10 Top Diesel Vehicles Now Sold in America

Much has changed since Rudolf Diesel patented his eponymous powerplant back in the 1890s—and since the domestic diesel debacle of the 1970s—so that today’s top diesel-powered vehicles are some of the cleanest, most efficient choices available. In fact, instead of billowing black smoke, they’re now more likely to produce green benefits that include EPA grades north of 40 mpg.

On the other hand, there’s also an array of trucks and SUVs that rely on the technology’s towering torque outputs to deliver some casually impressive capabilities.

And in all applications, the robust construction of diesel engines, required to handle their higher compression ratios, delivers the kind of improved durability that helps further offset the somewhat higher purchase and fuel costs.

As a result, paring the current crop of about 25 choices down to just the 10 best diesels was no easy task, with Autobytel looking to present a mix of top sellers and multiple nameplates for maximum customer satisfaction.

2015 Chevrolet Cruze

The only domestically branded diesel car currently in production, the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze showcases EPA ratings of 27 mpg city/46 mpg highway/33 mpg combined, all while providing 151 hp and 264 lb.-ft. of torque from its 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine—and that’s with an automatic transmission, for added convenience.

But along with being one of the most fuel-efficient diesels in the country, the Cruze may also surprise people with some of the most advanced technology in the country, highlighted by a mobile wi-fi hotspot and 4G LTE connectivity that can keep occupants online even when they’re on the road.

Additionally, Chevy positions the Cruze Diesel as a relatively upscale entry, complete with standard features like leather seating surfaces in all rows, multi-stage heated front seats, six-speaker audio, the Chevy MyLink infotainment hub, 17-inch wheels, an aero body package, and 10 airbags.

2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel

Although there are plenty of powerful diesel pickups on sale in the United States, light-duty customers are limited to the 2015 RAM 1500 EcoDiesel—at least until the new Nissan Titan debuts. Yet even then, the Ram is expected to retain its overall fuel-economy lead in the segment, thanks in part to a new HFE EcoDiesel model that ups the EPA ante to 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway/24 mpg combined; those are all best-in-class numbers, with that highway high point representing the highest fuel-economy grade ever awarded to a full-size, half-ton pickup. 

Of course, the standard Ram EcoDiesel can still post an EPA line of 20/28/23, and it matches those marks with a max towing capacity of 9,200 lbs. 

Enabling that performance: a 3.0-liter, V6 clean-diesel engine that routes 240 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque through a sophisticated eight-speed automatic transmission.

2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

The same award-winning engine from the RAM 1500 also does double duty in one of the best diesel SUVs in the nation: the 2015 Jeep Cherokee EcoDiesel. 

Honored by the Green Car Journal as the “2015 Green SUV of the Year,” the Cherokee EcoDiesel has been EPA-certified at 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway/25 mpg combined, yet it also serves up the sort of confident power one expects from the Jeep flagship. For example, beyond offering the same engine as the RAM pickup, the Grand Cherokee supplies the same 240 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, for a best-in-class towing limit of 7,200 lbs. 

And on the topic of flagships, the Grand Cherokee offers the EcoDiesel engine in each of the three highest trims for the vehicle, including the luxurious Summit model that boasts a new-for-2015 Argentina Tan leather cabin theme.

2016 Nissan Titan XD

Remember the Titan? If not, Nissan plans to jolt your memory with the 2016 Titan XD, due later this year with a Cummins V8 turbodiesel tucked into the engine bay. Featuring 5.0 liters of displacement, that unit will furnish 310 hp and 555 lb.-ft. of torque, with that latter figure setting a new high point for light-duty fullsize pickups. 

Nissan also promises maximum payload and tow ratings that will exceed 2,000 and 12,000 lbs., respectively, as the brand is clearly taking a different tack with the Titan than Ram is with the more efficiency-focused 1500 EcoDiesel. However, that being said, Nissan does expect Titan XD owners will enjoy “20 percent better fuel economy than a gasoline-powered V8 while towing full loads.” 

More details about the all-new 2016 Nissan Titan team will be provided closer to its on-sale date.

2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Long one of the best-selling diesel cars in the country—but naturally No. 2 overall to the Ram EcoDiesel pickup—is the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI that introduced a new TDI clean-diesel engine for the current year. 

The new powerplant kicks in an extra 10 hp as compared to the 2014 version, but more importantly ratchets up the compact sedan’s fuel-efficiency scores. Both automatically and manually transmissioned models see jumps of 1 mpg city/2 mpg combined, with the former further bringing a 3 mpg advance on the highway, and the latter doing so by 4 mpg. The top new EPA line for the Jetta TDI: 31 mpg city/46 mpg highway/36 mpg combined, complemented by outputs of 150 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. 

Volkswagen significantly upgraded the Jetta’s safety tech for 2015, too, adding available driver-assistance measures like blind-spot monitor, rear traffic alert, forward-collision warning and Park Distance Control.

2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen TDI

The 2015 VW Golf SportWagen TDI is a brand-new entry, essentially replacing the 2014 Jetta-branded wagon and also extending the roster for the all-new seventh-generation Golf family—winner of Autobytel’s 2015 Car of the Year voting. As for the SportWagen specifically, it provides a compelling argument for the introduction of even more diesel station wagons, backed by a strong blend of gas-saving fuel economy, engaging driving dynamics and surprising versatility.

The tale of the tape here starts with EPA results that reach 31 mpg city/43 mpg highway/35 mpg combined, continues with the same impeccable foundation underlying all next-gen Golfs and wraps up with a cargo hold that can fit up to 66.5 cubic feet of gear. 

And yes, the same 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbodiesel available for the SportWagen is available for the standard Golf hatchback, too.

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class

When it comes to the best German diesels, SUV customers face an embarrassment of riches that includes the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class. The current GLK250 BlueTEC is, in fact, proud possessor of EPA marks of 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway/28 mpg combined—with standard 4Matic all-wheel drive—and it further stands out as the first modern-day mid-size SUV to offer a diesel engine: a 2.1-liter twin-turbo powerplant that pours out 200 horses and 369 lb.-ft. of torque, which is good for a 3,500-lb. towing maximum. 

But that’s not all that distinguishes the GLK from the competition; it also wears a crisp, taut exterior design and can be kitted out with a cornucopia of Mercedes technologies and amenities, including a full portfolio of proactive safety measures, infotainment resources and premium luxuries, all highlighted by the comprehensive “mbrace” telematics system.

2015 Audi A8L

Yes, the long-wheelbase flagship of the Audi line is available with diesel power, allowing owners to enjoy both sumptuous elegance and superior fuel-efficiency results. 

Consider: While the A8L can ensconce occupants in 22-way power-adjustable seats, with multiple massage, heat and ventilation settings, and it then piles on premium features like a 1,400-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system and cutting-edge Audi MMI Touch technology—even able to recognize the owner’s handwriting—the more-than-full-size sedan still achieves better EPA ratings than a small entry like the Kia Soul. The four-rings’ flagship can ring up fuel-economy scores of 24 mpg city/36 mpg highway/28 mpg combined. 

The difference-maker is the Audi’s diesel engine, a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel that can translate 240 hp and 428 lb.-ft. of torque into a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph.

2015 BMW 3-Series

Although diesel sports cars are few and far between, there’s an iconic sport sedan that’s available today with diesel power: the 2015 BMW 3-Series. Actually, BMW serves up a 2.0-liter, TwinPower turbo diesel in a two-pack of 3-Series flavors, including not just Sedan, but also a Sports Wagon iteration; moreover, the Sedan can be configured for rear- or all-wheel drive, with the wagon sold solely with BMW’s xDrive AWD setup.

Both, however, provide entree to the Ultimate Driving Machine, but in vehicles that show an incredible lack of appetite for fuel. As a case in point, the 2015 BMW 328d Sedan, leveraging 180 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque, dials up EPA ratings of 32 mpg city/45 mpg highway/37 mpg combined. Meanwhile, its xDrive counterparts, Sedan and Sports Wagon both, come up with fuel-economy lines of 31/43/35.

2015 Porsche Cayenne

Much has changed since Rudolf Diesel patented his eponymous powerplant back in the 1890s—and since the domestic diesel debacle of the 1970s—so that today’s top diesel-powered vehicles are some of the cleanest, most efficient choices available. In fact, instead of billowing black smoke, they’re now more likely to produce green benefits that include EPA grades north of 40 mpg.

On the other hand, there’s also an array of trucks and SUVs that rely on the technology’s towering torque outputs to deliver some casually impressive capabilities.

And in all applications, the robust construction of diesel engines, required to handle their higher compression ratios, delivers the kind of improved durability that helps further offset the somewhat higher purchase and fuel costs.

As a result, paring the current crop of about 25 choices down to just the 10 best diesels was no easy task, with Autobytel looking to present a mix of top sellers and multiple nameplates for maximum customer satisfaction.