Diesel used to be a big deal. A couple of decades ago, some governmental authorities and plenty of automakers thought that, one day, we’d all be driving diesel vehicles fueled by sustainable biofuel. Such a future was nearly made a reality in Europe, where diesel was the dominant fuel for passenger vehicles. There were breathless press releases from multiple automakers about how clean and good diesel was. Diesel’s future was indeed bright – but ten years ago today, that all changed. The Dieselgate scandal burst the bubble. As we remember this event, this Autopian is asking: what is the best diesel car?
In the post-Dieselgate world, diesel has retreated back to where it works best: fueling locomotives, heavy trucks, construction equipment, and more. Even in Europe, diesel isn’t nearly where it used to be. Now, the world is focused on just finding its way out of internal combustion, for a future powered by batteries and, sometimes, maybe hydrogen.
But car enthusiasts are a weird breed. We don’t always do what’s logical, and we don’t always follow the pack. “Diesel” might be a swear word in many regions, but some folks still cling to their compression ignition-powered cars. There’s good reason to: Historically, diesels have been capable of covering epic miles between overhauls while providing hybrid-like fuel economy. Then there’s the torque and the lovely clatter.
Choosing the best diesel would be hard for me. An easy pick would be a legend like the Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI, the Audi Q7 V12 TDI, or the Volkswagen Phaeton V10 TDI. All of these diesels were designed during the craziest period of the Volkswagen Group’s history, when engineers got to flex their muscles, punching out mechanical works of art with pumped-up power figures for their day. Another great pick from this era would be Audi’s diesel racecars, which didn’t just go fast, but dominated the field for years. Audi proved that diesel didn’t have to be slow and unsophisticated. And then there was the time Opel made a diesel sportscar …
But I’m going to take my modern fangirl hat off and go in a different direction. I think the best diesel car is one that gets great fuel economy and will continue to drive upwards of a million miles with minimal futzing around. For that, I’m turning to the iconic Mercedes-Benz W123, which was built in the millions between late 1975 and 1986. Specifically, I’m going to choose a Mercedes-Benz 300CD Turbodiesel from the 1980s.
In their day, the diesel engines in these cars were an engineering marvel. The OM617 A 3.0-liter straight-five diesel was a pioneer in turbocharging, and it took Benz’s already nearly bulletproof powerplant and gave it an extra dose of power. These engines, at least here in the States, made 123 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. That’s not a ton of juice today, but back in the 1980s, it was enough to slice an entire 8 seconds off of the 60 mph acceleration speeds of Mercedes-Benz’s naturally aspirated diesels.
This meant taking only 12 to 15 seconds or so to hit 60 rather than over 20 seconds. Yet, these cars still got over 20 mpg, even with aggressive driving, and sometimes above 30 mpg with really careful drivers. I also love how these engines were served up in some fun body styles, including a coupe! Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see these still driving around with a crazy number of miles, and since they’re so simple compared to the diesels of today, they’re relatively easy for an enthusiast to keep around.
So, that’s my answer, the Mercedes diesels of the 1980s are the GOATs of oil-burning automobiles. What do you think is the best diesel car?
Top graphic image: Mercedes-Benz
Any Isuzu with a diesel engine. These have suffered due to emissions (sure, some people would have had bad experiences with them), but generally, I am referring to the ones sold in Africa and Southeast Asia.
I am still pissed that my wife’s grandparents, who owned one of these in great shape, sold it knowing we wanted it, because they couldn’t let their granddaughter drive an old car without airbags. Sigh.
We have a Jaguar XE diesel. Highway mileage cruising at 80 (Dakota speed limit) gives 50 mpg or a little bit better.
Great handling, quiet, comfortable, all around good car.
And it is primarily aluminum, so Dakota car rot hasn’t set in.
I have had VW, Land Rover, Isuzu, and Peugeot diesel. None of them came close to the Jag.
The Benz is just too slow and wobbly. A German colleague used to say “if I vant to ride in a Mercedes, I call a cab”. I think he was right.
Probably the BMW M550d with 3 turbos, especially in Touring form.
But really, the answer is none. No matter how good they got, diesel cars were never as good as their petrol equivalents. They sound like shit, are more rough, and aren’t actually that economical if you’re looking to equal petrol performance.