Auto Blog: Diesel , MPG , Volvo The guys at Popular Mechanics recently had an opportunity to test out Volvo’s new XC60 crossover in Northern California. When the XC60 goes on sale in the U.S. next month, it will only be offered with a 281 hp turbocharged 3.0L inline six cylinder. For the media drive, Volvo brought over some examples of the European-spec diesel model. The PM crew took one of the 182 hp 2.4L five cylinder diesels out on a 662-mile trip alongside a U.S. gas model. While the gas model proved a bit more responsive than the diesel, the oil burner’s torque proved itself useful climbing the hills when they got into San Francisco. To no one’s surprise, the diesel handily beat the gas version, so much so that even with the higher price of diesel fuel it still came out ahead. The diesel XC60′s 27.3 mpg was 39 percent better than the gas engine and with diesel at $3.00 and gas at $2.30, the operating cost of the diesel was 13.5 percent less. Volvo is expected to debut a new diesel engine at the Geneva next and rumor has it they may offer it in the U.S. [Source: Popular Mechanics ] Volvo XC60 diesel beats gas over 662 miles in Northern California originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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Volvo XC60 diesel beats gas over 662 miles in Northern California