Personally I think each to their own though I have never had a diesel and never will.
What I find really annoying is....You want a test drive or to have a look at one in the showroom...always diesel, I don't bother buying car magazines these past few years as virtually every test car is a diesel.
The vast majority of cars that I like the look of (SUV/ Estates) the top models are diesel or 4X4 isn't available on Petrol variants ( BMW 340i...no X drive in this country, X3...no petrol, Passat...no petrol, even CX5...no 4X4 with petrol in this country, to name just a few, though there is a trickle of decent powered 4X4 petrols appearing (without paying silly money of course)....Skoda Superb estate 280 4X4, Seat Cupra ST 300 4X4 coming soon.
The ideal thing would be to move to the States or Australia....unfortunately they don't have a free for all like this country!!
Just my humble opinion....would be nice to have choice that's all, rather than being dictated to.