One of the secrets about diesel cars in Europe is that they have more generous emission regulations than here in the USA; that's why you still see some smoke coming out of turbodiesel engines in Europe. However, with the EU soon tightening up diesel emission regulations and the 2007 rules coming into effect in the USA, this is why the Mercedes-Benz Bluetec technology is so important; the specs for Bluetec pretty much eliminates all the smoke and the distinctly smelly exhaust of diesel engines thanks to improved particulate filters, better catalytic converters to remove NOx output, and urea gas injection into the exhaust stream to reduce NOx even further.

Honda's much-lauded i-CTDi turbodiesel engine sold in Europe is very well-liked because the engine has a very clean exhaust by diesel engine standards. This is why Honda has installed this engine in the European Honda Accord sedan/wagon, European Honda FR-V "tall wagon," European Honda CR-V small SUV and European Honda Civic five-door hatchback. Because of its high torque peak (something like 241 pound-foot at only 1800 rpm!), this engine has gives the car a lot of low-end acceleration power. Indeed, Steve Cropley of Autocar magazine wrote in a very recent commentary while he was driving a Porsche 911 Carrera (996 model) he could barely keep up with a Honda Accord sedan powered by the i-CTDi engine on a motorway (as freeways as known in the UK) onramp!