Think of diesel hp as "continous hp" versus a gasoline's "max hp".

You can work a diesel near its max hp and still last a decade. That's why they feel fast, because you're using more of the available power during normal driving (via high torque, low rpm).

When driving around our X at 2000 to 3000 rpm, we're making no more than 100 hp or so. The diesel will probably make its full 132 hp by 3000 rpm.