New cars with the longest ranges?

[Kaido]

My lease is up next year, looking for a new commuter ride to lease. I will also be moving further away from work, so I'm looking for something with really great range. Throwing a few out there:

-Jetti TDI
-Jetti SportWagen TDI
-2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid link

Mostly used for work & errands. Automatic unfortunately preferred due to sitting in traffic. I took a Jetta TDI out for a test ride a couple years ago and liked it, and also found out they have a wagon version, which would be handy for small Home Depot projects, computers, etc. They also a hybrid gas Jetta for 2013:

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/alternative/1202_2013_volkswagen_jetta_hybrid_drive/

So basically looking for something in the 600+ mile range. Automatic; gas, hybrid, diesel OK. Unfortunately it's kind of hard to find solid info on actual tank range from googling. So...suggestions

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Ford F150 puts you around 800 miles with the 36 gallon tank.

 

[EagleKeeper]

You are not going to get a vehicle that provides 30mpg (gas) with a 22+ gallon tank.

Most tanks for smaller cars are in the 10-14 gallon capacity.

Even a "promised" 40mpg (there are about 4-5 according to the latest testing) with a 15 gallon tank will get you less than 600miles. And I suspect that if you look at the Mazda 3 (that is on the 40mpg list) will have no where near a 15 gallon tank. And you wank at least 1-2 gallons in reserve for that 600 mile range.

 

[Kaido]

Ford F150 puts you around 800 miles with the 36 gallon tank.

Was just reading that. Great except for the $120+ fillups

I actually have a buddy who has a new one...the thing is nicer than most luxury cars I've been in.

 

[vi edit]

New Altima is supposed to get 38MPG. Current one has a 20 gallon tank, I would expect the new one to have a similar size. That's 760 miles.

 

[Arkaign]

The TDIs are actually great if you're just looking for great highway mileage. They lose in the city badly to the Prius, but if you're doing mostly highway driving, I'd lean towards the TDI, and I'm not even a diesel fan. It would suck to have one here in Texas for example .. right now cheapest 87 in Dallas is 2.91, cheapest diesel is 3.32. That's a huge hit that would make a car with 10% worse fuel economy but running 87 a better value.

 

[LTC8K6]

New Altima has an 18 gallon tank I think. 38mpg highway.

 

[Kaido]

You are not going to get a vehicle that provides 30mpg (gas) with a 22+ gallon tank.

Most tanks for smaller cars are in the 10-14 gallon capacity.

Even a "promised" 40mpg (there are about 4-5 according to the latest testing) with a 15 gallon tank will get you less than 600miles. And I suspect that if you look at the Mazda 3 (that is on the 40mpg list) will have no where near a 15 gallon tank. And you wank at least 1-2 gallons in reserve for that 600 mile range.

So far, the Jetta TDI is the only one that seems to be getting better-than-advertised specs. I have a lot of friends with TDI's, both old & new, and they generally get really great gas mileage out of them.

The new Fusion Hybrids look really interesting too.

 

[Kaido]

The TDIs are actually great if you're just looking for great highway mileage. They lose in the city badly to the Prius, but if you're doing mostly highway driving, I'd lean towards the TDI, and I'm not even a diesel fan. It would suck to have one here in Texas for example .. right now cheapest 87 in Dallas is 2.91, cheapest diesel is 3.32. That's a huge hit that would make a car with 10% worse fuel economy but running 87 a better value.

Wow 87 is almost four bucks here. I need to move

I don't want a Prius. I took one out for a test drive a couple years ago, and while the merge speed was fine, acceleration on the highway (i.e. to squirt out past a merging semi-truck) was non-existent. People in the northeast drive crazy, so I need a car with SOME guts!

 

[Crono]

The Ford C-MAX Hybrid might get you 600 miles.

It doesn't come to the U.S. until later this year, though.

http://www.ford.com/cars/cmax/2013/

EDIT: It looks like it has a 13.5 gallon tank, but I got that from a different site. With 41 MPG City/39 Highway you would be getting 530-553 miles off of gas alone. Not sure how much you would get from the hybrid battery. It has an electric-only mode as well.

 

[LTC8K6]

Passat TDI has an 18.5 gallon tank. That has to be among the range leaders.

Jetta only has 14.5 gallon tank.

 

[herm0016]

we had a suburban with a 42 gallon tank. we could go just north of 700 miles.

42 gallons is also the same a barrel.

 

[Kaido]

Passat TDI has an 18.5 gallon tank. That has to be among the range leaders.

Jetta only has 14.5 gallon tank.

Yeah, but I think the Jetta is a smaller car, so it may get roughly equal mileage.

Reading similar reviews on the Passat as my experience in the Jetta, aka the auto transmission kinda stinks on the turbo diesel, haha.

 

[LTC8K6]

Yeah, but I think the Jetta is a smaller car, so it may get roughly equal mileage.

Reading similar reviews on the Passat as my experience in the Jetta, aka the auto transmission kinda stinks on the turbo diesel, haha.

30/34/42 Jetta
30/34/40 Passat

Passat wins the range battle handily.

 

[LTC8K6]

Sonata has an 18.5 gallon tank also.

24/28/35

 

[Kaido]

New Altima is supposed to get 38MPG. Current one has a 20 gallon tank, I would expect the new one to have a similar size. That's 760 miles.

Wow that is pretty good for gas + no hybrid!

 

[Kaido]

30/34/42 Jetta
30/34/40 Passat

Passat wins the range battle handily.

Curious as to what the real-life numbers are though.

Could be that I know a lot more Jetta owners than Passat owners :awe:

 

[LTC8K6]

Curious as to what the real-life numbers are though.

Could be that I know a lot more Jetta owners than Passat owners :awe:

The TDIs generally tend to beat the EPA numbers.

The 2012 Passat TDI automatic got 42mpg average while C&D was testing it, and 45mpg on one long highway trip.

 

[LTC8K6]

I think the new Altima and the Passat TDI are your standouts, both with 18.5 gallon tanks. The Sonata is close, also with an 18.5 gallon tank.

 

[LTC8K6]

Sonata Hybrid also, it has a 17.2 gallon tank. 35/37/40

 

[nerp]

If you want to not be lulled into boredom with the new car, consider the 2012 Charger v6 with 8-speed tranny. I'm getting 33-37 mpg on the highway. 19 gallon tank. 25 city if you're driving hard. Almost 30 if you're gentle (not that gentle).

 

[soccerballtux]

^that's really impressive for an american manufacturer! Imo...

 

[nerp]

Well, the transmission is german. . . But yes, the car was impressive enough to me to buy it. I would never have imagined that I'd buy an American car, especially a Chrysler product. Things have changed, though.

 

[LTC8K6]

^that's really impressive for an american manufacturer! Imo...

It's well outside the EPA numbers, though.

19/23/31

 

[MDE]

I've got a new Jetta TDI, and so far on my one fillup, I averaged 41.9 MPG and got 550+ miles on that tank. I drive a weird mix of empty roads at 4 AM and congested roads at 1:30 PM, so it's probably a 60\40 city \ highway ratio. The mileage is really impressive if you don't have to constantly accelerate (stoplights, traffic).