The eternal dilemma: diesel versus petrol

Diesel or petrol? It's one of the key questions everyone asks when choosing a car. The hardest part is that there's no single right answer, the best choice depends on your preferences, how you use the car and plenty of other factors. Let's take a closer look at them!

Among new cars, electric and hybrid powertrains are claiming an ever-larger share of the market. Yet many drivers still choose between petrol and diesel. Until eco-friendly powertrains truly settle in here, picking between these two options will remain part of everyday life. So what should guide you when choosing your dream car?

Purchase cost

It's no secret that cars with diesel engines are more expensive to buythan their petrol counterparts. The difference depends on the car's age, the newer the car you pick, the bigger the gap between the versions. The further back you go, the more that difference fades away.

This round goes to: petrol

Running costs

The higher purchase price of the diesel version can be offset by noticeably lower fuel consumption. Thanks to their higher thermal efficiency, these engines can burn around 25% less fuel. A few years ago this effect was amplified by lower oil prices, but for a while now the prices of 95 petrol and diesel have been at a very similar level. The balance between the higher purchase price and lower consumption is one of the key factors when choosing an engine. If you drive mainly in the city, it's worth focusing more on petrol models. If you often cover long distances, a diesel engine may be more attractive for you. As a broad rule of thumb, experts often estimate that petrol engines are more cost-effective if you cover no more than 15,000–20,000 kilometres a year.

Another important aspect is the cost and frequency of visits to the workshop. A petrol engine has a much simpler design, so its servicing costs are much lower. What's more, it's less prone to breakdowns than a diesel. In the diesel's favour, however, is durability. The downsizing trend so popular in recent years, replacing a larger engine with a smaller, more highly stressed and therefore more efficient one, has taken a toll on the durability of petrol engines, which often reach the end of their life sooner than their diesel counterparts.

This round goes to: diesel (narrowly)

The environment

The decline in diesel's popularity in recent years is largely driven by environmental concerns. The turning point here was the Dieselgate scandal. Ever since Volkswagen's cheating came to light, the popularity and market share of these heavily air-polluting diesel engines have fallen significantly.

How you feel about environmental issues is a personal matter, but it's worth knowing that diesel's future doesn't look rosy. While over the next few years its owners shouldn't face any problems, in the longer term the steadily tightening emission standards introduced by, for example, the European Union may become a serious issue. Buying a new car with a diesel engine may also be discouraged by the fact that many European cities are gradually introducing driving bans for diesels.

This round goes to: petrol

Worth remembering: In Poland, is 'ON' petrol or diesel? Our answer: diesel. At fuel stations, petrol is labelled as 95 or 98.

Driving characteristics

Cars with diesel engines are most often associated with an unpleasant clatter and weight, they are frequently several dozen kilograms heavier than their petrol counterparts. The latter reach operating temperature faster and have no trouble starting even in low temperatures. One of the more important differences is also that a diesel generally delivers more torque. As a result, while a petrol car will let you accelerate faster from 0 to 100 km/h, a diesel engine will show greater flexibility (for example, when accelerating from 60 to 120 km/h).

This round goes to: a tie

Which engine to choose?

As we mentioned in the introduction,there's no simple, clear-cut answer to the question of which engine you should choose. This decision depends not only on the distances you cover, the car's intended use or driving comfort, but also on your attitude toward environmental issues. We hope, however, that our article has made your decision at least a little easier.