It's good news that more automakers are willing to gamble on fuel-efficient diesels in the historically anti-diesel U.S. market.
But it's bad timing that the rollouts are beginning now, when diesel fuel prices average about 48% more than regular gasoline and 38% more than premium — wiping out diesel engines' 20% to 40% edge in fuel efficiency.
But fuel prices fluctuate, and high-mileage diesels might again seem like salvation. In which case, it'll be important to remember that not all diesels are equal.
For instance, the BMW 335d diesel sedan reviewed in last Friday's Test Drive was terrific. The Mercedes-Benz ML320 diesel SUV evaluated this week isn't.
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