Mainstream diesel SUVs are disappearing fast

Not so long ago, you could get a diesel version of just about every major mainstream model line on the market, ranging from small cars like the Hyundai i30 and Ford Focus right the way through to the biggest off-roaders.

But brands have been increasingly turning their backs on diesel and the trend has been ramping up recently as emissions regulations get ever stricter overseas.

This has prompted car-makers to use major model updates or generational changes to abandon oil-burning engines in favour of strong and efficient turbocharged petrol and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains, if not full-electric.

Australia is also preparing to introduce a tough New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) that’s designed to force car-makers to introduce cleaner and more efficient engines.

It’ll be some time yet before diesel disappears from the commercial, heavy-duty towing and harder-core 4x4 off-road market segments – where utes and large SUVs remain hugely popular in Australia – but it’s disappearing from road-oriented SUVs. Fast.

The fossil fuel also remains prominent in many premium segments, with Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and even now Mazda with its prestige new-generation models all offering torque-rich, low-stress diesel powertrains.

But among the mainstream brands offering affordable road-oriented SUVs, there are just six models left on the market across the compact (sub-$45,000), medium (sub-$60,000) and large SUV (sub-$80,000) segments, three of which will be shown the door within the next few months.

The latest Kia Sorento has been one of carsales’ favourite road-oriented large SUVs since it was launched four years ago, taking out Car of the Year in 2020 and a string of other titles including Best Family SUV for three years in a row.

The 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel in the Sorento has been a firm favourite among our review panel, offering usable performance, hybrid-rivalling fuel consumption and all-wheel drive, the latter adding to its versatility and safety on-road.

Cut from similar cloth is the Kia Sportage mid-size SUV, which can be had with a smaller 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel mill alongside petrol, turbo-petrol and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains.

All-wheel drive is once again the default configuration while transmission duties are handled by an eight-speed torque-converter compared to the bigger and pricier Sorento’s eight-speed dual-clutch.

The Hyundai Palisade eight-seater family SUV features the same 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine as the Kia Sorento and its Hyundai Santa Fe sibling (see below), but in this application it’s paired to an eight-speed torque-converter.

As per every diesel-powered Hyundai or Kia SUV, all-wheel drive is standard and in turn brings infinitely more grip, security and versatility compared to the V6 petrol which is front-drive only and more prone to wheelspin.

The current Hyundai Santa Fe will be replaced by an all-new model in June and Hyundai has confirmed its replacement will not be offered with a diesel engine, opting instead to bring us a feisty turbo-petrol and a 1.6 turbo-petrol hybrid.

Australian buyers therefore have just a couple of months left to secure a diesel-powered Hyundai seven-seat SUV which, for reference, shares its powertrain (and platform) with the Sorento.

Hot on the heels of the new Santa Fe will be the facelifted Hyundai Tucson mid-size SUV, which is also replacing diesel with hybrid power.

The new model will feature a detuned version of the next-generation Santa Fe Hybrid’s powertrain alongside the familiar 1.6-litre turbo-petrol, relegating the popular 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel/AWD combo to carsales’ used car listings from mid-year.

Quite literally the last diesel compact SUV left on the Australian market, the Jeep Compass Trailhawk is the flagship variant of the local Compass portfolio and pitched as the go-anywhere version for those not wanting something bigger.

The adventure-ready hero stands alone from its petrol-powered brethren with its 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine (125kW/350Nm), which will more than likely be retired mid-year as the entire Compass line-up goes mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid only.

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