Why does the US always get the crappiest vehicle selections?

[fuzzybabybunny]

So I'm still thinking about a Subaru Crosstrek. In the US there is a crappy, slow, inefficient 5-speed manual or a CVT that's boring to drive.

Then I read that in Europe and Australia a diesel exists as well. A diesel 6-speed manual. Or a gasoline 6-speed manual. I am literally bashing my head against the table right now. WTF?

Why does the US always get the crappy vehicle selection?

 

[nickbits]

It doesn't but apparently you don't like what it has to offer. Maybe you should move to Europe.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Because we hate cars and driving, especially manual transmission cars, despite having setup our entire society around the concept of being self sufficient and driving ourselves everywhere.

By the way, I have friends who live in Europe and they say the smell of diesel fuel permeates many cities there.

 

[Pocatello]

It doesn't but apparently you don't like what it has to offer. Maybe you should move to Europe.

Or Australia, we can only hope.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Or Australia, we can only hope.

I probably will. I'll be touring the world and making money at the same time for many years to come.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Because we hate cars and driving, especially manual transmission cars, despite having setup our entire society around the concept of being self sufficient and driving ourselves everywhere.

By the way, I have friends who live in Europe and they say the smell of diesel fuel permeates many cities there.

I've never smelled a modern diesel passenger car before. Do they have that smell? Or is the smell in Europe due to trucks and the blend of diesel that they use?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

As far as diesel goes, it is because of thee reasons:

1. Car manufacturers still believe there is a general phobia from the US population of Diesel vehicles.

2. Diesel is often more expensive here in the US than gas, which is opposite of the situation in Europe.

3. Europe's NOx emissions standards are FAR more relaxed than the US. Europe will only just be achieving closeness with the Europe 6 Stage in 2014, but it will still be more relaxed than the standards *now* in the US. If European diesel cars were using the diesel tech that would be required to run in the US, you'd fine the mileage to be far less exciting than it appears now. The average fuel milage for the RAM 3500 between 2009 and 2012 when from 21 MPG to 13 MPG when they added the particulate filter.

 

[Zenmervolt]

The average fuel milage for the RAM 3500 between 2009 and 2012 when from 21 MPG to 13 MPG when they added the particulate filter.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/dodge/ram 3500/diesel l6

Actually, it looks like it went from about 13 to about 13 for no change at all in real world use.

ZV

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Ignore my stock numbers I suppose. hard to argue with fuelly. That being said, the new Diesels do have headroom. My Uncle got a 2012 Dodge and did a DPF delete (with chip so the computer didn't go crazy, but no other alterations to the computer), and went from 13.5 MPG (hand measured from fuel ups), to 19 MPG. Doing a quick browse around the interwebs, it looks like other people doing the DPF delete have experienced similar results. I say that as someone who was pretty skeptical about the whole fuel mileage hit from DPFs, but there's enough evidence out there to show that there is a substantial hit from this DPF systems on new Diesels (not required in Europe, yet.)

 

[Jumpem]

Because the Subaru diesels will not pass the US diesel regulations.

 

[KDKPSJ]

The rest of the world pays a lot more for the same car than us, so I don't mind them receiving a little better choice than us.

But personally, I would prefer Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 w/ 5 speed that I can buy in US for $ 22k over GBP 25k ($ 38k) 2.0 Diesel w/ 6 speed, GBP 21k ($ 32k) 1.6 Gasoline w/ 5 speed, or GBP $ 24k ($ 37k) 2.0 Gasoline w/ 6 speed that I can buy in Europe.

 

[iamwiz82]

I've never smelled a modern diesel passenger car before. Do they have that smell? Or is the smell in Europe due to trucks and the blend of diesel that they use?

Modern diesel smells sweet to me. Diesel from even 10 years ago was quite different.

 

[Drako]

Since you're in CA, you can blame CARB.

 

[npaladin-2000]

Partially because of some myth about Americans not buying hatchbacks, and partially because the trucking lobbies don't want increased demand for diesel driving up their fuel prices.

 

[Baked]

Please move to Australia.

 

[Knavish]

The rest of the world pays a lot more for the same car than us, so I don't mind them receiving a little better choice than us.

But personally, I would prefer Subaru Crosstrek 2.0 w/ 5 speed that I can buy in US for $ 22k over GBP 25k ($ 38k) 2.0 Diesel w/ 6 speed, GBP 21k ($ 32k) 1.6 Gasoline w/ 5 speed, or GBP $ 24k ($ 37k) 2.0 Gasoline w/ 6 speed that I can buy in Europe.

This x1000 whenever anyone complains about cars in the US. I'd hate to be spending $30-40K (USD) for compact/midsize honda / toyota / GM type transportation.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

The cost of vehicles, transmission selection, and fuel selection are separate issues.

Cost: It has more to do with the government than it does the actual vehicle component mix. The same car is sold at different prices in different countries. Luckily the US has some of the best prices, but some of the dumbest component mixes.

Transmission: Subaru knew they needed to provide both a CVT and a manual. Instead of the 6-speed that is peppier, has a final drive that is close to the CVT (which means the same gas mileage), they decided to just offer the 5-speed, which is slower and has a final drive ratio that gets worse gas mileage than the CVT. In the same highway situations with the same car but different transmissions, there is NO PHYSICAL WAY for the 5-speed to get the same gas mileage as the CVT, and for this I would like to give Subie a big middle finger.

Fuel: this is more complicated due to the US' government restrictions on emissions, and I expect a number of other factors such as diesel prices being high and public opinion of diesel, (which is wrong). I would love to get a car that could run with no mods on bio-diesel, for instance.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Please move to Australia.

Plans are in the works to branch my business there.

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

LOL.

We have a population of 22 million. We have no where the same selection of cars are you.

We drive on the correct side of the road too, so there are tons of cars that can't be imported here.

 

[hans007]

i think its mostly because we have dealer laws, and cars must be sold at dealers becuase of all the lobbying they've done. that and drivetrain certifications.

so dealers only buy cars the majority buy because they have to stock them on the lot, becuase people in america don't order cars or have the patience to wait 6-8 weeks to have them built.

so since no one waits for orders, companies only send common configurations, so they only certify those since its the best ROI. so they dont even bother with all the other combinations because no one orders.

if we didnt have dealer laws. you probably could just order a car online have it delivered to your door in any configuration you want . well that would be if the govt didnt have 500 laws to certify cars against.

so probably a combination of factors.

 

[Pariah]

You list one model and that translates into "always"? Nice melodramatics.

You want a selection of more efficient vehicles then move to England where they are paying nearly $10 a gallon for gas and that efficiency actually means something. And they aren't even the most expensive country in Europe. With no cost advantage and much more stringent US regulations which increase the initial cost there's no reason for anyone to want a diesel in this country.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Please move to Australia.

Come to Singapore and you will be looking at nearly US$100,000 for an economy 1.6L mini-hatchback. And OP is complaining?