with diesel fuel, you get much better fuel economy than gasoline. for example, the Jetta 2.5 gets 30 mpg on gas, while the diesel version gets 43 mpg. diesel also provides much better performance, and it will soon be acctually cleaner to run on than gasoline with the new BlueTec by Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen. Plus your engine can be fitted to run on biodiesel, which is basically vegetable oil, for about $100 more for a specieal fuel filter.

How about older diesel model? Say from 1995 to 2006? Is anything available in diesal during that period? Looking SUV or passenger car.

why can't we buy the Euopean modle cars?

Why cant we buy cars with a diesel motor? they build the same models around the world with diesels in them. they meet emissions. the Jeep liberty diesel sold out every year. same with the VW's. but they say there is no market?

When Volkswagen produced the first rabbit decades ago, they produced a diesel car as well as a compact diesel pickup truck. Both vehicles got great fuel milage. Many guys who commute to work would love to be able to buy a compact pickup truck for commuting to and from work and have the ability to make a stop to buy building supplies on the way home as well as on the weekends.

It would be great if Volkswagen or some other company would produce a compact diesel pickup truck that got 40+ miles per gallon.

Aquestion was asked about "why can't we buy cars with a diesel motor?"
I live in Central America, where all manner of diesel powered vehicles are used.
I think the answer to the question is repression of these imports to the U.S. by big business and the puppets in the U.S. government controlled by them. The underlying and motivating factor is to sell high priced oil and gas until there isn't any, in the complete fleecing of the American people. When that becomes an issue, then the fuel efficient and electric vehicles will become available. For those who are uninformed read the information contained
in the following:
http://www.newswithviews.com/
If more of the American public would get their heads out of the sand,and look at the real issues instead of false news and football, America could be on the way to a better life.

Aquestion was asked about "why can't we buy cars with a diesel motor?"
I live in Central America, where all manner of diesel powered vehicles are used.
I think the answer to the question is repression of these imports to the U.S. by big business and the puppets in the U.S. government controlled by them. The underlying and motivating factor is to sell high priced oil and gas until there isn't any, in the complete fleecing of the American people. When that becomes an issue, then the fuel efficient and electric vehicles will become available. For those who are uninformed read the information contained
in the following:
http://www.newswithviews.com/
If more of the American public would get their heads out of the sand,and look at the real issues instead of false news and football, America could be on the way to a better life.

Billy,

Calm down man and you won't double post again. Look, it's only a car and wrong with enjoying football? Jeeez

Keith

He doesn't need to calm down. He's right, and I for one am sick of being surrounded by idiots who can tell me everything about "football", but complain about the price of fuel, and have no idea why American diesel engines get the lowest mileage on the planet. To hell with calming down. Small trucking companies are going out of business by the day because of fuel prices. This is all one giant capitalist cattle prod that's been shoved up our @**. Write your Congressman and/or Senators, and tell them they better start paying attention.

Rent a car anywhere in Europe and it's likely to be a diesel. Ford and GM both build fantastic, economical, fast, sporty diesel cars but don't sell them in America. All these European diesels get 45mpg or above - even when thrashed. Some Audi models get 60mpg. Fuel is very expensive in Europe because of taxes but with better mpg, cost per mile is the same as in the USA. So, in USA we pour the wasted fuel into the atmosphere. In Europe they put the taxes into free health care, education, and infrastructure. So I agree, Americans get your heads out your a** or sand and insist on a smarter solution than that offered by gas guzzlers and low taxes.

Yup, Just got back from the UK where I rented a Citroen Picasa thingy and it was my first experience with a diesel car. The unit was simply amazing for it's fuel economy. The guy at Heathrow Airport Avis said, "about 60mpg" and I was thinking yeah right fool - a Prius doesn't even get that. Well, it did get around that for sure and I was driving 80-90 mph whenever it was safe. I probably could have gone 700 miles on a tank and it went 85 miles before a single bar of the gauge dropped (out of 10). Why can't I buy it here in Washington State to replace my 22 mpg Toyota 4-runner dinosaur? I want one, or something similar asap. America needs to wake up.

We have not yet learned the lesson that politicians
and gas companies make suckers out of the ordinary
citizen everywhere in the world, and in U.S., it may
be worse. The U.S. goverment, due to the high
pressure from companies of vested interests will not
allow anybody to import economically viable automobiles in a mass scale. That is called pure capitalism.

america might wake up when enemy tanks roll down our streets, and they will be all diesel powered.

I dont know why we dont have a big diesel car market... I wish my Mustang was turbo diesel - much more power can be had - with almost unlimited horsepower on tap with tuning.
Diesels are more efficient, have higher compression and can sound just as nice as gassers with proper exhaust fitting.

I also had much interest in a diesel vehicle but at the time I found info that only 1/5 the gal of diesel could be refined from a barrel of oil compared to gasoline. This didn't seem to be a solution for our problem unless we can get at least 5 times mileage advantage for diesel. Has the refine ratio changed?

"I also had much interest in a diesel vehicle but at the time I found info that only 1/5 the gal of diesel could be refined from a barrel of oil compared to gasoline. This didn't seem to be a solution for our problem unless we can get at least 5 times mileage advantage for diesel. Has the refine ratio changed?"

Let's ignore this question and ask another:
Biodiesel?

"I also had much interest in a diesel vehicle but at the time I found info that only 1/5 the gal of diesel could be refined from a barrel of oil compared to gasoline. This didn't seem to be a solution for our problem unless we can get at least 5 times mileage advantage for diesel. Has the refine ratio changed?"

Let's ignore this question and ask another:
Biodiesel?

How about if we Americans stop buying cars until we are offered the ones we want - diesel economy cars like the ones that are driven in Europe. If we create the demand, maybe the car manufacturers will supply us with what we want.

I believe the previous poster just got what he wanted; American gas guzzlers have no customers anymore.

Here is my prediction for 2009: GM and Chrysler will announce a massive shift into making electric cars and highly efficient diesels.

All the best.