Diesel enthusiasts have voted the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel the top diesel car of the year in an article by Diesel Driver magazine that also named Chevrolet as the top diesel brand.

"The Chevrolet Cruze Diesel, with a market-leading 46 mpg highway (5.11 L/ 100 km) is clearly setting the pace for diesel-powered cars in the United States," said Jonathan Spira, editorial director of The Diesel Driver. "The message from our readers is clear. Diesels are back and Chevrolet is in the forefront."

The Cruze finished with 59.3 percent of the 11,030 votes cast. Competitors included the Audi A6, A7, A8, Q5 and Q7; BMW 328, 535 and X5; Jeep Grand Cherokee; Mercedes-Benz E250, GLK250, ML350 and GL350; Porsche Cayenne; and Volkswagen Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Passat and Touareg.

"The Cruze Diesel is really showing the world what diesel can do," said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet senior marketing manager. "It combines fuel efficiency and performance into a fun-to-drive vehicle that really offers compact car drivers an option that speaks to their lifestyle and personality."

Chevrolet received 45 percent of the 11,161 votes cast for top diesel manufacturer. The ballot included Audi, BMW, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen.

For 2014, Chevrolet added a 2.0L clean turbo-diesel to the Cruze that achieves an EPA-estimated 46 miles per gallon highway. The Cruze Diesel can travel 717 miles on a single tank.

Chevrolet introduced the 2015 Cruze at the New York International Auto Show with revised exterior styling, enhanced interior convenience and greater connectivity such as text message alerts, Apple Siri integration and OnStar 4G LTE with available Wi-Fi hotspot.