Although diesel power normally is associated with medium- and heavy-duty trucks, since the mid-1970s, diesel power has moved into the light truck and even the passenger car categories. In Europe, the diesel-powered passenger car shares 50% of the market.
GM 6.6 V8 Turbo Duramax

Is there a diesel in your service bay? Maybe not now, but there definitely will be in your future. You’re going to see trucks as well as SUVs and passenger cars. Mercedes-Benz produced a 3.0L V6 diesel-powered SUV for the 2008 model year and Volkswagen has a Twinturbo 5.0L V10 diesel engine in its Touareg. As the automakers focus on better fuel economy, you might say the diesels are coming again.

The primary advantage of diesel power is fuel economy. A diesel averages 25% better mileage than a gasoline engine because there is more energy in diesel fuel than gasoline. And, thanks to technology, the day of the temperamental, noisy, vibrating and black-smoke-belching-from-the-exhaust diesel vehicle has all but disappeared.

Another...