Volkswagen Cars Lose Power After Dieselgate Fix

The dieselgate scandal had affected vehicles globally, and Sweden had 228,000 cars requiring the fix. Teknikens Värld, a leading auto magazine in Sweden tested at least ten models before and after the fix; they found that "in many cases, the driveability of the cars has worsened dramatically. It is not the same car as before the fix."

The magazine tested cars of different brands - Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi - all from the Volkswagen Group, before and after reprogramming.

The results were different. While some cars gained power and had a higher fuel consumption, but most cars lost performance. The result found that both torque and power have decreased after Volkswagen's fix.

The loss of power is as much as ten percent. Additionally, the torque curve has shifted. The loss of power means having to push down harder before the acceleration sets in and makes the car feel weaker.

Also, the tests often revealed an increase in fuel consumption after the Volkswagen fix.

In effect, the owner has not received the same car as before the recall. The car is cleaner; however, often both weaker and thirstier. When a car loses close to ten percent of its torque, it is evident in everyday driving, not just on a racetrack or in a lab.