Pundits will say that diesel cars are smoky, sooty, rattly and produce a queer and uninspiring engine note. Sure, the rattling sound of diesel cars may not indicate the last word in engine performance but there is more to diesel engines than the weird sound alone.

There is a reason why diesel cars are extremely popular in Europe. Here are the top 3 reasons why you should consider a diesel for your next car:

1. Diesel cars produce fantastic low end torque.

Driving a diesel is different than driving a gasoline powered car. You will notice that you will get an immediate rush of torque from a very low RPM, whereas a gasoline powered car will start producing ruckus at a higher RPM.

What does this mean? This will benefit the driver in a number of ways, including:

a. smooth and immediate acceleration due to incredible amounts of low end torque.

b. increased fuel efficiency since the engine need not spin to a higher RPM just to produce power.

c. less efficiency loss, but this will depend on the engine and transmission tuning.

2. Diesel cars utilize the latest technological advancements in terms of maximizing engine performance.

Car makers now utilize a variety of ways in making diesel cars the big daddy in terms of performance. This will include:

a. Common rail direct-injection technology (CRDI) or a variation of other technologies.

b. Variable-geometry turbocharging.

c. Twin-turbocharging, or utilizing more than one turbos to deliver thrilling performance.

d. Transmission technology such as six or seven-speed gearboxes including dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

3. Diesel cars are perhaps the most efficient cars in the market, sometimes even better than a hybrid.

The U.S. Department of Energy properly classifies the Audi A3 TDI and the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI as small station wagons but they are class-leaders in terms of fuel economy.

The Audi A3 TDI is a subcompact car that averages a combined 34 miles per gallon. The Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen achieves a phenomenal 30 miles per gallon on the city and as much as 42 miles per gallon on the highway. It does not matter what other people say but those are phenomenal mileage figures to say the least.

More on diesel cars and diesel technology soon. If you are in the market for a new diesel car, you should take into consideration the price difference from a conventional gasoline-powered car in order to determine if a diesel car is indeed right or your needs and budget.