[cynicalkane]

Euro testing cycles are more generous, MPG figures are quoted in Imperial gallons (which are larger), and probably because of less dense cities they tend to be more tolerant of smog belching diesels. Diesels are fuel efficient but it's expensive to make them pollution efficient enough to pass American regulations.

Many cars are the same in both countries. There isn't anything about America that makes them less efficient. The exceptions are those tiny city cars that Americans would never drive, and diesels.

[CaptainZapp]

  Euro testing cycles are more generous, MPG figures are quoted in Imperial gallons

I have never seen a MPG notation anywhere in Europe (possibly in the UK, but certainly nowhere else).

Car efficiency is quoted by liters / 100 km just about everywhere around here.

Or am I missing something?

[to3m]

It is only in the UK. Nobody else uses miles, and the cutoff age for using gallons is something like 40-50 (and rising).

[teamonkey]

Diesel cars are very clean these days. The problem is that until recently in the US the standard of diesel typically found was of a lower quality than EuroDiesel. Now it has tighter regulations, but diesel cars still carry the stigma.

Not only that, but diesel is rare in North America. You cannot guarantee that the next gas station you pass will serve diesel. That alone is enough to put people off buying them.

Ford, General Motors and all the Japanese brands offer diesel models of their fleet in Europe but they don't tend to sell them here.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

diesel is rare in North America

I think that this is a very regional thing. Perhaps limited to the coastal cities? I have no problem finding diesel in the Midwest. In fact, we took a road trip a few months ago in our diesel pickup and every gas station we stopped at had diesel: it's not even something you need to look for.