Which car would you get?

[niky]

Diesels generally emit less CO2 and hydrocarbons (well... sure on CO2, not on hydrocarbons) but particulate emissions are much higher than gas.

[Xist]

Particulates? Including sulfur? But they use low-sulfur diesel!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

According to Do Diesel Cars And Trucks Save You Money? Not Always - Forbes, diesel vehicles generally cost more, but there are exceptions, two Mercedes luxury vehicles, "the diesel versions of the Audi A3, the BMW X5, the Ford F-350, and the Volkswagen Touareg. The other Mercedes diesels on the list are the E-Class, the M-Class and the R-Class."

I usually don't trust those reviews. At least for me and my relatives, Diesels have always ended up as the most cost-effective option when available (unfortunately in Brazil there are some restrictions limiting the offering of light-duty Diesels, based either on cargo capacity, passenger accomodations, or traction). They're still usually cheaper than a comparable hybrid anyways...

[niky]

Well, that's the US, where diesels typically require extra aftertreatment and diesel fuel is more expensive.

And it likely doesn't include the extra cost of emergency maintenance, such as injector or pump repair.

Originally Posted by Xist

Particulates? Including sulfur? But they use low-sulfur diesel!

I think soot is the issue. Critics of particulate regulations is that regulating larger particulates forces manufacturers to build engines that release ultra-fine particulates... which is infinitely worse for your health (just as microscopic ash particles are the most dangerous emissions from volcanic explosions)...

Of course, I'm in favor of diesel, as the less you burn, the less you do emit, overall.