Diesels are not cleaner, but it's a complicated story because you have to factor in the process to make a car (and batteries in the case of hybrids and electrics), the fuel efficiency, the emissions given off and the longevity.
Diesels are, however, very fuel efficient and can last a long time. But they give off small particulate matter that gets lodged into people's lungs, shaving days, months and years off people's lives. I don't know how clean clean diesel cars are, but every time I see black soot coming out of a truck, I want to punch someone. That's going straight into our lungs.