Buying an efficient diesel car can be a great way to conserve fuel and save money. Unlike hybrid vehicles, they can be purchased both new or old, thus making them more affordable. They are also available in a variety of types, including hatchbacks, wagons, and sedans. However, not all of these cars are fuel efficient, so it is important to choose an appropriate model for this purpose.

Some examples of new diesel cars (2006/2007) include the Mercedes E320 Bluetec (23-32MPG) sedan, and the diesel versions of Volkswagen’s Beetle (31-40MPG), Golf (31-40), and Jetta (30-38) models. As in the past, most diesel cars are manufactured by these two brand names, with few exceptions. Although they do not fit into the category of cars, it is worth mentioning that Jeep has introduced some models which use this type of fuel, mostly in the 17-24MPG range.

Older cars of this type with high efficiency include such models as the 2002 VW Beetle (35-44MPG), the 2000 VW Golf (35-44), the 1998 VW Passat Wagon (32-45), the 1996 Mercedes E300 (24-32), the 1992 Volkswagen Jetta sedan (31-36), the 1989 Mercedes 190D (24-30), and the 1986 Volvo 740/760 (22-27MPG).

The above-mentioned vehicles generally have much better gas mileage than their regular or premium gasoline counterparts. In recent months, diesel fuel prices have often been lower or equal to regular gasoline, thus providing additional savings. Even if prices become slightly higher as they have sometimes been in the past, buying a fuel efficient diesel car will continue to provide substantial savings.

Efficiency data provided by FuelEconomy.gov and based upon the most fuel efficient version of each particular model.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Biodiesel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.