I have a 1992 250D 2.5L (OM602), 5spd, non-turbo (don't want the complication. if it's enough power for Europeans, it's too much power for Americans and Canadians) that I brought from Germany last year (I'm in Canada), like new, 121K KM, and on a recent very twisty and very mountainous trip with my family (Vancouver to Osooyoos, BC) averaged 5.7L/100km, or around 41mpg (235/x=y where x = metric and y = imperial OR vice versa)

This included 100km of city driving.

In Germany it took around 6l/100km at 140km/h (not very fast but good fuel use at that speed), so imagine at slower speeds.

Supposedly at 90km/h it takes 4.5l/100km which would be amazing. One of these days I'll have try this.

They do have better fuel there (tried Poland and Germany, about 6,000km in one month), with which the max speed is about 20-30km/h faster than on Canadian fuel (Mohawk, supposedly the best we have). I found this out when driving my wife to the hospital and it strained above 160km/h. On German or Polish fuel it had no problems at 160km/h, even on old oil and filters.

Also noticed, that my car barely had exhaust smell on Polish and German diesel. Can't say that for Canadian diesel. American diesel is probably better.

When are we going to get world class diesel on this continent?