can show the trip meter........i know these cars give crazy mpg but still.....show me the number at least.

What size were the tanks on the cruze and jetta tested?

My BMW 116D (1.6 Liter Diesel) 2013 did 600 miles from 13 gallons (i don't let it run dry).

The Chevrolet don't look a bad car, tbh, just people's perceptions and ignorance will always swing the VW way and makeing a higher in demand car, so holding more resale value,. But a VW is quite standard, near enough everything is an option , the base car is not much more than 5 seats and a steering wheel.

"Diesel's slow march to mainstream acceptability" welp, that kinda backfired didn't it.

The Cruze has a larger fuel capacity so it only makes sense that it will go farther. Did you test the vehicles with the same amount of fuel?

please explain which car does it, I have Tested all cars and the torque kick is best in Jetta and in slow speed say 20-30 mph if we need an overtake we can do it in Jetta if we are in 4th gear itself, but all other cars downshift is required, thats when I started noticing the Jettas turbo is the earliest to kick in, all other cars, even Fords TDCi will take around 2000 rpm to have full 236 ft pound, jetta needs just 1750 revs, so its much faster in gear accelarations

what happens when a car runs out of gas? do the engines start to sputter and then stop?

On a 2003 Jetta Wagon, if you do the Ventectomy and fill to the top of the filler neck, you will have 17 gallons in the tank. When the low fuel light comes on, you have 1.9 gallons left.

Little wonder Chevy called it the Cruze - cruse all day none stop at 75mph and I mean literally all day with an average 10 hours between sunrise and sunset!

I'm sold. I know what kind of car I will get next time I buy one. Thanks for the video.

Meaningless comparison. The range depends on the fuel tank volume. You don't have to drive all the way like this. Next comparison test is comparing the length of a railway track by measuring one after another.

when did rod farva start doing reviews?

Nice review. Was it 75 mph + a/c all the way. What's the average speed

My record with my Jetta TDI is 63.5, but I average around 55. It is an EA288 with a 6 speed btw

just let us know your mileage, car year, and any service record

2015 Jetta TDI SEL 6spd Manual. BP Diesel (13.7 gallons). All highway trip with A/C on. Best I got was 700miles with 40 left on range. Somewhere around 50mpg.

out of interest is this the U.S. survey mile or the International Mile?

Would have been nice if you had talked about what MPG you reached with each car.

I drive a 2003 Jetta TDI with over 250,000 km (165,000 mi). I use Fuchs synthetic oil and vent on long trips. I have a 55 litre tank and typically get 1150 KM or better before a fill. One trip I got a little over 1200 km (746 miles) before I filled up ...

Would you guys try the new equinox diesel

Almost 750 miles on one full tank of diesel for a Chevy Cruze is a great record. Way to go, lad!

How comfortable is the Jetta? It looks cramped for the driver.

I routinely got more than 50 mpg on my 2010 Mk 6 Golf TDI in mixed driving, and just got close to 50 mpg on my (new to me, over three-years-old Mk7 Golf TDI) that I just bought, on the 40 miles mixed highway, city, and stop-and-go drive home. I don't care whether I can get 600 or 700 miles per tank, as long as I can get 50 to 55 mpg average ... :)

So....what was the observed MPG?

To get the diesel engine in a Cruze, one must also purchase the package that it comes with. Meaning that in order to achieve fuel savings, one must spend an additional ~$9,000, up front. And its not available with a manual gearbox. Congratulations, once again, GM for mucking up what could be a beautiful thing. Hint, Chevy: if you offered a base model (possibly with a sporty suspension/brake package) with the diesel and a manual, you'd probably SELL ALOT MORE!

those are some serious chops

are you referring to Motortrend?

I've done my own analysis with my 2002 tdi automatic trans at 85 mph with the ac on burning fuel from Kroger 46 mph all day Long 62 miles to work so 124 total fuel was cheaper at speedway at 20 cents a gallon got 42 mpg on 2 fill ups .

That range....like a boss....

You are more likely to break down in the cruze before you run out of fuel.

which one releases small particles and increases smog?

Did they make the fuel tank smaller in the 2013 Jetta's? My record in my 2010 Jetta TDI was 640 miles, and that was in mixed driving. One thing to consider, after about 10K miles the TDI's mileage increases greatly, during break in its a bit disappointing. I liked my Jetta so much I traded up for a Passat TDI, wonderful car! While I like the Cruze, its a bit too small for my taste. We need Ford to make a Fusion diesel, that would be sweet!

At least these guys are entertaining lol. Great to see both cars crush their theoretical ranges!

maybe it was just camera placement but the Jetta appeared to have less road noise

Official gaz tank sizes?

so I noticed both had automatics... I know the Jetta has a manual option but does the Cruze? I sure as hell hope so.

I've seen 829 miles from a tank of fuel with my Chevy Cruise diesel. My Chevy diesel has 114k miles on it and mechanicaly nothing has failed...it's the emission system with the sensors and the Def fluid going bad that has been a issue for me....when the car detects the Def fluid quialty not up to spec it shuts the car down with speed restrictions and within like 200 miles the car won't go over 4mph. If I had known that the EPA mandates that the car be shut down for low quialty Def fluid I would never had bought a diesel...when everything is right the diesel is great..good torque snd great fuel mileage...but the emission system is the weak point with diesels

I love all the Jetta fanboys crying about the 1.1 gallons extra the cruze got. Do you really think 1.1 gallons of extra fuel made the Cruze get over 130 miles more than the Jetta? Do the math fanboys.

At 1:08 he has his shirt off 😂😂

Thought it was an alright video, long term mpg is what i'm waiting for on the cruze, and its a new contender, so who knows what might ale it. I own a 2003 VW jetta TDI and normally get between 820-850 miles on 16 gallons. I have also upgraded the injectors, stage 2 clutch, solid mass flywheel, stage 3 tune. (doubled the hp and tq) and i am still consistently getting the same fuel mileage. 200,700 + miles and running strong. GO VW! :-P

I think its a good test, even if something has less MPG, a larger tank means more range, which is an important factor, how often you go to fill up should be considered when buying a car... Yeah no question I'd go with the lower range Jetta in a heart beat, but still

Mazada 6 Diesel will not require urea?!

Jetta tank is smaller by a few gallons. MPG is usually conservative on Jetta. Mine got 55+ mpg on long trips which took me closer to 700 total miles at 70 mph AC running. The Jetta will hold up longer and be more valuable at the end of its life. Cruz is a nice little car.

Have fun running that DEF.. What a lot of people don't know is that the DEF actually has an expiration date. When it goes bad it crystallizes and messes up everything from tank to motor. Oh did I mention that the repair for that is not covered under warranty. I know this from past experience with heavy diesel engines. Its a 3000 dollar fix that comes out of your pocket. Probably slightly less for the small diesels but still not cheap none the less

The parts are manufactured in Korea by the old Daewoo plant that was taken over by General Motors. Although parts are mixed and matched with European counterparts. I believe the manual Cruze's have a Swedish transmission. Here in Australia they are only assembled, NOT made. For the most part they are Korean cars....

Fuel tank size does not compensate for engine/vehicle quality

A genuine doubt, how is a hybrid car serviced , what all parts are changed and within how many miles are the services made? Also if you have driven a Hybrid is it almost as powerful as a regular gasoline car or is it much less powerful, havent driven a hybrid yet other than Prius, whcih is painfully slow, but howsVolt and C-Max and Civic Hybrid?

to be fair everyone is saying this isnt a good comparison but...click the about and read the 1st 2 lines at least, this did seem like a comparison but in the end they just vertified the two cars estimated mpg at least driving on the highway 95% of the time. and they exceeded the numbers for both cars, i just wished they showed me some actual numbers and not just tell me...

I wonder how much further they would have both gone if they were driving at the national average highway speed of 65 mph instead of 75 as they indicated early in the video. Informative test,though. Thanks...Joe

But the Diesel has been proven to last way longer

Not a bad test because it's in real traffic but too many factors affect the outcome of the gas and also the driver driving it. They should have done a head to head to see which had better torque response. lol.

I personally prefer the VW. (full disclosure, I own a 2012 GTI, 6 spd) The Cruze does have a bigger tank by 1.1 gallons. But if you apply 3rd or 4th grade math you would divide the miles traveled by the amount of gallons used. I apologize if the exact numbers are off. Cruze 747 miles / 15.6 = 47.88 mpg Jetta 609 miles / 14.5 = 42 mpg So even if the Jetta had an extra 1.1 gallons to equal the size tank the Cruze had, it would only run about 655.62 miles until it ran out. That science sponsored by Woodlawn elementary school. Again...I own a VW GTI. So the argument about the bigger tank evening things out is invalid.

I just bought an awesome little 2002 VW Jetta TDI and I am amazed....I have only put 200 miles on it this week and isn't down to 3/4 of a tank on the gauge yet ! FRIGGIN AMAZING !

Still waiting for the skyactiv diesel.

The Chevy Cruz come in a diesel? Awesome! I have a 2004 TDI.

I have a 2006 Jetta TDI and its a fun car to drive with the manual transmission. Cruze diesel must get a manual too. That's a deal breaker for me. Here's hoping that Chevy will go after the diesel enthusiasts as well as the mass market.

My mechanic buddy has a Geo Metro that will get in the 50 plus MPG. The VW is real nice until it has to be fixed, the price for parts is outrageous.

So which one actually got the best mpg?