Volkswagen Passat TDI goes 1,626 miles on a single tank of fuel, sets record

John and Helen Taylor recently embarked on a record-breaking journey in a 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI.

The pair traveled from Houston, Texas to Sterling, Virginia, a 1,626.1-mile stretch, on just one low-sulfer diesel filled tank. The previous record was about 100 miles shy of that.

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Luggage weighing 120-lbs also accompanied the Taylors on their two day trip, which went from May 3 to May 5. They traveled a maximum of 14 hours per day, and did not drive at night.

“We’re excited to have broken the record for the longest distance driven on one-tank of fuel,” said John Taylor. “The Passat TDI was the perfect car for the trip. It offers plenty of interior and cargo space, yet is frugal enough to help us achieve this record.”

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Power for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI comes from a 2.0-liter turbo diesel motor that makes 140-hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. While it is rated at 43 mpg, the Taylors managed to average 84.1 mpg.

The vehicle was taken to a state-certified testing station located in Houston before the trip, where the speedometer and odometer was calibrated, while the police oversaw the fueling. Upon arrival, the tank was unsealed and verified by a Virginia sheriff deputy.

It takes a certain driving style to achieve this level of fuel economy, but the Taylors actually hold workshops on how to get the technique down, and boast 90 fuel-economy records worldwide.

So if fuel economy is a big concern for your next vehicle purchase, forget hybrids, just buy a TDI and get performance, too.

– By: Alexandra Koken