Clett is right of course;a hybrid has no advantage over a regular ICE with a lock up trans in pure hy driving.In fact it is heavier-always a disadvantage in respect to mpg.
The Diesel does have a huge hy advantage-20/1 vs 10/1 compression means it extracts probably 20% more heat energy from the same amt of fuel;no throttle plate in the intake stream-decreases pumping losses;and it can burn super lean mixtures with a huge excess of O2-so it has much lower CC temps.A TDI should be able to get you 25% farther on the same amount of fuel in hy driving.
I like Diesels, but we really don't have the really"good' ones here yet.I don't know if the low sulphur diesel is still on for 2007-President Bush made some post Katrina change in that reg,I thought.
Clett-do you have a weight on that ASTRA ECO4?Who makes it?Cost of something we have here-usa-so I can get an idea of the relative cost-say a plain jane Accord 4cyl-or a Corolla-or maybe a VW of some kind?I think you folks pay more for the same cars(not sure why).Thanks.Charlie