2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
$69,500 | 22/28 mpg city/hwy | USN Overall Score: N/A
A turbodiesel engine is available in the SE and HSE trims of the 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport for an additional $2,000. With this engine, the fuel economy estimates rise from the bottom of the luxury midsize SUV class to close to the top, at 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. It also offers a massive 443 pound-feet of torque, which allows it to tow up to 7,716 pounds. The Range Rover Sport, like other Land Rovers, is also an off-road beast.
2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
USN Interior Score: 6.4/10
Many luxury features, like leather upholstery and dual 10-inch touch screens, are standard. Happily, some features that were once optional also now come standard for 2020, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Still, some competitors' base trims are equipped with more advanced safety features as standard.
2020 Land Rover Discovery
$54,300 | 21/26 mpg city/hwy | USN Overall Score: N/A
You can add a turbodiesel engine to any trim level of the 2020 Land Rover Discovery for $2,000. The base gasoline engine turns in terrible fuel economy numbers, but the diesel turns that around. Models with the diesel are estimated to get 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway (some of the best fuel economy estimates in the luxury midsize SUV class).
2020 Land Rover Discovery
USN Interior Score: 7.5/10
The Discovery has a luxurious interior with quite a few standard infotainment and safety features, including a Wi-Fi hot spot, a 10-inch touch screen, Apple Carplay and Android Auto integration, rear cross traffic alert, and low-speed automatic emergency braking. Since we’re talking about a Land Rover, it comes as no surprise that this luxury vehicle can also head off-road on a whim, thanks to features like the Terrain Response 2 system.
2020 Jeep Wrangler
Price: TBD | 22/29 mpg city/hwy | USN Overall Score: N/A
If there’s any vehicle that can benefit from the instantaneous torque of a diesel, the rugged Jeep Wrangler is it. For 2020, Jeep is introducing the EcoDiesel 3.0-liter V6 as an engine option for its rough-and-tumble compact SUV. The powertrain kicks out 260 horsepower and a whopping 442 pound-feet of torque, which will definitely get the Wrangler up and down steep grades with ease. The extra performance comes at a cost: Expect to pay $4,000 for the engine upgrade, and a mandatory $2,000 for an automatic transmission. This off-road SUV's fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.
2020 Jeep Wrangler
USN Interior Score: 6.8/10
The EcoDiesel engine will initially only be available in four-door Unlimited models. There are no shortage of options and trim levels on the Wrangler, and customers can make their vehicles as spartan or luxurious as they please. The base Sport trim includes the Uconnect 3 infotainment system with a 5-inch display, cloth seats, and manually-operated windows. On the other end of the spectrum, the top-of-the-line Rubicon trim includes an upgraded 7-inch touch-screen infotainment rig, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and Jeep’s Rock-Trac heavy-duty four-wheel-drive system.
2020 Land Rover Range Rover
$91,700 | 22/28 mpg city/hwy | USN Overall Score: 8.0/10
A turbodiesel engine can be added to either the base or HSE trim of the 2020 Land Rover Range Rover for $2,000. Choosing that option bumps up the fuel economy of this large luxury SUV to 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
The Range Rover can do just about anything. Its interior is spacious and refined enough to comfortably ferry adults in both rows, but it can still power through muddy ruts and up steep inclines if the mood should strike.
You will pay for all of this luxury and capability, with a diesel-equipped model starting at over $90,000. That’s more than double the price of the least expensive vehicle on this list.
2020 Land Rover Range Rover
USN Interior Score: 6.6/10
The Range Rover’s interior combines spacious seating, classic (if dated) styling, and a slew of luxurious amenities. Standard features include leather upholstery, two 10-inch touch screens, navigation, a Wi-Fi hot spot, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, tri-zone climate control, and a 13-speaker Meridian sound system. While the infotainment system is a bit clunky, and the cargo space is slim for the class, you likely won’t be wanting for comfort in this luxury large SUV.
2019 Mazda CX-5
$41,000 | 28/31 mpg city/hwy | USN Overall Score: 8.6/10
The 2019 Mazda CX-5 is already one of our highest-scoring compact SUVs in our rankings, so it isn’t so surprising that the diesel version would find itself at the top of this list, too. Interestingly, the 168-horsepower diesel engine’s estimated mileage of 28 mpg city and 31 mpg highway is similar to the EPA estimates for the base engine, which are average for this class. On the plus side, the diesel engine enables the CX-5 to tow up to 3,500 pounds.
2019 Mazda CX-5
USN Interior Score: 8.1/10
The turbodiesel is only available as an option for the CX-5 Signature, which sits at the very top of the trim tree. While the Signature trim with the diesel is about $16,000 more expensive than the base model, you get nearly every bell and whistle as standard. For the extra money, you’ll get all-wheel drive, Nappa leather upholstery, smartphone connectivity, heated and ventilated front seats, a 360-degree parking camera, and traffic sign recognition. With this level of interior refinement, the CX-5 wouldn't be out of place competing with crossovers sporting luxury badges on their grilles.
More Shopping Tools from U.S. News & World Report
If you’d like to see how each of these vehicles stacks up against their closest competition, check out our new car rankings. If you’re interested in researching other fuel-efficient models, you can start with our hybrid and electric car ranking or hybrid and electric SUV ranking.
When you’re ready for your new car, truck, or SUV, use our Best Price Program to find the best price on any diesel vehicle near you. Shoppers who use the program save an average of more than $3,000 off their new vehicle.w
Best Diesel Cars and SUVs of 2020
- 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- 2020 Land Rover Discovery
- 2020 Jeep Wrangler
- 2020 Land Rover Range Rover
- 2019 Mazda CX-5
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These Are the Best Diesel Cars and SUVs in 2020
Diesel engines have never been as popular in the United States as they have been globally. It’s challenging to create a diesel power plant that is both very efficient and very clean. To top things off, we’re still feeling the fallout of manufacturers’ attempts to shortcut that challenge several years ago, leading to consumers having even less desire to buy diesel-powered vehicles now than they did before.
There are diesel-powered vehicles out there, though – and they’re not all heavy-duty pickups. To give you an idea of what’s available, we’ve compiled a list of the best cars and SUVs that offer turbodiesel engines as an option. Some manufacturers, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, have decided not to sell diesels at all in the U.S. Others, like Land Rover, are adding diesels to more vehicles. A few other brands, including Jeep and Mazda, are testing the diesel waters.
In most cases, a diesel engine will add a couple thousand dollars to the MSRP. It’s also typical for diesel engines to be available only within certain trim levels. This slideshow highlights the most affordable diesel option for each model, including the price of the trim level you'd need to buy to get the diesel engine as well as any additional fee for adding the diesel. We’ve also listed the EPA fuel economy estimates and the U.S. News overall score for each vehicle.
Remember that the scores listed in the following slides were correct at the time of writing. Our rankings are constantly changing, so be sure to check out each vehicle’s review to get the most up to date scores.
Read on to see the best diesel cars and SUVs of 2020.