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>The result is simple: Small Diesel cars can’t exist legally in the US. And that is, of course, intentional. To keep some of the foreign competition away.

rayiner 11y ago
Because American companies can't make diesel cars?
- vinay427 11y ago
  They do with reasonable success in many parts of the world, so I'm not sure what GP was trying to claim.
- bobwaycott 11y ago
  Because American companies don't make diesel cars. Aside from trucks, that is. I tend to keep up on cars, and I can't name any American-brand, small diesel off the top of my head from the last 30+ years, aside from last year's Chevy Cruze. Edit/clarification: I'm speaking strictly of the American market. If American companies make small diesel cars for international markets, it's not at all relevant to discussing small diesel cars in the US.
  - maxerickson 11y ago
    There were multiple unfortunate diesels in the 1980s. My first thought was "Ford Escort" and a bit of searching confirms that there was one (Mazda made the engines though).
  - ptaipale 11y ago
    Ford makes them though, but only in Europe, and they are not particularly strong in diesel at that. Both Focus and Mondeo are available as diesels. And even Fiasco...sorry, Fiesta. GM don't sell Opels in the US, although they could re-badge them as Chevrolets.
    - teh_klev 11y ago
      > Ford makes them though, but only in Europe, and they are not particularly strong in diesel at that I disagree, certainly from a UK perspective. Most modern Ford diesel engines are the product of the collaboration between Ford, Citreon and Peugeot [0][1]. Ford diesel Focus and Mondeo's are hugely popular and are quite reliable, reasonably sporty and fuel efficient things. My dad's last three Fords (Focus, Mondeo then Focus) were all diesels and he loved them. Virtually everyone I know that own's a Focus has one of the diesel versions. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_DLD_engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_DLD_engine [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_AJD-V6/PSA_DT17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_AJD-V6/PSA_DT17
      - ptaipale 11y ago
        Yes, I don't disagree, you can buy a Focus, but I said Ford is not particularly strong in diesel. They work with PSA to get the engines. Still, a smaller percentage of Ford's European cars are diesel, compared to all major German and French brands, Volvo, Nissan or even Dacia.
  - coredog64 11y ago
    Replying to maxericson downthread: To the extent that consumers remember crappy American diesels, I would say the most infamous is the Olds diesel. GM took a (not so great) SI engine and turned it into a CI engine.
- ptaipale 11y ago
  Because keeping diesel cars away from the US market leaves them with a bit less competition. American companies make some diesel cars in other markets (Ford, and GM with its Opel and Vauxhall brands) but they have a significantly smaller market share in diesels than in gasoline engines. Easiest way to look at it is this: http://www.statista.com/statistics/425324/eu-car-sales-share-of-diesel-engines-by-brand/ http://www.statista.com/statistics/425324/eu-car-sales-share... You'll find Opel, Vauxhall and Ford towards the lower end of the table.
- riprowan 11y ago
  > Because American companies can't make diesel cars? If they can, they're keeping it a secret. My family bought a 1982 GM diesel. It was an absolutely atrocious car. Everyone that bought these diesels got burned. Lessons were learned. "Everyone knows" that American buyers won't buy a diesel, just like "everyone knows" that American buyers won't buy a wagon.

rayiner 11y ago

Because American companies can't make diesel cars?

vinay427 11y ago
They do with reasonable success in many parts of the world, so I'm not sure what GP was trying to claim.
bobwaycott 11y ago
Because American companies don't make diesel cars. Aside from trucks, that is. I tend to keep up on cars, and I can't name any American-brand, small diesel off the top of my head from the last 30+ years, aside from last year's Chevy Cruze. Edit/clarification: I'm speaking strictly of the American market. If American companies make small diesel cars for international markets, it's not at all relevant to discussing small diesel cars in the US.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  There were multiple unfortunate diesels in the 1980s. My first thought was "Ford Escort" and a bit of searching confirms that there was one (Mazda made the engines though).
- ptaipale 11y ago
  Ford makes them though, but only in Europe, and they are not particularly strong in diesel at that. Both Focus and Mondeo are available as diesels. And even Fiasco...sorry, Fiesta. GM don't sell Opels in the US, although they could re-badge them as Chevrolets.
  - teh_klev 11y ago
    > Ford makes them though, but only in Europe, and they are not particularly strong in diesel at that I disagree, certainly from a UK perspective. Most modern Ford diesel engines are the product of the collaboration between Ford, Citreon and Peugeot [0][1]. Ford diesel Focus and Mondeo's are hugely popular and are quite reliable, reasonably sporty and fuel efficient things. My dad's last three Fords (Focus, Mondeo then Focus) were all diesels and he loved them. Virtually everyone I know that own's a Focus has one of the diesel versions. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_DLD_engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_DLD_engine [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_AJD-V6/PSA_DT17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_AJD-V6/PSA_DT17
    - ptaipale 11y ago
      Yes, I don't disagree, you can buy a Focus, but I said Ford is not particularly strong in diesel. They work with PSA to get the engines. Still, a smaller percentage of Ford's European cars are diesel, compared to all major German and French brands, Volvo, Nissan or even Dacia.
- coredog64 11y ago
  Replying to maxericson downthread: To the extent that consumers remember crappy American diesels, I would say the most infamous is the Olds diesel. GM took a (not so great) SI engine and turned it into a CI engine.
ptaipale 11y ago
Because keeping diesel cars away from the US market leaves them with a bit less competition. American companies make some diesel cars in other markets (Ford, and GM with its Opel and Vauxhall brands) but they have a significantly smaller market share in diesels than in gasoline engines. Easiest way to look at it is this: http://www.statista.com/statistics/425324/eu-car-sales-share-of-diesel-engines-by-brand/ http://www.statista.com/statistics/425324/eu-car-sales-share... You'll find Opel, Vauxhall and Ford towards the lower end of the table.
riprowan 11y ago
> Because American companies can't make diesel cars? If they can, they're keeping it a secret. My family bought a 1982 GM diesel. It was an absolutely atrocious car. Everyone that bought these diesels got burned. Lessons were learned. "Everyone knows" that American buyers won't buy a diesel, just like "everyone knows" that American buyers won't buy a wagon.