Ready to Rumble!

Rumbling, sputtering and fume-spewing are the words that come to mind when someone says the words “diesel engine,” but a slew of new cars might just challenge conventional wisdom.

Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Kia and Honda have all announced plans to roll out diesel passenger cars to the U.S. this year. While the burn from the fuel isn’t as clean as a hybrid (yet!), the smog factor is much lower than one might think. The new “clean diesel” engines pass emissions standards in all 50 states—even super-stringent California.

What will make drivers happy is the savings they should expect at the pump. Diesel cars are fuel-efficient, with up to 35% better mileage than a regular gas vehicle. Yes, diesel is a bit pricier than gas, but the per-mile fuel costs are 15% to 20% lower. So if you’ve been thinking about buying a new car or even a hybrid, you may want to wait until these new vehicles are rolled out later in the year. [BusinessWeek]