Diesel vehicles available in the US?

[Eric]

Right now, excepting trucks, I think there are only three vehicles available in the US with diesel engines:

* Mercedes E-Class
* BMW 3 Series
* VW Jetta

Two of the above are high-priced luxury cars in the $35k-$50k price range.

That leaves VW as the only automaker selling a reasonably priced diesel-powered passenger car in the US.

Meanwhile, in Europe, about half the passenger cars on the road are diesels... everything from micro-compacts to big luxury sedans.

Are they more "green" than we? Or are our laws just more stupid and inflexible?

[dieseleverything]

Mercedes, BMW, VW and Audi sell expensive diesel SUV's here as well. Plus the VW Golf/Rabbit TDI whatever they are calling it these days.

Our laws are just more inflexible, we actually have tighter emissions laws on diesels than the EU. Which is why I won't own a diesel newer than 2007.

The (stupid ass) Smart Car CDI diesel gets over 70 MPG, and it's not a hybrid, but for some reason they won't bring it over here.

[Eric]

Mercedes, BMW, VW and Audi sell expensive diesel SUV's here as well. Plus the VW Golf/Rabbit TDI whatever they are calling it these days.

Our laws are just more inflexible, we actually have tighter emissions laws on diesels than the EU. Which is why I won't own a diesel newer than 2007.

The (stupid ass) Smart Car CDI diesel gets over 70 MPG, and it's not a hybrid, but for some reason they won't bring it over here.

Probably because it's a "city car" and not really suitable for US roads. In Europe, it's much denser and you could use such a car in the city as a small runabout, like an enclosed moped. If you needed to travel beyond the city, there are trains, etc.

Here, you really do need a car that can be driven on highways as well as in city traffic. Most people do, anyhow.

And that SmartCar is a deathtrap; I'm pretty willing to try almost anything but I'd be reluctant to drive one of those on an Interstate for any length of time...

[grouch]

I got behind a Smart Car for a bit on the Pennyrile (Breathit) Parkway in Kentucky on Thanksgiving Day. The speed limit is 70 but they were barely doing 65. No problem as there are two lanes and they were in the slow lane. That thing did not look safe.

We were having record rains that day and it was a nasty, rainy day with poor visibility, lots of water on the road and fairly high winds. My Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 is a heavy truck and it was being pushed around. Whenever a gust would hit it, the Smart Car was all over its lane. When traffic passed, it was worse. I finally went around him and I could see him gripping the steering wheel with a death grip and as I pulled back into the lane several car lengths ahead of him, I could see the headlights wobbling all over the road.

Maybe the Smart Car is okay in town but while I've been known to really hammer on the road, I wouldn't even try to take one on the highway. From what I've heard, the Smart Car isn't selling all that well and may not be in the U.S. market for long.

I tried to buy a Jeep Liberty with the deisel but couldn't and now they no longer offer it. Every one the dealer got was presold. With a premium yet.

[swamprat]

Probably because it's a "city car" and not really suitable for US roads. In Europe, it's much denser and you could use such a car in the city as a small runabout, like an enclosed moped. If you needed to travel beyond the city, there are trains, etc.

Here, you really do need a car that can be driven on highways as well as in city traffic. Most people do, anyhow.

And that SmartCar is a deathtrap; I'm pretty willing to try almost anything but I'd be reluctant to drive one of those on an Interstate for any length of time...

I wouldn't either. I wouldn't touch one. I'd rather walk. That car makes the Prius look good.

[Eric]

I wouldn't either. I wouldn't touch one. I'd rather walk. That car makes the Prius look good.

Yes.

The Prius is overhyped and overpriced (and far from being "green"). But it is a functional car. The Smart, on the other hand, is no more useful than a touring motorcycle - arguably less so because it's not highway worthy in addition to being only able to carry two people.

[Kwozzie1]

Is the Chev (Daewoo) Cruze available with diesel? ...... we have it here

[Kwozzie1]

Aussies are just warming to diesels.

Power has seemed to translate to big V8s as they have been regarded as the choice for towing or long distance cruising.

Our roads have a 110kmh limit apart from the NT (Northern Territory) which has had a 130 limit for the past few years after previously no limit on the open road.

It seems to me to make sense to have something that ticks along nicely at the limit with a power reserve for hills and towing..

Maybe I am just slowing down