OUR TAKE:It’s a shame that the U.S. perception of diesels is so bad; Europeans love them, and for good reason. If you like having fun while driving yet still want some fuel efficiency, diesel power is the way to go, no matter what Toyota’s hybrid marketing machine has to say about it, and access to a not-for-U.S.-sale 330d would go a long way toward changing Americans’ attitudes toward the technology.
The great gobs of torque afforded by the turbocharged 3.0-liter will grab any enthusiast’s attention. Passing quickly in any gear, including sixth, is done without much effort; power just oozes from the right pedal.
And because of this engine comes in a 3 Series, whose chassis just shines, the car spent very little time on the freeway during our stint with it. The two-lanes beckoned; we took the fun routes home, the most winding roads where the chassis and its torque-monster motor could do their thing.
The best part: Nobody could tell it was a diesel independent of reading the banner on the windshield. Even from behind the wheel, the only giveaway is at idle when the faintest diesel clatter makes its way into the cabin.
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