FACE OFF: New VW Jetta Diesel Tops Prius in Fuel-Economy Marathon Test. “We expected the Prius to dominate our city test, and it did. After all, the hybrid powertrain meant that every time we hit a red light or traffic snarl, the Prius would sit silently—burning absolutely no fuel. But the Prius’s overall 44.7-mpg count is still about 3 mpg less than the EPA City figure of 48. And, interestingly, the Jetta TDi’s 32 mpgs are exactly four mpg more than its EPA City rating. Still, it’s clear that in city-only driving the Prius has no equal—except perhaps a motorcycle. On the open road? Well that’s a very different story.”

So when do we get a diesel-electric hybrid?