It seems dealing with the pollution issues and the problems that it creates. Has pretty well finished the newer car diesels. The savings in fuel is chewed up by the maintenance requirements. Or a hefty percent of it can be. The golf also seems to have been increasing their body size.

One other advantage of the diesel was a longer engine life. Many of todays gas engines can reach very high miles now as well. Although with the current complexity probably the cars will develop too many non related problems to keep them that long.

Volkswagon seem to be about the only company left in direct competition with some of the Japanese brands. Although you would think they would go all out to build a reliable longer lasting automatic transmission. Even if they had to buy the rights to produce a similar unit to one that is. That issue has gone on far too long.

Toyota seems to have a sound strategy. They seem to me to stick with the older technology until they think the newer types have worked out well in other brands first. Before their adoption of it in their product lines.