PODEn (Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers) have high oxygen content, cetane number and good solubility in diesel fuel. In this work, pure diesel and PODE3-4/diesel blends with 10-20% PODE3-4 by volume were tested in a light-duty direct injection diesel engine without any modifications on the engine fuel supply system. Engine performance, combustion and emission characteristics were compared at various loads. The results show that PODE3-4/diesel blends can improve engine efficiency and reduce engine-out emissions significantly, especially soot emissions. It is proved that PODE3-4, of which the mass production has been achieved recently, is a promising blending component for diesel fuel. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.