by that, i mean the USDM. im sure you are all aware of the cool shit european versions of bmws and VW’s come with, i also know honda, nissan, subaru people (myself included) are super jealous of awesome jdm shit found on those cars back in jdm land, but here is just another example.
so, for my new job i drive a 2010 jeep patriot FWD everyday. at first i hated it, but as i drive it more and more, im actually beginning to kind of like it. it does really good in the snow (with traction control off obv) for fwd, it handles kind of like a car, but sits like a small suv. im pretty sure its a mitsubishi 4 cylinder, and it gets really good mpgs for an suv. reminds me a lot of a crappy interior fwd honda element.
so anyway, i was bored one day and just kind of looking at them with the idea in my head maybe i’ll pick one up as a dd (lease a 4wd one, beat the snot out of it for 2 years, and give it back)
im reading the wikipedia article on the car when i see this (link to article - Jeep Patriot - Wikipedia)
For Europe and Australia a 2.0 L (1968 cc; 120 cid; 140ps) Volkswagen-manufactured diesel engine is fitted along with a 6-speed manual gearbox. All EU cars are fitted as standard with four wheel drive and a version of the Freedom Drive System which tuned differently from the USA versions but with similar capability to FDII with brake traction control and three switchable electronic stability control and traction control settings for on or off-road use.
WTF?!?!? how sweet would that be, a 6-speed manual, VW diesel powered, small 4 door suv with 4wd?
so, why dont we get this in the states? emissions? maybe chrysler thinks it wouldnt sell?
More importantly, why do American manufacturers have to call at least one component of every goddamn product they made freedom-something? I mean, Freedom Drive, really?
But yeah, diesel/6spd/awd would be a pretty nice DD.
There are tons of awesome diesel cars / trucks that we don’t get here because of the EPA and CARB. Diesel is “dirty” and it’s not trendy like the “clean & green” tech being pushed now.
It’s just like nuclear power; the public perception is that it’s “bad.”
I’m pretty sure there is a diesel patriot available in the US…just not in NY. They’re hard to find but if you buy it out of state I think you can register it here. Just like the TDI Jetta’s work essentially.
now that you mention it, i do remember that jeep seems to make a handful of diesel vehicles but as stated they are hard to find. they must be special orders or something.
And keep in mind its not just the car company that says “dont bring it to the US” many americans dont embrace the diesel motor like they do in europe. Start taxing people per liter of displacement like they do in some places and you will see some change. Until then… soccer moms in SUV’s with big motors will be the norm.
Yeah, they only sell them in a few states due to emission restrictions but I think they offer both the patriot and Grand Cherokee have diesel versions over here. Most people here don’t know that diesel is more efficient and becoming the better choice to drum up enough demand for us to ever see used ones.
^Liberty CRD as well. But as stated, not widely available… It frustrates me when I see cars here that I also see in America (Rav4, CRV, Liberty, Grand Cherokee, BMW’s, etc…) — they aren’t just diesel, they are also equipped with manual. But diesel is the cheaper option over here for fuel, and for some of the mountain towns, it is the only option (if you want to make it up)!
But like everyone else said above, the reason its not prevalent here is due to US emissions regulations. I actually looked at the Liberty CRD diesel years back when it came out. The engine wasn’t bad, it was just the fact the Liberty itself was a giant piece of shit that turned me off.
He [Fiat and Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne] confirmed that all future Jeep products would be ‘Trail Rated’ – the brand’s highest level of off-road capability – and stated: “I can’t have a Mickey Mouse Jeep”.
