Vee Dub Snub: VW XL1 'only' gets 120 mpg in new test drive

[onedef92]

VW XL1 'only' gets 120 mpg in new test drive

Posted Jun 9th 2013 3:40 PM



You've got to love this brave new world we're in, where getting 120 miles per gallon can be considered a disappointment. That's the upshot of an Automobile magazine test drive of the Volkswagen XL1 plug-in hybrid diesel, which the German automaker has said can get as much as 261 miles per gallon, Hybrid Cars says.

Automobile, which admitted it weighed down the car a bit by employing a 264-pound test driver, got about 160 miles per gallon on a highway drive from Lucerne to Geneva. More mixed driving yielded results as low as 118 miles per gallon for the 1,750-pound car, which can go about 30 miles on electric power alone. Automobile did praise the super aerodynamic car for its steering, brakes and handling, though.

VW plans to make only about 250 XL1s and said late last month that the sleek little ride would likely be made available via lease only, and that it would probably be available only in Europe.

[RED-85-Z51]

Why does efficient = Fugly?

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51

Why does efficient = Fugly?

Aerodynamics. Function over form.

[NeedSpeed]

Hmmmm

[Kerrmudgeon]

Too bad they'll never import it to this side of the pond. It gets too many miles to a gallon for the government to risk losing fuel tax. Just like they restrict some of the cars available in Europe currently.