It'llrun

TTT... This one needs more attention! Any diesel powered car or light truck(1/2 ton) would be an improvement. Manufacturers have been "gonna" do it again for years, but none has come through. I think "big oil" has a stake in this, but I also think the premium of diesel fuel AND diesel engines in general(which could drop considerably if anyone could get one in their car of choice) has given them plenty of reason to stuff the idea.

With CAFE crapola getting ever worse, it's way past time for real efficiency... Of course, the government will screw the pooch on this too, by forcing additives, etc. for any auto maker who tries to defy their idea that America uses too much fuel...

redbadss

iTrader: (4)

I have been in favor of the diesel movement since I drove a 2010 Jetta TDI. That car was a blast to drive and had great low-end torque for the everyday commute. The car i happened to test drive was almost out of gas and the miles until empty reading said 48. Albeit I didn't drive the car 30+ miles but I did drive it 10-12 miles for a test drive and when i returned to the dealership the miles until empty read 50! So even my beating on it and hard acceleration on the highway didn't have an affect on the efficiency of the diesel motor.

I truely believe these little diesel cars would be such an improvement over the current small gasoline engines with sub-par performance and not nearly as efficient. And I think the big three are starting to notice the attention VW is getting with their deisel line-up.

The view on diesel engines will improve as we see more and more smaller cars with that powertrain, which makes me extremely pleased that Chevy is pulling the trigger soon and will be the first of the U.S. companies to do so.

01 ss vert

iTrader: (1)

x2.

Plus, the cruzes in black look pretty good! A co-worker has one and it catches my eye everytime I go by it.

redbadss

iTrader: (4)

Agreed, I see a dark red/maroon one around town that looks really sharp(especially for just a compact car). I think Chevy did a great job on styling and designing this new car. If they had a performance version of the car available I would've definately considered it before purchasing my current WRX, being that I would rather support american companies.

01 ss vert

iTrader: (1)

I wish they would come out with a Diesel version for 2012 vs. 2013 b/c my wifes maxima is on it's final leg, I do believe. I would put down a deposit now if they offered it.

Also, as Americans are desiring diesels more and more, the used diesel market is holding it's value quite well.

ramairroughneck

iTrader: (35)

I don't buy into the oil company lobbyist theory. I'd point the finger more to the tree hugging lobbyist who didn't wont diesel cars polluting America. They're letting up now that we have better, cleaner burning technology. In the past, there was less of a need for efficient vehicles. Global demand for fuels was low and prices were relatively cheep. When everyone was buying up suv's, trucks, and high horsepower cars nobody was saying I wish we had diesel cavaliers here in the U.S.. You need to look at the bigger picture before you start blaming the big oil companies. Supply and demand, Global fuel usage, the value of are currency, even our deficit plays a bigger role in the scheme of things.

Latch

iTrader: (8)

The tree-huggers in Europe don't have a problem with diesels, so what makes you think the liberals here are opposed to them?

The problem is that America seems to be behind the rest of the world on this matter; Europeans have been driving clean diesel cars for decades now and America still hasn't caught on yet. It's probably because gas prices up until now have always been cheap, and the average person has a lot of misconceptions about diesel cars (they're dirty, noisy, slow, etc.)

mst504

iTrader: (1)

A guy at my work has 2 Cruze's, they're pretty nice cars.

ramairroughneck

iTrader: (35)

The tree hugger thing was just a quick slam and an opposing view to the liberal conspiracy theory. I don't really beleave this is a political issue. More than anything I feel the American automakers didn't bring them here because there was little interest amongst consumers when fuel was cheap. There is more of a market now. I refuse to accept the people griping on here have wanted a diesel for years. I think you guys wanted the powerful gas burning cars GM gave us. I also don't think these high mpg diesels are really gonna help us through are problems. If we buy less foreign oil because of these new vehicles, Opec will just cut production to get their profits higher. Thats really gonna suck for people like myself that drive gasoline chugging v8s.

redbadss

iTrader: (4)

In all honesty, I didn't realize diesel was more fuel efficient than gasoline until a year or two ago. My ignorance was fueled by the know-it-all people in america who continue to think deisel is some sort of poison fuel for humans. Now I'm still in college and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but i like to think of myself as a car enthusiast. The whole viewpoint on diesel in america has always been -- to me anyways -- the "noisy, dirty, hyperpolluting" diesel fuel, simply because that's what the 18 wheelers, buses and large trucks are fueled by.

I also agree with RAMAIRROUGHNECK; that diesel cars haven't been successful because of the lack of interest and very low consumer demand for them. I do, however, disagree with his argument that diesels wont help our problems we currently face. I believe that a slow transition into a growing diesel market will help consumers on fuel prices (saving money at the pump), and help the automakers make the CAFE standards set.

Now will this solve every problem or a substantial portion of problems set in front of us right now? No. But it will help and I hope it will help more than just a little. Most owners will continue to only drive gasoline vehicles or thier precious little electric cars, but will everyone continue to overlook the benefits of clean diesel fuels?

Latch

iTrader: (8)

Moving towards diesel is a good short-term solution until fuels like hydrogen, natural gas, etc. become readily available sources of power.

sintered

The biofuels made from algae are predominantly biodiesel. It's a technically challenging biofuel right now, but no other plant on the planet grows near as fast as algae so we could potentially make a sh*t-ton of the stuff for next to nothing. Right here at home. Talk to a petroleum engineer... the crude oil we currently pump out of the ground and burn in our cars is pretty much nothing but prehistoric algae in shallow seas that was captured and cooked at the high temps and pressures underground into crude oil. Hopefully in the next 5-10 years this will be a commercially viable option for the US.

I hope diesels do become popular in the US compact segment. One of my all time favorite cars is the 2000-2003 VW Jetta diesel with the 5-speed. They can easily get over 50mpg with simple mods and the engines are good to 400k+ miles without so much as a hiccup. A cruze/focus/etc with the same setup would be a KILLER daily driver for 10+ years of use while getting great fuel economy. Whether gas jumps to $4/gal or $7/gal, with this kind of economy it doesn't really matter. And the sticker price should be a hell of a lot lower versus hybrids, PHEVs, etc.

BizZzatch350

iTrader: (33)

BMW with the 335D I think is doing a great job at breaking American buyer's past conceptions-misconceptions toward diesels and introducing "clean" diesel technology as a viable main stream option. This stuff could really bolster numbers for CAFE requirements, imagine what a diesel-electric hybrid Cruze or even Volt could get. Almost every manufacturer that sells globally from Honda to BMW has diesel options in other markets. I was also disappointed that the 4.5 D-max was scrapped, I think that would make for an awesome truck. My 1500 Sierra fits me perfectly, I have zero need for a 2500 or 3500 truck.

It'llrun

It could be a great long term solution too, with relatively few changes to the market.

Biodiesels from algea are looking great, as are those from used cooking oil. You can make your own deisel too, for much less than buying(let alone making) gasoline. It's easier to use(almost no adaptation needed anymore) and less expensive than nearly any other viable fuel.

People have been "disinterested" in diesel power for only 1 real reason... lack of availability. Most American market vehicles have no diesel engine option and that's where the change needs to happen 1st. The problems stemming from that are the same as from gas power... The government will intervene and force prices up. They're already deeply invoved in wasting our money. Diesel has no reason to be more expensive at the pump than gasoline(currently least expensive viable automotive fuel), yet it costs more to buy diesel and the government is committed to making economy standards which are not only tougher to meet due to increases in required economy, but because our government also insists on manufacturers adding fuel wasting parts to vehicles, which have nothing to to with safety(plus safety parts).

Were people told openly, just 20yrs ago, that diesel was so much more efficient than gasoline, we'd resemble Europe a bit more with what we drive. I drove a 1985 Ford Tempo GL diesel(back then)... 47mpg on the highway was no problem. It wasn't quick, had no turbo, seemed to lack power, and put soot into the air... It also got about twice the mileage of the "better economy" gas powered cars on the road while seating 5. It wasn't nearly as loud as most would expect, but it wasn't quiet either. My '76 Monza might have managed 20 hwy mpg with its horizontal 4 and 4 seats. It lacked plenty as compared to the Tempo, but was 9yrs older... In 1990, I got a 2.3L Mustang which got 36 hwy mpg... 5yrs newer, sportier and with more creature comforts, it was still well behind the Tempo, while seating only 4, two cramped in the rear.

Even my turbo diesel 1 ton managed to net 19.1mpg... at reasonable speeds. Most gas powered 1/2 tons don't do any better today.

America can massively benefit from diesel vehicles, but we've been told for decades, they're the wrong answer... It's simply not true and finally, people are taking note. Next, produce more and let the price of diesel drop by limiting government interference, not limited to, but including things like Diesel Particulate Filters, which really only serve to waste fuel.

The BMW 335D, btw... is outstanding by all accounts. The Cruze at an affordable price with turbo diesel power? I'll take one tomorrow for my gal and MAYBE even me, as a DD. I'd rather something larger though, like a 1/2 ton pickup or maybe even an Impala or other bigger car.

BanditTA

iTrader: (3)

I run straight cooking oil in my Deere Backhoe, change the fuel filter every few months and run the oil through a paint filter while pouring it in. It stinks like a giant french fry but works perfect, i've noticed no difference in power. Fuel filters for it are like 6 bucks from Deere so i could care less about diesel at this point. I usually blend it but have run it straight in the past.

I'd consider a diesel DD but if I was buying a pickup hands down gas, I personally dislike diesels, gutless wonders that won't rev (Detroit excluded), right when they start making power it's time to shift. I've also driven a few Jetta TDIs, I'd never DD one, what gutless cars, maybe the new ones are different......

1320

iTrader: (6)

You just need the right ones.....lol. My 98 ram 3500 makes over 700 rwhp and 1300 ft lbs......most newer trucks (gm, dodge etc) can make big power pretty easy. My 8000lb 4x4 extended cab stays ahead of a stock c6 vette.

I ve think the cruze with a small diesel is a great idea. I bet its not long and there will be a lot of small car diesel choices because of it.

Jon5212

iTrader: (2)

You've been driving the wrong diesel trucks then. My diesel pickup will flat out walk all over a stock gas pickup truck... except for possibly a lightning or silverado SS. I don't have much done to it. And I'll get better fuel mileage to boot.

sintered

Turbo diesels are really hard to beat. What's hurting them right now is all the emissions equipment... EGR, cat, DPF, SCR, complicated programming, etc etc. Common rail diesels run like the space shuttle when tuned, but the ultra-high injection pressures(30,000+ psi) and the complex piezo injectors (5+ shots in one injection event!) make them a little less reliable versus the old low pressure systems. They run REAL quiet and clean though. Just the other week i pulled up beside a new 6.7 powerstroke at a gas station while it was running. I had to look back two or three times to make sure it was a diesel. Sounded just like a gas engine. Nuts.

Take a look at the light duty segment with the duramax, cummins, and powerstroke. With nothing more than simple bolt-ons and... ahem... "deletions"... they can make 500+ hp and 1000tq and STILL knock down 20+ mpg on the highway. In a 3 ton truck nonetheless. A friend of mine with a mildly modded 97 cummins 5-speed gets 23mpg regularly.

As much as i hate a damn prius, if they were to put a small diesel in place of the gas engine, 70+ mpg would probably be possible. I wouldn't think a mild hybrid diesel cruze or focus would cost much more than the current versions, and a lot less than a full hybrid while still getting 50+ mpg. We shall see it seems.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

One question:

How easy is it to hot start a diesel and how long do you have before you would have to use the glow plugs again?

Would stopping and starting be an issue with a hybrid diesel?

Was just wondering.

Irunelevens