Fuel efficiency is a big deal. With gas prices soaring well above $3 (at times above $4) a gallon all over the country, MPGs have a profound effect on the check book.

Hybrid and full-electric vehicles seem to get the most buzz in the MPG race, but there is another contender. According to a press release from the the Diesel Technology Forum, data compiled by www.hyrbidcars.com and Baum and Associates shows sales of clean diesel vehicles is up 25 percent in the U.S. for 2014.

2014 Clean Diesel and Hybrid Car Sales

“Sustained and mostly double-digit increases in sales each month over a four year period prove that U.S. consumers are embracing the benefits of clean diesel technology and its proven, high fuel efficiency, great driving performance, and long-term value,” said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum.

It’s no secret that diesel vehicles are typically fuel-efficient and long-lasting. So what accounts for the sudden dramatic increase in demand for diesel vehicles?

It could be diesel’s current price point. In recent years, diesel has typically been much more expensive than gasoline, but this summer that hasn’t been the case.

“Diesel is starting to get in line with gas,” says Jason Brune of Warsaw Auto Park. With diesel prices aligning with gasoline, buying a fuel-efficient diesel makes as much sense as a hybrid.

“We have people coming in, and they like some of the diesels,” Brune says. This is probably because the diesels in the showrooms these days are a far cry from the loud and dirty diesels of the past.

Diesel options were fairly limited before fuel-efficiency became such a big deal. The selection mainly consisted of big, torque-heavy trucks or random passenger cars like the Volkswagen Rabbit. Things are different in 2014.

“Today, the clean diesel choices include 27 cars and SUVs, nine vans and 10 pickup trucks,” says Schaeffer. For example, Chevrolet dropped a fuel-efficient diesel engine in its Cruze compact sedan – that model boasts 46 MPG.

For those needing a little more cargo room, Jeep has a Grand Cherokee model with an EcoDiesel V6 engine that can go 730 miles on a single tank or tow more than 7,000 pounds. That same engine is also available in a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck.

European car makers have popular diesel models as well. BMW has a 3-series diesel that rivals hybrid car fuel efficiency. Audi has been marketing its new diesel models pretty hard in the states. And Volkswagen’s hatchback Golf TDI is a very popular diesel-burning option.

Here in Kosciusko County, there does seem to be a slight boost in diesel interest. Brune says he has some shoppers asking about diesel options. And he says diesel trucks have long been popular in this area. However, he hasn’t noticed an increase as dramatic as the Diesel Technology Forum’s report.

That being said, provided diesel prices remain in contention with gasoline, and manufacturers continue offering desirable diesel option, there could be a lot more diesel automobiles on the road. “While diesel cars and pickup trucks make up only three percent of the overall U.S. vehicle market, most analysts predict continued growth in the U.S., with many believing the diesel market will double by 2018,” says Schaeffer.

So, hybrids do offer a fuel-efficient auto option, but it’s not the only game in town.