Diesel is associated with the large vehicles like trucks, or tractors or bulldozer and they make noise and are also smell. Actually the diesel vehicles are slow compared to their counterparts i.e. Gas.
Diesel engines as compared to Gas engines are not very powerful and therefore the regular use of Gas powered vehicle is more used than the diesel powered ones.
The Diesel powered vehicles are more costly and their replacements are very expensive. The engine itself is very complicated and they are heavier. Because they are heavier, they usually last longer then the Gas Powered vehicles.
The fuel prices today are hitting the roof and to fill up a vehicle costs to much where as the diesel prices are much cheaper than the Gas prices and they outrun the gas engines in consumption.
The outward beauty is also important factor in owning a vehicle for which a diesel powered one will be heavier and noisier and will pollute the environment. The Gas powered one are quieter and are friendlier with the environment. The diesel engine needs more tuning regularly than the gas powered ones. The diesel engines are powered by turbo and therefore can match with the gas-powered engines in the terms of power.
Most of the diesel engines are used by the people who want power and the gas powered engines are what regular people use. The choice depends entirely up to the person who is in the driving seat and he can decide what exactly he/she is looking for.