Volkswagen diesels more fuel efficient than most, says Doug Bethune

Automotive consultant Doug Bethune has been a vocal fan of Volkswagen cars on CBC Radio's Maritime Noon. But despite the automaker's recent diesel emissions scandal, Bethune says Volkswagen diesels are still some of the most efficient cars in the world.

What Volkswagen has done to the world car market is a breach of trust and inexcusable.

However, the software that tricks the emission test is only related to one of the four pollutants that automobiles are tested for.

Vehicles emit hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and mono-nitrogen oxides (NOx). To put a few consumers at ease, NOx is the one pollutant affected by this Volkswagen issue.

I am not sticking up for VW, no company should have done what VW has done.

But to further ease the concern for owners of VW diesels, NOx emissions only occur at high combustion temperatures and only while under heavy throttle conditions that include driving uphill and passing cars.

• Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen CEO, resigns amid emissions scandal

I believe VW will eventually fix this issue with a new processor for these cars, a relatively easy fix, but extremely expensive at 11 million units worldwide.

As to the value of Volkswagen cars affected by this, the cars may be actually be worth more before they are retrofitted with the new processor to cure the problem. These cars do give amazing power and fuel economy.

It sounds counterproductive, but when they are modified to meet emission regulations they will produce less power and less fuel efficiency.

Owners' guilt be gone

So consumers, make no mistake: you pay for less emissions by burning more fuel.

In the end I believe the VW diesel is still a great car burning less fuel than most other cars in the world and have extreme longevity.

From an environmental perspective, it should be remembered, Volkswagen Diesels produce the lowest carbon dioxide emissions of any comparable car in the world. I know it is hard to say anything positive about VW Diesels at this time but the truth is the truth.

Owners need not feel overly guilty about driving these cars or be too stressed about the value of them regardless of all the hype at this time.

The environmental repercussions of the NOx pollutant varies with what climate you live in as well. But that is a whole other subject.