UPDATED April 20, 2017: To clarify availability of 3.0L engines.
AutoTRADER.ca has learned that Volkswagen Canada recently got permission to begin selling 2015 model year TDI diesels that have been modified to clean up the exhaust emissions at the core of the scandal that first came to light more than 18 months ago.
According to VW Canada's public relations manager Thomas Tetzlaff, dealers across the country were given the green light last week to sell 2015 model year 2.0L four-cylinder TDI diesel models that have been modified to clean up their emissions performance. While we previously reported that 3.0L V6 models were available as well, Tetzlaff clarified that engine's emissions fix is still pending approval in Canada.
The Canadian division's decision comes a couple of weeks after VW USA issued a similar directive to dealers stateside. Presumably, the cars have been treated with the first stage of VW's emissions fix, which is a software patch to remove the engine control programming that allowed the cars to run cleaner when connected to emissions test gear than when being driven on the road.
But according to autoTRADER.ca contributor and TDI owner Daniel Beaulieu, these cars will be subjected to a more invasive fix starting in early 2018, when VW will begin distributing upgraded particulate filters and catalysts for the affected cars.
While this will likely clear out the dirty diesels dealers had in stock when the scandal broke, Tetzlaff said that, "at the present time, there are no plans for new TDI models for Canada in the immediate future."
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