Diesels have a ton of torque and have really cleaned up their act. They are durable, powerful, quieter and efficient.
I can't stand how manufacturers bundle their desirable features with expensive profit loaded ones to get consumers money though. Look at the VW Jetta. The base car is $16,600, but a diesel is around $25,000. Yeah they throw in some extra features, but you are basically paying a premium for the diesel engine. VW has quite a scheme going. Sell a plebian car to the masses and drop in a desirable engine and grossly inflate the price.