2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE vs. 2012 VW Passat TDI SE

[seftonm]

Family Court, Round 2: Milestones Per Gallon

Ron Kiino - MOTORTREND - Oct 24, 2011

Three different cars with a similar goal. --Ed.

Three sedans that will pump you up... by rarely going to the pump
The resurgence of the compact sedan -- Elantra, Cruze, Focus, et al. -- over the last few years is due in large part to the segment's combination of growing dimensions and continued high fuel economy. These small four-doors offer the room of an older-generation midsize while still providing the fuel mileage of a present-day subcompact, and sometimes better. As a result, American families have been eating up these compacts at alarming rates. The Cruze, for instance, has surpassed the Malibu as Chevy's best-selling car. But if a not-so-small small car is still too small, even new midsize sedans are showing glimmers of high-mileage hope. Take the previous test's Camry LE, which sips gas at the miserly rate of 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway yet still offers an E-Class-size interior and trunk. Still not good enough? If your idea of the ultimate sedan is a tantalizing blend of dynamic performance, passenger volume, and, most important, fantabulous fuel economy, the midsize hypermiler is it. Gathered here are three of the latest and greatest: the 37-mpg Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, the 40-mpg Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the 34-mpg VW Passat TDI. To the pumps!

We first clicked said pumps at Hyundai's proving ground in California City, out in the toasty Mojave Desert. Nearly 300 miles later, we were back at the proving ground to close our fuel logs. I wish I had better news for Hyundai, but its Sonata Hybrid, EPA-estimated to return 35 city/40 highway, mustered a disappointing 27.0 mpg observed, almost 10 mpg less than its hybrid foe from Toyota. What gives?

"Both the gas engine and electric motor really need to be wrung out to even keep up with the Camry and Passat," judged Kong. "The poor electric motor, which serves as the six-speed auto's torque converter, is overworked, and, as a consequence, the car really struggles under high-load conditions and overall integration is not smooth. If the electric motor were more powerful (it's outpaced by the Camry Hybrid's primary tractive motor by 101 hp), it might help." Not only did the Sonata's fuel economy suffer, so did its track performance, trailing the Camry to 60 by a monstrous 2.3 seconds--and Hyundai claims 6 horsepower more than Toyota with similar weight-to-power. Hyundai also touts its use of a conventional automatic and lighter lithium-polymer batteries, both of which are supposed to work better than their CVT and nickel-metal hydride/lithium-ion counterparts. But the net results say the opposite. Making things worse, we rated the Sonata's steering too rubbery, the brakes too grabby, and the throttle too jerky.
... [Read More]

[xcel]

Hi Mike:

That 12 Passat TDI is one very well built machine! And oh how it would have been really neat to see the MT involved in this one.

Regarding the highway FE, the 12 Camry LE hybrid would be in dead last in our drive in it in Washington at 48.x mpg showing. And by far #1 around town with a number of mid to high 70 mpg runs.

hat 12 Passat TDI SE w/ the AT allowed 60 and 66 mpg on a suburban/mountainous route and a mostly highway route respectively with A/C running all day long.

The 11 Sonata Hybrid was a 62.2 mpg runner crossing the Continent in temps from 70 to below freezing.

Wayne

[Carcus]

Ha! The "performance oriented" MT can't bring themselves to pick a hybrid as a winner, even though 95% of their performance numbers indicate the Camry is on top.

Less memorable driving experience? Extra large buttons?

Give me a break.

/look at the 0-100 times. Passat is 8 seconds behind the Camry! (as in, it almost couldn't get there)

[xcel]

Hi Carcus:

Good point about the buttons. At the Camry launch, it was pointed out that they were made bigger so they could be easier to read, feel and push. A new trend in the automobile world that MT must have forgot about.

And where did they get that non-sense about a 100 HP something MG2? It is limited by the NiMH’s current and Voltage which is nowhere near 100 HP?

We did hear about the Camry Hybrid taking down and shooting a Fusion Hybrid at a track prior to the launch and according to the PR folk that were there, it was ugly as they had Dale Earnhardt or some famous Toyota NASCAR in the Fusion up against the PR folks in a few Camry Hybrids. The FFH was out gunned pretty badly but there were no vids or times posted about the racing results between the two?

Another is the 2.0L TDI pushing the large Passat did really well imho. Torque may launch but its HP wins races and the diminutive 140 Ponies it is capable of sure did perform well in the tests.

And the Sonata Hybrids poor showing? Another one of those items I shake my head at as on an all-highway run, the Camry was way behind?

Here is that goofy highway result on pretty poor concrete Interstate. I am not sure about the elevation delta over those 18 + miles either but it was not a pretty sight to be sure.


TCH – 45.1 mpg over 18.4 miles.

Wayne

[chibougamoo]

Truth be told, Joe Public ignored all these options, in the stampede to buy their next F150 (the REAL elephant in the room).

(Sigh ...)

[herm]

Truth be said I would be stampeding to look at an F150 if they were available with 2.0L diesel, and a few more aluminum parts .. yes it has the aerodynamics of a brick but I promise not to exceed 55mph.

Have you ever picked up a tailgate off an F150?.. make that thing out of aluminum please!.. and bring back the Ranger, the tooling cost has to be amortized by now.

[herm]

Originally Posted by xcel

And where did they get that non-sense about a 100 HP something MG2? It is limited by the NiMH’s current and Voltage which is nowhere near 100 HP?

Very odd results, but the Camry did get 0-60 of 7.2 seconds, and that is seriously fast.. and I suspect the hybrid drivetrain will be a lot cheaper to maintain in the long run than the VW diesel. My choice would be the Camry if I could get past my disdain for a sedan.

[seftonm]

Originally Posted by herm

Have you ever picked up a tailgate off an F150?.. make that thing out of aluminum please!.. and bring back the Ranger, the tooling cost has to be amortized by now.

Have you seen what was happening to some Tundra's tailgates when people were loading golf carts, atvs, etc? Not sure if the Ford's tailgate is overbuilt, but that's better than being too weak.