Would recommend test driving both, loved the petrol for the obvious fact of the more power but the practicality of the diesel won me over. £20 tax, cheaper insurance, 55 mpg, decent boot space, car is same in diesel or petrol guise just the performance of the engine separates them, so handling is the same as the diesel is just 20 kg heavier.

Diesel obviously isn't as fast as the petrol but I've had plenty of fun in it when I was potting around the autobahns in Germany.