Can diesel-powered cars be fast and fun? Put simply, yes. Some people might envision a big petrol-run V8 (or larger) when thinking of fast cars, but today’s new car market is filled with many diesel-run models with exciting performance figures.
Not only are there new diesel cars that are fast, they can also offer appealing practicality and very respectable running costs for a car with a 0-62mph sprint time of around eight seconds or less.
Most of the fast diesel cars mentioned in this guide can be bought new for less than £30,000. Also, from here at Car Keys, you can view specifications details on many fast diesel cars and save money if you’re looking to make a purchase.
Here is our guide to five of the best fast diesel cars available to buy new right now.
Volkswagen Golf GTD
This is essentially a diesel-powered version of Volkswagen’s always-popular Golf GTI hot hatch. It’s more understated and has less power compared to the GTI, but the GTD still packs a decent amount of punch.
Producing 182bhp from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, the VW Golf GTD can cover the 0-62mph sprint in a very decent 6.5 seconds and reach up to 151mph.
Customers can hook up the engine to a slick six-speed manual gearbox or a dependable six-speed DSG automatic. With the latter, the GTD officially records just over 44mpg and emits just 148g/km in CO2.
Undoubtedly fast, the GTD also has a sporty suspension and ride height set-up which helps deliver plenty of grip and the electronic stability and other driver aids do a lot to prevent any wheel spin. Like other Golfs, the GTD has a very sophisticated-feeling interior with plentiful standard kit. It’s also available in estate form if more cabin and boot space feels welcome.
Ford Focus ST TDCi
The Ford Focus ST is available in both five-door hatchback and estate forms, so practicality is plentiful. Since this performance model was facelifted in early 2015, it has expanded its line-up to offer not just a petrol engine but also a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDCi diesel.
Producing 182bhp, the Focus ST diesel hot hatch covers the 0-62mph sprint in a respectable 8.1 seconds (or 8.3 for the estate). It can also hit up to 154mph.
The diesel-run Focus ST is also impressively frugal for a performance-focused car, returning up to 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions of just 110g/km.
On the road, the Focus ST diesel in either hatchback or estate guises offers a high quality ride mixing sharp and entertaining steering with comfort. The interior is not changed much to a standard Focus but you do get plenty of standard kit and some new sporty additions like Recaro sports seats at the front.
SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI FR
SEAT’s Leon, heavily based on VW’s Golf, comes in three-door hatch, five-door hatch and ST estate guises and all in FR trim are available with an 182bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine. If that sounds familiar, that’s because it is in fact the same engine found in the Golf GTD.
The straight-line performance offered by the TDI is a bit subdued by the extra weight of the ST estate, but even that can cover the 0-62mph sprint in under nine seconds.
Overall you get a car which is still brisk, pretty and quite fun to drive. It is also, however, more affordable. The Leon TDI FR feels and looks modern and up to date whether it has three doors, five doors or you bolster cabin and boot space via the ST estate.
Skoda Octavia vRS TDI
Another stablemate of the VW Golf, the Octavia vRS is another car that shares the 182bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine as well. It’s not as feisty as the 217bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine also available for the vRS, but performance in the Octavia still feels plentiful, covering the 0-62mph sprint in 8.1 seconds.
With regards to body styles, customers can pick between the five-door hatchback and the estate version. Like with non-vRS versions, the Octavia in either body style offers a very impressive amount of cabin and boot space for the respective classes it enters.
Other cars may have stronger badge appeal, but the Octavia vRS TDI is nippy, practical and comfortable. With official fuel economy above 60mpg, it can also get you from A to B quickly without costing that much to use.
Audi TT TDI ultra
After a car that looks and feels seriously sporty? Not too bothered about practicality but want the manageable running costs diesels offer? Why not consider an Audi TT with a TDI diesel engine? Whether you choose the coupe or the soft-top roadster, there’s a diesel engine available for Sport and S Line trim models that’s impressively frugal for a sports car.
The latest TT range features an 182bhp 2.0-litre TDI ultra diesel, hooked up to a front-wheel driver powertrain complete with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The 0-62mph sprint time of 7.3 seconds is, while not mind-blowing, still short enough to make this sports car feel brisk on the road.
Starting from about £32,000, the TT is a bit more expensive than other fast diesel cars in this guide, but it does record only 114g/km in CO2 emissions and official fuel economy is an eye-catching 65.7mpg. That’s nearly 20mpg better off than the petrol-run TT models.