Diesel cars and SUVs sold new in America carried fuel-economy ratings that varied widely with size and price. The federal figures below cover compact sedans, a crossover and full-size luxury SUVs, each fitted with a diesel engine. Here are twelve of those models, ordered by combined mpg from highest to lowest.
1. Chevrolet Cruze: Compact Turbodiesel
A 1.6-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder powers the compact Chevrolet sedan, and EPA’s 2019 Cruze listing puts it at 37 mpg combined, 31 city and 48 highway. The base price starts at $17,995, and the sheet lists a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The 17 mpg gap between city and highway figures shows where this engine does its best work, on sustained highway driving. The listing also shows 2.7 gal/100mi and a total range of 500 miles, a respectable reach for a compact.
2. BMW 3 Series: Premium Four-Pot
The 2.0-litre turbodiesel four in the 328d earned 2018 BMW 328d ratings of 36 mpg combined, 31 city and 43 highway. The eight-speed automatic sedan carried an MSRP of $41,750, well above the compacts that follow it on the list.
Range is the practical payoff: the listing shows 540 miles on a tank, and the 2.8 gal/100mi consumption figure sits only slightly above the Cruze. The BMW’s $41,750 sticker is more than double the Cruze’s $17,995 entry price, for a combined rating only one mpg lower.
3. Volkswagen Jetta: Six-Speed Manual
With a six-speed manual and a 2.0-litre turbo four, the Volkswagen sedan reaches 2015 Jetta diesel figures of 35 mpg combined, 30 city and 44 highway. Pricing for the 2015 model year began at $16,215.
That base price is the lowest of any model in this gallery, and the 508-mile total range on the listing gives the Jetta strong highway reach. The 14 mpg gap between city and highway ratings is typical of how the diesel favors steady cruising over stop-and-go driving.
4. Jaguar XF: Luxury Diesel Four
Jaguar offered its XF with a 2.0-litre turbo diesel four, and Jaguar’s 2019 XF listing shows 35 mpg combined, 31 city and 42 highway. The eight-speed automatic started at $49,965, with the range topping out at $67,565.
The listing credits the XF with a 609-mile total range, longer than the Cruze, BMW or Jetta shown above it. Its 31 mpg city rating matches that of the much cheaper Cruze, at 2.9 gal/100mi.
5. Volkswagen Passat: Family Sedan Diesel
Volkswagen’s mid-size Passat, paired with a six-speed manual and the 2.0-litre turbo four, is rated at 2015 Passat fuel-economy page of 34 mpg combined, 30 city and 42 highway. Prices for the 2015 model ran from $21,340 to $35,995.
The sheet lists a 629-mile total range and consumption of 2.9 gal/100mi. Only the Cayenne, at 634 miles, shows a longer range, so the Passat gives a mid-size sedan highway trips of several hundred miles on one tank.
6. Volkswagen Beetle: The Diesel Bug
Volkswagen also fitted the Beetle with the 2.0-litre turbo diesel, and 2015 Beetle diesel entry shows 34 mpg combined, 30 city and 39 highway. The six-speed manual 2015 model started at $20,195 and rose to $32,475.
The highway figure of 39 mpg is the lowest of the VW diesel trio here, and the listing shows a 493-mile range. The Beetle trades some highway efficiency for its distinctive body, though its city rating of 30 mpg matches the Jetta and Passat.
7. Chevrolet Equinox: Diesel Crossover
Chevrolet’s compact crossover took the same 1.6-litre turbodiesel as the Cruze, and the AWD version appears in 2019 Equinox AWD page at 32 mpg combined, 28 city and 38 highway. The six-speed automatic model was priced from $27,600 to $35,700.
All-wheel drive costs the Equinox about 5 mpg combined relative to the front-drive Cruze, which is rated 37. The listing still shows a 499-mile total range and 3.1 gal/100mi, solid figures for a crossover that carries more people and cargo.
8. Mazda CX-5: Narrow Spread
Mazda put a 2.2-litre turbodiesel in the CX-5 for 2019, and Mazda’s 2019 CX-5 sheet lists 29 mpg combined, 28 city and 31 highway. The six-speed automatic 2WD model carried an MSRP of $24,350 to $30,045.
The unusual part is how narrow the city-to-highway spread is, only 3 mpg, so consumption barely changes with the driving pattern. The listing shows 3.4 gal/100mi and a 429-mile total range, the shortest range figure of the gallery.
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee: Eight Speeds, Six Cylinders
The 2019 Grand Cherokee 4WD carries a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 and an eight-speed automatic, and Grand Cherokee 4WD diesel rating reads 24 mpg combined, 21 city and 28 highway. The price range spans $34,245 to $54,695.
That 24 mpg combined is the lowest figure on the list, shared with the next three entries, and consumption runs 4.2 gal/100mi. The result is typical for a large four-wheel-drive SUV, where the diesel’s value lies in its efficiency relative to the vehicle’s size.
10. Porsche Cayenne: Diesel Cayenne
Porsche’s 2016 Cayenne Diesel starts at $62,300, and 2016 Cayenne Diesel listing gives its 3.0-litre turbo V6 a rating of 24 mpg combined, 21 city and 28 highway. An eight-speed automatic handles the shifts.
The listing shows a 634-mile total range, the longest of any model in this gallery. An SUV that can run that far on a tank is the diesel’s main argument at this price, even though the 4.2 gal/100mi figure sits at the thirsty end of the list.
11. Range Rover: Luxury Diesel Six
The 2021 Range Rover’s 3.0-litre turbo diesel six, mated to an eight-speed automatic, is rated at 2021 Range Rover rating of 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 28 highway. The listing carries no price figure.
Its city rating of 22 mpg edges the 21 mpg shown for the Jeep and the Porsche, while the highway figure stays at 28. The 545-mile total range and 4.2 gal/100mi make it a long-legged option among full-size luxury SUVs.
12. Chevrolet Tahoe: Still On The Books
The newest model on this list is the Chevrolet Tahoe, and EPA’s 2027 Tahoe entry for 2027 gives its 3.0-litre turbodiesel six and ten-speed automatic 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 26 highway on the 2WD version.
The 26 mpg highway figure is the lowest of the twelve, though the combined rating matches the Jeep, Porsche and Range Rover. A diesel full-size SUV still appearing on EPA’s 2027 list, at 4.2 gal/100mi, closes out the gallery.
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