BMW dominated voting over two Volkswagen models and its 335d was named 2011 Diesel Car of the Year by a global vote of readers of The Diesel Driver magazine and as announced at the New York International Auto Show.
The BMW 335d received 29.6 percent of 3,669 votes cast by readers from 43 countries. Eighty-three percent of the voters were from the United States.
The Volkswagen Golf TDI finished second (16.1 percent) with the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI (16 percent) third.
Each year, the Diesel Driver’s readers select the Diesel Car of the Year and recognize the top three diesel automobiles offered in the U.S.
For the 2011, votes wer cast among 12 passenger vehicles and sport utility vehicles and criteria ranged from fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions to performance, handling, styling, comfort and the overall package.
Th 2011 nominees included passenger cars: Audi A3 TDI, BMW 335d, Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec, Volkswagen Golf TDI, Volkswagen Jetta Sedan TDI and Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI.
The SUVs nominees included: Audi Q7 TDI, BMW X5 xDrive35d, Mercedes-Benz ML350 BlueTec, Mercedes-Benz R350 BlueTec, Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTec and Volkswagen Touareg TDI.
Article Last Updated: August 22, 2021.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
