I'm dumbfounded by the American stigma attached to diesel vehicles ("The Big Picture"). I was first introduced to the wonders of diesel when my wife purchased a 2005 Passat TDI. We averaged around 38 mpg on the highway, with three adults and our luggage, while averaging over 70 mph with the air on, going up and down mountains. Best of all, because of all that torque, we passed cars and trucks going uphill like they were standing still; the rpm never budged and the Passat just kept humming along. I love that we can go 550 miles between fill-ups and have to change the oil only every 10,000 miles. The few downsides are that diesel is more expensive, the pumps are messy, and my wife hates having to ask them to turn on the pumps and hearing, "Ma'am, you know that's diesel."
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