Ten diesels you'll be able to drive stateside soon
Forbes has published a list of 10 diesel cars Americans will be able to purchase soon. Automakers expect that the new generation diesels will catch up on American soil thanks to their refined engineering, which translates into reduced emissions and more torque along with mileage increases of around 30 percent. This is the good news, the bad news is that the U.S. doesn't always get the most fuel-efficient oil burners, especially when it comes to the smaller models. Forbes' list doesn't offer much information about EPA mileage or price, but it does give us a few vehicles we can keep an eye on for our diesel dreams. Follow us after the jump for the complete list.
[Source: Forbes]
- BMW 335d: With an inline 6-cyl. 22/33 mpg estimated.
- BMW X5 35d: With the same engine as the car above. 19/25 mpg est.
- Acura TSX Sedan: Named i-DTEC, the Acura shares sheetmetal and probably the same engine as the European Accord.
- Audi Q7 3.0 TDI: With a V6 and being tested stateside.
- Porsche Cayenne: With the same engine as above. 19/24.5 est.
- VW Touareg TDI: And the other sibling of the previous two.
- Audi A4 TDI: This compact premium sedan will get the 3.0 TDI. But remember: Europeans get the 46mpg TDIe version.
- Hyundai Veracruz: Available in 2009 or 2010 with an all-new V6 diesel engine.
- Kia Borrego: With the same engine as above.
- Nissan Maxima: With Renault's new V6 dCI diesel engine. Available in 2010.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brn 10:16AM (10/16/2008)
Interesting that there are no economy class vehicles.
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ME 10:46AM (10/16/2008)
"Interesting that there are no economy class vehicles."
Exactly.
Where's the Mini Cooper D?
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paulwesterberg 10:56AM (10/16/2008)
They still get horrible mileage in city driving.
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amg 2:32PM (10/16/2008)
Any idea where Subaru stands with the Forester/Outback diesel? I was hoping that would be available in a 2010 model.
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phil easler 2:49PM (10/16/2008)
Ditto on the Mini - D, why the hell isn't it here?
Phil
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Ralph 1:16AM (10/17/2008)
Not surprising, really. If you were to take a poll today I'd bet that you'd find that the majority of the US public still prefers mid-sized to larger cars with powerful engines and up until this financial crisis, many could afford it. This is of course great news for the automakers since the profit margin on a vehicle of this type is substantial...on smaller cars, not so much.
So, there you have it (in a Clarkson voice): "Americans like their cars 'fat'"
I can imagine that the decision to bring over new models isn't something that takes place yesterday and the cars magically appear tomorrow. With so much red tape and government regulation I wouldn't doubt if the decision would have to be made ~2 years in advance. If that's true, then it would explain why most automakers have not been able to effectively capitalize on the growing demand for smaller, more fuel efficient autos since they didn't see the extent of the US (and global) gas price spike at the time. The ones that have (like Mini) had the right product available since they had already been selling small, efficient cars in the US for some time.
As for Mini. Personally, I believe we'll see the diesel Mini here, but only when more small car competition arrives (Euro FIAT 500s, Ford Fiestas, Mazda 2s, etc.) that will make their current crop of motors look inefficient and outdated.
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Michael 12:03PM (10/17/2008)
I'll take a diesel in one of these:
Subaru Forester
VW Tiguan
MB GLK
BMW X3
Honda CRV
Acura RDX
Audi Q3
Land Rover LRX
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Investor 2:09PM (10/17/2008)
Where's the BMW 123d?
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