Most American-market diesel passenger cars come from two brands: Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. The former offered machines like the Golf and various generations of Jetta TDI, while the luxury automaker made oil-burning versions of the E-Class sedan, the S-Class flagship, and most of its SUVs. But years after they retired their diesel offerings in the U.S. following emissions scandals, rising costs, and dwindling sales, one automaker persisted in offering a grunty, efficient little four-cylinder.
Â
