In the past this was an easy question
to answer. If you wanted better economy buy a diesel vehicle, if you
wanted a faster, quieter vehicle, buy petrol. Today, however, the developments
in technology mean that diesel vehicles are little different in ride,
acceleration, noise levels and comfort from the petrol driven vehicle.
This means you now have a real choice. Nowadays there is a third element
of choice, the LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) powered vehicle.
The diesel
vehicle gives you some advantages:
You usually get a much better mpg than petrol vehicles
They often have lower emission rates, meaning they are cleaner, do
not emit as much CO2 and consequently their road tax banding will be
lower
They generally have more torque than the petrol vehicle, meaning
that they pull better through the gears
The Turbo Diesel is also a very common vehicle in the market. Generally
they provide better economy and give a smoother ride than the normally
aspirated diesel vehicles.
Petrol engines are still the choice of most people, they are well proven
and generally give faster acceleration and still less vibration and engine
noise
The petrol engine also has advantages:
They are usually quieter and rev higher giving faster acceleration
Generally they are cheaper to maintain and service
New technology means that they are becoming more economical and giving
similar mpg to those of the diesel
Technological developments have meant
that impressive advances have been seen in both types of power, petrol
and diesel, with improved pulling power, acceleration and lower consumption
and noise levels developing fast. Emissions have also dropped significantly
in recent years for both types of engines as catalytic converters and
improved fuel injection systems are introduced.
Essentially, there is not much to choose between the two, and there
are more important influences on your choice than the type of fuel, but
for some people, with specific needs it may still be important.
