I generally much prefer petrol engines, but, larger capacity petrol engines with more than 4 cylinders. I have no real objection to diesels, even 4 pot ones on a motorway, but at very low speeds or when you fancy driving in a spirited fashion they are rather nasty ...to my ears and in the way they feel, leaden and unwilling with an annoyingly narrow power band. The worst thing to me though is the idle clatter, it really gets on my nerves. This doesn't affect larger diesels nearly so much, the various 6 cylinder units out there are mostly rather good, the 5 cylinder Volvo one actually sounds really rather good under acceleration ...not so much at idle though.
I have been looking at quite a few cars lately myself, including some frighteningly 'sensible' lower powered options, I test drove a new shape Ford Focus today ...the 1.6 125bhp petrol version (I actually like the new Focus in many respects, it's come a long way from the old MK1 that's for sure) ....it was shockingly slow, I thought it was broken when I came off a round about and started trying to accelerate up a dual carriageway, the salesman suggested I might like the 1.6 diesel more ....he's probably right actually (at least it would have 'some' torque), but neither are for me that's for sure. To be honest, it made my 2.0 140bhp diesel Volvo feel really quite quick.
I'm sure the turbocharged Ford ecoboost engines are much better, however the 1.6 and 2 litre are a bit too expensive for me just now. Besides, considering the fact I can buy an E class mercedes that's 4 years old with less than 50k on the clock for the same price ...I'd be daft to look at hatchbacks anyway. Still, I was curious and like to keep my options open and the new Focus isn't a bad car at all, just don't get it with the 1.6 N/A petrol ...Christ on a bike ...bearing his cross would be swifter I think.
