Even my E46 320d is capable of up to the equivalent to 55 US MPG on a run, so I'm sure the latest generation of diesels should offer fantastic real world economy - no matter how the EPA test it.
Having said that, being a four cylinder diesel I agree that a Manual is more of a chore than a pleasure, basically you're just stirring the gearbox to keep it between 2000rpm and 3500rpm, the rest of the time it's pretty gutless - but since fuel over here equates to 9.5 $/gal, I can live with it being unresponsive if it achieves 2-3 times the economy I get from my even older E36 Coupe.
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